6th Sunday of Easter, May 10, 2015

(Acts: 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48; 1 John 4:7-10; John 15:9-17)

Cornelius, a Roman centurion, was a God fearer (a non-Jew,
sympathetic to Judaism) and an alms-giver, who respected the Jewish
religion and prayed often to God. He had a vision which ended with a
command to send messengers to Simon Peter in Joppa. Joppa was a
coastal city on the Mediterranean Sea, 30 miles to the south of
Caesarea, also a coastal city. The scene in Acts unfolds the next day,
after Peter himself had fallen into a trance and had a vision and heard a
voice which he did not understand. He is told to go with the
messengers who had arrived, who then brought him to Caesarea.
Peter enters the house of Cornelius, who was clearly a Gentile, an
act that was clearly forbidden to Jews. Peters vision had been about
eating unclean animals, but what follows far surpasses a lesson in
dietary rules and regulations. What Peter finds in the house of
Cornelius is his whole household filled with his relatives and friends
who are gathered there to meet and listen to Peter.
They explain their visions to each other and Peter discovers that in
Gods eyes no one is unclean. He announces that to the whole
household as he begins to tell them about Jesus Christ. He focuses
especially on his death and resurrection, concluding with everyone
who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his
name.
While Peter was still speaking the Holy Spirit fell upon all who
were listening to the word. Peters entourage, who came with him
from Joppa, and who were of the circumcision party (converts from
Judaism who insisted on the necessity of circumcision for males) were
astounded to see the Spirit enabling those gathered to speak in
tongues and to glorify God. Seeing this, Peter ordered their immediate
baptism. Obviously such sudden baptisms were unique to the early
years of the New Testament period. We now require a period of
discernment, which the RCIA provides.

Peter is questioned about this by the rest of the apostles in Acts

11, especially by the circumcised believers. After Peter explained
what had happened they all glorified God, but continuing questions
about Gentile converts and their religious practice would remain even
after Paul made his own explanation in Acts 15. Over the years the
early church gradually grew more comfortable with and was finally
outnumbered by the Gentile converts until the split with Judaism
became complete by the middle to late first century.
The Gospel notes that Jesus loves the disciples with the same love
with which the Father loves him. Remain in my love recalls the use
of that word Remain (or stay) which was mentioned in last weeks
article. There is one commandment which we are to keep: love one
another as I have loved you. We are no longer servants of the Lord
but friends of Jesus.
Becoming aware of what it means to be a friend of Jesus should
affect our relationships with others. We can hardly be enemies with
others (no matter who those others are) and at the same time remain
friends with Jesus.
It was not you who chose me but I who chose you to go and bear
fruit that will remainLove one another. We must be at peace in the
world around us and with all those who populate this planet if we are
going to bear lasting fruit. This is not an option. It is a commandment
from the same Lord in whom we claim to believe; the same Lord who
saves us from sin and death; the same Lord whose resurrection we
continue to celebrate even now. This I command you: love one
another.
Fr. Lawrence Hummer hummerl@stmarychillicothe.com