Reflection on Acts 2:38-39
“Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.’”
These words were spoken by Peter in his sermon on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles. They began to praise God for His wonderful works in unknown languages, so the foreigners who had come to Jerusalem heard them speaking in their own languages. Interestingly, if we notice where the pilgrims of the different nationalities came from – Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Cappadocia, Pontus – we find out that it was the territory of present-day Turkey, which is now fully Islamized. For example, some of the Church Fathers, namely St Basil, St Gregory of Nyssa and St Gregory of Nazianzus, lived and worked in Cappadocia. Other nationalities mentioned here are Egyptians, Libyans, Romans, Cretans, Arabs, even to the territory of present-day Iran and Iraq. Today, these territories are occupied by Islam. Christianity was destroyed there by force.
In his sermon, Peter spoke about Jesus, His death and resurrection. In the end, he said painful words: “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ!” On hearing those words of accusation – whom you crucified – they could take offence. They came to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of Pentecost; many of them had not been there on the feast of Passover. They could not influence the Jewish council of elders headed by Annas and Caiaphas who exploited the political Roman government represented by Pilate and forced him into committing a crime of justice – the killing of the innocent Christ. However, they neither took offence nor clenched their fists nor shouted fanatically like the hateful crowd on the feast of Passover a few weeks ago. They were aware of their national complicity, national crime which they had committed against God, and they asked penitently: “What shall we do?” Do I ask myself the same question? What should I do for the sake of my salvation and the salvation of my household and my nation? Peter said to them that they should repent and be baptized for the remission of sins, and they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
He who has already received the Holy Spirit asks himself: And what should I do next? You have Scripture; the Holy Spirit will open to you the divine truths in the light of God, not in the “light” of modern heretics preaching the so-called historical-critical method behind which is the spirit of atheism, i.e. disbelief in the fundamental divine truths. This “theology” nowadays spreads in all Catholic seminaries as a new teaching of the Church. In reality, it is spiritual poison! It has eliminated repentance, conversion and the following of Christ as well as the reading of Scripture with a contrite heart and with a prayer that God would show me how to put His Word into practice in my personal life. What has remained is just dead philosophizing and theologizing which kills the spirit and causes spiritual death. That is why we need to receive the Holy Spirit and not only that, we also need to be led by Him. In addition to Scripture, we need personal prayer – the life of prayer. The Apostles said: “We will give ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (Acts 6) The Apostles worked in a team and the early Church in Jerusalem were of one heart. This is an example for us. We need a living community which has the true faith, so that through the gift of prophecy which is for edification, exhortation and comfort we may be built up (1Cor 14:3).
So the Word of Life during the following two weeks is going to lead us to realize the Word of God – “Repent!”, and to restore the gift of the Holy Spirit through repentance. It means to admit the truth even in little things, to admit that we made a mistake and committed a sin, and to give our failures to Jesus with a living faith. Then the Spirit of God will work in us and lead us.
Next, the Word of God says that the promise was not only to those who were present in Jerusalem but is also to us – “and to your children whom the Lord has called”. The Lord has called you too to live by faith. Do not lose this treasure but rather multiply it by the power of the Holy Spirit! Be true apostles by word and example.
Download: Reflection on Acts 2:38-39
