Meditation for Thursday 2nd, May 2013

Meditation for Thursday 2nd, May 2013

"God, who knows the human heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit just like us, without making any distinction between us and them, he purified their hearts by faith. So why do you put God to the test by placing on the shoulders of the disciples a yoke which our fathers and ourselves have not been able to bear? "
Acts 15.8 to 10.
We are here in the "Council of Jerusalem", the first meeting of the apostles after Pentecost, about 20 years later. It was about which attitude was to be adopted towards those who were not Jewish and who wanted to become Disciples of Christ. What had to be imposed on them? The Jewish law?

Peter's answer is rooted in the experience he made with the family of the Roman centurion Cornelius as it is reported in chapter 10 of the Acts of the Apostles. God, he says, has testified to the Romans "by giving them the Holy Spirit just like us." Peter concludes that it is unnecessary to put people to the test. The Jews know it well, since, in the words of Peter, they are not able, themselves, to abide by the Law!

There is much wisdom in Peter’s reflection, and it has been a landmark in the history of the Church. It reminds us to remain humbles. We proclaim a message that exceeds us. We must be careful to live it before proclaiming it, to live it in humility, and not to put a burden on others outside what Christ asks himself to them!

Lord, you have chosen us to be your disciples and we thank you. Give us the courage to follow St. Peter’s example and to acknowledge the preceding presence of your Holy Spirit wherever you send us. Give us always to recognize Him and to remain in thanksgiving and humility of heart.

† Emmanuel Lafont
Bishop of Guyana