Get up, Peter; kill and eat.”
In the first reading, we heard about the reaction of some of the early Christians upon hearing of the Gentiles’ acceptance of Christianity. They weren’t happy that Peter had to baptize, socialize, and eat meals with the new Gentile converts. This problem will lead to the convocation of the First Council of Jerusalem, recorded in Acts chapter 15 (AD 48-50).
Peter was an observant Jew who followed the laws and rituals of his people, he could not refuse baptism to people he recognized as chosen by God, people who have already received the Holy Spirit. So without hesitating, he baptized them!
Peter’s courageous decision points the way forward for the church of future centuries. In today’s first reading passage, he shows another courage when challenged by other members of the church for his daring initiative. Peter patiently explained why it was necessary and right. On the question of how gentiles could belong to the church, Peter had decisively opened the door.
Today, the church is still faced with divisions, issues of openness and inclusiveness. This same pastoral problem is been experienced in various corners of the world today. This made the late Pope Francis to advocate for a Church with open doors, both physically and symbolically, emphasizing inclusivity, welcome, and outreach to all.
Each church or parish should be a welcoming space where everyone feels invited and can encounter Jesus’ love. This includes opening doors to those who are struggling, disillusioned, or have been hurt. One could say, in a phrase of pope Francis, that Peter’s tendency was to build bridge rather than walls. The mission of the Church is to go out to the world, proclaiming the Gospel and reaching out to those who may not be familiar with it.
Like the early Church which was confronted with how to absorb new members from outside the people of Israel, we are called to emulate the ways of discernment as described in the Acts of the Apostles 15:7-21, which offers us an important light on how to deal with differences and seek the truth in love. Our discernment must be carried out in the light of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that helps to overcome closures and tensions and works in hearts so that, in truth and in goodness, they may reach unity.
In the Gospel reading, Jesus reminded us that He is the Good Shepherd. Without him we can do nothing. Jesus is a shepherd to all and not some. To tell us how important our relationship is, He tells us:
“I am the gate for the sheep”
“I am the gate”
“I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”
We are to be channels of grace, like Peter.
In the words of Saint Gregory the Great “Let us set out for these pastures where we shall keep joyful festival with so many of our fellow citizens. May the thought of their happiness urge us on! Let us stir up our hearts, rekindle our faith, and long eagerly for what heaven has in store for us. To love thus is to be already on our way. No matter what obstacles we encounter, we must not allow them to turn us aside from the joy of that heavenly feast. Anyone who is determined to reach his destination is not deterred by the roughness of the road that leads to it. Nor must we allow the charm of success to seduce us, or we shall be like a foolish traveler who is so distracted by the pleasant meadows through which he is passing that he forgets where he is going.”
