
St. Peter Baptizing the Centurion Cornelius, painted by Francesco Trevisani.
A Reading from Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48
When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and, falling at his feet, paid him homage. Peter, however, raised him up, saying, "Get up. I myself am also a human being."
Then Peter proceeded to speak and said, "In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.
Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him."
While Peter was still speaking these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word. The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit should have been poured out on the Gentiles also, for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God.
Then Peter responded, "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit even as we have?"
He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
REFLECTION
"The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit should have been poured out on the Gentiles also"
From the Easter time readings we see that Saint Peter seems to have had a tough time accepting that salvation could also come to non-Jewish people. However, we see how they cannot deny the Holy Spirit poured out on all that were accepting Jesus. No matter who they were, or where they came from.
In my 21st century mentality I think, "How could they be so hard-headed to think salvation was for a small group of people?" Were they thinking this was an exclusive club?"
I think many times I engage in similar behavior. Many times I feel superior because I was born Catholic. And one can read in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
The Second Vatican Council's Decree on Ecumenism explains: "For it is through Christ's Catholic Church alone, which is the universal help toward salvation, that the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained. It was to the apostolic college alone, of which Peter is the head, that we believe that our Lord entrusted all the blessings of the New Covenant, in order to establish on earth the one Body of Christ into which all those should be fully incorporated who belong in any way to the People of God." (CCC 816)
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