Step #1 - Lectio / readAs the crippled man who had been cured clung to Peter and John, all the people hurried in amazement toward them in the portico called “Solomon’s Portico.” When Peter saw this, he addressed the people, “You children of Israel, why are you amazed at this, and why do you look so intently at us as if we had made him walk by our own power or piety? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus whom you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence, when he had decided to release him. You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses. And by faith in his name, this man, whom you see and know, his name has made strong, and the faith that comes through it has given him this perfect health, in the presence of all of you. Now I know, brothers and sisters, that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did; but God has thus brought to fulfillment what he had announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer. Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away, and that the Lord may grant you times of refreshment and send you the Christ already appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the times of universal restoration of which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old. For Moses said: A prophet like me will the Lord, your God, raise up for you from among your own kin; to him you shall listen in all that he may say to you. Everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be cut off from the people. “Moreover, all the prophets who spoke, from Samuel and those afterwards, also announced these days. You are the children of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors when he said to Abraham, In your offspring all the families of the earth shall be blessed. For you first, God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you by turning each of you from your evil ways.” Acts 3:11-26 Step #2 - Meditatio / MeditationYesterday, we heard the beautiful story where the crippled man is healed by Peter calling upon the name of Jesus. Today, we see what happens afterwards - as you might expect, the people are following Peter and John trying to see more miracles. What a clearly human thing this is to do, to run to the person who does something incredible and build them up to be more than they actually are. Peter, realizing that the people are making him out to be more than just a follower of Christ, immediately addresses the crowds with the words we hear in this reading. Seizing the opportunity, Peter teaches the crowds about Jesus, starting with the events which recently happened, namely Jesus' arrest, crucifixion, and Resurrection, and using the Old Testament Prophets which the people would have understood so well to help expand on who Jesus was and is. Right at the beginning of this interaction, Peter offers a rebuke to the crowds for the way that they are gathering around him and John, asking if they are doing this because they think that Peter and John healed this man using their own power or because of their holiness. These men, Peter and John, who knew Jesus so well, could easily have used this moment to keep the attention on them, but they do not do that - instead, they point the attention to the one whom they loved and followed, Jesus. How often, in our lives, are we given the chance to point others' to Jesus? Most of us probably aren't healing crippled people, but by the way that we love and care for those around us we can often receive attention as being a good person or someone others go to for help. Jesus works amazing miracles through Peter and John because they realize that it is not about their own power, but about Jesus' power. They know that, if left to their own power, they will mess things (remember Peter denying Jesus three times?), and yet with the power of God behind them they are able to do incredible things. Step #3 - Oratio / Pray"Why do you look at us as if we had made him walk by our own power or piety?"
Step #4 - Meditatio / meditation"Come, Holy Spirit." "Jesus, I long to experience your power in my life." "Help me point those around me to you, Lord." For the rest of your day...What am I trying to do by my own power instead of relying on God's strength? Lock Screen Graphic This post was prepared by Jason Theobald.
Step #1 - Lectio / readPeter and John were going up to the temple area for the three o’clock hour of prayer. And a man crippled from birth was carried and placed at the gate of the temple called “the Beautiful Gate” every day to beg for alms from the people who entered the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms. But Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” He paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them. Peter said, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk.” Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong. He leaped up, stood, and walked around, and went into the temple with them, walking and jumping and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the one who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with amazement and astonishment at what had happened to him. Acts 3:1-10 Step #2 - Meditatio / meditationI remember standing in the middle of a crowded intersection in the middle of Munich. It was hot. I was sweaty. I was thirsty. I was tired. All I wanted was to get back to the place where I was staying. Not knowing German and not knowing the complicated and complex German subway system, I asked a middle-aged man for directions. Not only did he tell me how to get home, he told me just how the Munich rail and underground system was set up. He told me which stations were the central stations, and why the red line crosses the blue line at this point and not that point. Why there were this many trains on this line and how the engines themselves were designed. He told me about timing and order, about crowds and rush hours. One thing was clear: this guy had a passion for the subway. Objectively, I couldn’t care less about why this line crosses that one at that point. But – I had to listen. His excitement, his passion, was contagious. For about five minutes, he made me love the subway system. In today’s reading, Peter says "gold and silver I cannot give you – but what I have, I give you." I think oftentimes we get the idea that our friends, family, teachers, coaches, the world - whatever – I think we begin to think that they want our gold. They want our silver. But, I don’t actually think that’s true. The people around us want passion. Whatever it is, find your passion. Find what steams your broccoli, glazes your donuts, makes your socks go up and down; find your passion and share it. The world’s already got plenty of hatred, violence, injustice, selfishness, judgment. It doesn’t need one more iota of that. Come to think of it, it’s even got enough gold and silver. What it could use a little more of is you. Step #3 - Oratio / Pray"I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you"
Step #4 - Contemplatio / contemplation"Gold and silver I cannot give you." "What I do have I give you." "In the name of Jesus Christ, rise and walk." "They were filled with amazement." For the rest of your day...What I have, I give you... Lock Screen Graphic This post was prepared by Fr. Bakkelund.
Step #1: Lectio / REadOn the day of Pentecost, Peter said to the Jewish people, “Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other Apostles, “What are we to do, my brothers?” Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.” He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day. Acts 2:36-41 Step #2: Meditatio / MeditateSt. Peter is giving this awesome, spontaneous, Spirit-filled sermon to the Jewish people. It sounds pretty inspirational... to us. But did you read it closely? Listen to what St. Peter is actually saying. "This Jesus whom you crucified." Ever heard one of those homilies where the priest starts talking about some controversial Church teaching? Maybe it's about abortion, homosexuality or not going to Mass every Sunday. You can almost feel people in the pews around you getting uncomfortable. People are scowling. Babies start crying. You might even think to yourself, "Uh, Father, careful how you say that..." One of the first big sermons we hear from St. Peter in the Bible is like a controversial, awkward homily. But the Jewish people listening to him take it pretty well. It goes on to say that they were "cut to the heart." When St. Peter told them about "this Jesus whom you crucified," they realized that it was due to their sins that Jesus died on the cross. But instead of getting angry and defensive, they let the truth of St. Peter's words penetrate their hearts. Instead of wallowing in their guilt and shame, they asked St. Peter what they could do to make things right. That's when he told them to "repent and be baptized." To humbly seek God's mercy. It must have worked: "Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day." The challenge for us is to allow ourselves to be "cut to the heart" when we realize that it was because of our sins that Jesus died on the cross. Not to be blinded by our sins and despair, but to humbly seek God's mercy. Instead of wallowing in our sins and acknowledging God's mercy, we are called to acknowledge our sins and "wallow" in God's mercy. During this Easter season, let's remember to be overwhelmed by His mercy, not our sins. True, Jesus died for your sins... and He rose again to prove that His mercy is bigger. Step #3: Oratio / Pray"Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other Apostles, 'What are we to do?'" Do I truly realize that it was because of my sins that Jesus died on the cross? Do I acknowledge that I have sinned, or do I downplay or make excuses for myself? How do I respond when I realize that Jesus died for my sins? How can I be more open to God's grace so I can be "cut to the heart" by His mercy? Spend some time thanking God for some of the biggest ways He's shown you mercy. Step #4: Contemplatio / Contemplate"I am cut to the heart by Your mercy." "Thank You for Your mercy, Jesus." "Jesus, what am I to do?" For the rest of your day...Let God's mercy "cut you to the heart" and fill you with joy today. Lock Screen Graphic Today's prayer was prepared by Dan Wolff.
STEP #1: LECTIO / READOn the day of Pentecost, Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed: “You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem. Let this be known to you, and listen to my words. “You who are children of Israel, hear these words. Jesus the Nazorean was a man commended to you by God with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs, which God worked through him in your midst, as you yourselves know. This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God, you killed, using lawless men to crucify him. But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death, because it was impossible for him to be held by it. For David says of him: I saw the Lord ever before me, with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. Therefore my heart has been glad and my tongue has exulted; my flesh, too, will dwell in hope, because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world, nor will you suffer your holy one to see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. My brothers, one can confidently say to you about the patriarch David that he died and was buried, and his tomb is in our midst to this day. But since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne, he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he abandoned to the netherworld nor did his flesh see corruption. God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses. Exalted at the right hand of God, he poured forth the promise of the Holy Spirit that he received from the Father, as you both see and hear.” ACTS 2:14, 22-33 STEP #2 - MEDITATIO / MEDITATEIt is the day after Pentecost and Peter literally needs to go out and shout to all those that are there about Jesus. Gone is the scared man who denied Jesus while He was on trial. Peter is no longer hiding in a room while Jesus is being crucified. No, Peter is in the streets doing everything he can to tell everyone about Jesus. What happened? What made Peter brave all of a sudden? Jesus rose from the dead. And that changed everything. Our Lord, defeated death. They went head to head in the championship round and Jesus won. And it wasn't even close. “But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death, because it was impossible for him to be held by it.” Scripture tells us that It was impossible for death to win. Jesus’s victory over the grave is so complete. And when Jesus beats death, what else do we have to fear? Nothing! Because with His Resurrection He has given us all the promise of eternal life. This is a big deal. Yesterday, we celebrated Jesus’s resurrection. Today, we need to go tell everyone we can about it. That is what Peter is doing in today's reading. He is making sure everyone knows about Jesus and His victory. Why? Because it is the most important thing that has ever happened in the history of the world. There's an urgency to Peter’s message. He wants everyone to know the events that they have been waiting generations for is here. That finally they have their Messiah. David knew He would come, and now Jesus is here. Where is your urgency? Is it in telling everyone about the movie or video game that you've been waiting for? Is it in announcing your college plans? Is it in putting a photo on Snapchat? Or is it in spreading the Gospel? Peter, didn’t have Snapchat or followers on Instagram, he literally had to shout the good news everywhere he went. Because this news meant that humanity was saved from their sins. This news meant that they had hope and the promise of something more. This news meant that Jesus, their best friend, wasn’t dead but that He would live forever. Sharing this news was the most important thing Peter would ever do in his life. How often do you share the good news that nothing is impossible for God? How often do you share that Jesus defeated death? Do you run out into the streets to let everyone know? This news, is the most important thing you can tell someone. But do we rush to share it? Isn't this something everyone should know and believe? What are you doing to let others know that Jesus has risen? Yesterday, we celebrated the Resurrection. Today, we have to share it. Jesus 1. Death 0. STEP #3 - ORATIO / PRAY“But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death, because it was impossible for him to be held by it.” Jesus, you are greater and stronger than all my fears. You are stronger than death. In dying for me you gave me new life. This news, the good news, should change how I live. Help me to share this news with the world. STEP #4 - CONTEMPLATIO / CONTEMPLATEJesus 1. Death 0. Jesus, your resurrection changed everything. How does the resurrection change my life? Who do I need to share your resurrection with? Who will you go tell? FOR THE REST OF YOUR DAY...Try and share your faith and the news of the Resurrection with someone today. Lock Screen Graphic Prepared by Lisa Kendzior
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