Acts of the Apostles

[tadoflamb]

One of my favorite times of the liturgical year is after Easter when we get to hear the Acts of the Apostles at mass.

For all of those of you scoring along at home, a few words from our first pope:

Monday in the Octave of Easter

ACTS 2:14, 22-33

On 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."

Monday in the Octave of Easter

 

[Ron Gurley]

Am I in an exclusive RCC land thread?

 

[Mountainmike]

Am I in an exclusive RCC land thread?

Yes...

 

[tadoflamb]

Tuesday in the Octave of Easter
Lectionary: 262
ACTS 2:36-41On 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.

 

[tadoflamb]

Am I in an exclusive RCC land thread?

We're following along with the daily mass readings. You're welcome to join us if you like. If you would like to share how you are edified by the readings or how they apply to your daily life, feel free to share.

 

[Fantine]

Acts is one of my favorite books of the Bible, a perfect example of a spirit filled community where miracles can and did happen.

 

[tadoflamb]

Wednesday in the Octave of Easter
Lectionary: 263
ACTS 3:1-10
Peter 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.

 

[tadoflamb]

Thursday in the Octave of Easter
Lectionary: 264
ACTS 3:11-26
As 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."

 

[tadoflamb]

Friday in the Octave of Easter
Lectionary: 265
ACTS 4:1-12After the crippled man had been cured,
while Peter and John were still speaking to the people,
the priests, the captain of the temple guard,
and the Sadducees confronted them,
disturbed that they were teaching the people
and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
They laid hands on Peter and John
and put them in custody until the next day,
since it was already evening.
But many of those who heard the word came to believe
and the number of men grew to about five thousand.

On the next day, their leaders, elders, and scribes
were assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest,
Caiaphas, John, Alexander,
and all who were of the high-priestly class.
They brought them into their presence and questioned them,
"By what power or by what name have you done this?"
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, answered them,
"Leaders of the people and elders:
If we are being examined today
about a good deed done to a cripple,
namely, by what means he was saved,
then all of you and all the people of Israel should know
that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean
whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead;
in his name this man stands before you healed.
He is the stone rejected by you, the builders,
which has become the cornerstone.
There is no salvation through anyone else,
nor is there any other name under heaven
given to the human race by which we are to be saved."

 

[tadoflamb]

Saturday in the Octave of Easter
Lectionary: 266
ACTS 4:13-21
Observing the boldness of Peter and John
and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men,
the leaders, elders, and scribes were amazed,
and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus.
Then when they saw the man who had been cured standing there with them,
they could say nothing in reply.
So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin,
and conferred with one another, saying,
"What are we to do with these men?
Everyone living in Jerusalem knows that a remarkable sign
was done through them, and we cannot deny it.
But so that it may not be spread any further among the people,
let us give them a stern warning
never again to speak to anyone in this name."

So they called them back
and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
Peter and John, however, said to them in reply,
"Whether it is right in the sight of God
for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges.
It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard."
After threatening them further,
they released them,
finding no way to punish them,
on account of the people who were all praising God
for what had happened.

 

[Fish and Bread]

Saturday in the Octave of Easter
Lectionary: 266
ACTS 4:13-21
Observing the boldness of Peter and John
and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men,
the leaders, elders, and scribes were amazed,
and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus.
Then when they saw the man who had been cured standing there with them,
they could say nothing in reply.
So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin,
and conferred with one another, saying,
"What are we to do with these men?
Everyone living in Jerusalem knows that a remarkable sign
was done through them, and we cannot deny it.
But so that it may not be spread any further among the people,
let us give them a stern warning
never again to speak to anyone in this name."

So they called them back
and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
Peter and John, however, said to them in reply,
"Whether it is right in the sight of God
for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges.
It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard."

To be honest, I sometimes picture the progressive Catholic clergy and theologians who were silenced by the Vatican during the Pontificates of John-Paul II and Benedict XVI as being in the vein of St. Peter and St. John here, and the Vatican authorities in the vein of the Jewish religious leaders of that day. That is not intended to condemn our past Popes or their Curial appointments entirely, just as I would not condemn the Jewish authorities in biblical times entirely. I just think sometimes it is easy to miss the work of the Holy Spirit in the world. It's almost always initially seen as heresy before it's understood as being the work of God. That's the way of new ideas- even in the secular realm- they are strongly rejected before they are eventually embraced and understood.

 

[Fantine]

I liked the Acts passage this weekend. "And they shared everything in common."

In my experience, Protestants are a lot better at doing that through their churches than Catholics are (although in terms of a just society, the evangelicals' compassion is beyond appalling...)

I saw two examples this weekend. I have a friend who is raising two small grandchildren while living on Social Security disability. Her car was very, very old and breaking down frequently. One of her church deacons drove a very nice white Cadillac Escalade, and I guess instead of trading it in he gave it to her! (If she were trying to buy a better car she would never have bought a luxury Escalade...) While I didn't ask her, I know them both, and was astonished.

Then I went to an organ concert and sat next to an elderly man and his wife. This man was an amazing pianist and organist who played at events around town for years, but he is now in poor health. I was excited and delighted to see him out and about. "My wife's church (Presbyterian) helped us afford to get my innards straightened out," he said. "And now I can walk!" And walk he did, slowly and with a walker, but he can now get around to play in a few area nursing homes and give back...

I have never seen such one-on-one generosity among Catholics, ever. (I have also heard that pastors' kids will get free orthodontia from dentists, and they'll get free tires, etc...)

While I strongly believe that government is absolutely, 110% necessary to alleviate poverty in our country and in the world, and that churches will never be able to accomplish more than a small fraction of what is needed, I am astonished and impressed by how well Protestants take care of their own.

The LDS does a phenomenal job at this, too.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

Am I in an exclusive RCC land thread?

You are welcome to stand on sacred ground, as long as you take off your shoes and sit in the back pews.

 

[tadoflamb]

You are welcome to stand on sacred ground, as long as you take off your shoes and sit in the back pews.

Actually, the Saints arrive early and sit in the back so the sinners who come late have to sit in the front.

 

[tadoflamb]

Oops, got behind a little bit. Here's the reading from last Sunday. What I find tantalizing about this reading is this:

They devoted themselves
to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life,
to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.

What prayers were they devoting themselves to? Is this evidence of early liturgies? I tend to think so. The early Christians were going to mass.

Second Sunday of Easter (or Sunday of Divine Mercy)
Lectionary: 43
ACTS 2:42-47
They devoted themselves
to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life,
to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.
Awe came upon everyone,
and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
All who believed were together and had all things in common;
they would sell their property and possessions
and divide them among all according to each one's need.
Every day they devoted themselves
to meeting together in the temple area
and to breaking bread in their homes.
They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart,
praising God and enjoying favor with all the people.
And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

 

[tadoflamb]

Monday of the Second Week of Easter
Lectionary: 267
ACTS 4:23-31

After their release Peter and John went back to their own people
and reported what the chief priests and elders had told them.
And when they heard it,
they raised their voices to God with one accord
and said, "Sovereign Lord, maker of heaven and earth
and the sea and all that is in them,
you said by the Holy Spirit
through the mouth of our father David, your servant:

Why did the Gentiles rage
and the peoples entertain folly?
The kings of the earth took their stand
and the princes gathered together
against the Lord and against his anointed.

Indeed they gathered in this city
against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed,
Herod and Pontius Pilate,
together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
to do what your hand and your will
had long ago planned to take place.
And now, Lord, take note of their threats,
and enable your servants to speak your word
with all boldness, as you stretch forth your hand to heal,
and signs and wonders are done
through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook,
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

 

[tadoflamb]

I liked the Acts passage this weekend. "And they shared everything in common."

In my experience, Protestants are a lot better at doing that through their churches than Catholics are (although in terms of a just society, the evangelicals' compassion is beyond appalling...)

I saw two examples this weekend. I have a friend who is raising two small grandchildren while living on Social Security disability. Her car was very, very old and breaking down frequently. One of her church deacons drove a very nice white Cadillac Escalade, and I guess instead of trading it in he gave it to her! (If she were trying to buy a better car she would never have bought a luxury Escalade...) While I didn't ask her, I know them both, and was astonished.

Then I went to an organ concert and sat next to an elderly man and his wife. This man was an amazing pianist and organist who played at events around town for years, but he is now in poor health. I was excited and delighted to see him out and about. "My wife's church (Presbyterian) helped us afford to get my innards straightened out," he said. "And now I can walk!" And walk he did, slowly and with a walker, but he can now get around to play in a few area nursing homes and give back...

I have never seen such one-on-one generosity among Catholics, ever. (I have also heard that pastors' kids will get free orthodontia from dentists, and they'll get free tires, etc...)

While I strongly believe that government is absolutely, 110% necessary to alleviate poverty in our country and in the world, and that churches will never be able to accomplish more than a small fraction of what is needed, I am astonished and impressed by how well Protestants take care of their own.

The LDS does a phenomenal job at this, too.

That's refreshing to hear.

The closest I came in parish life to emulating these first few chapters in Acts was when I was an active member with our St. Vincent de Paul conference. While my partner and I would take phone calls at our food pantry from our neighbors who needed help there was always a flurry of activity of people coming and going, dropping off donated food or picking up donated food to distribute to poor families.

Though we were only supposed to make three visits a day, sometimes we'd get as many as 25 calls asking us for assistance. Naturally, we looked to the dozen or so non-Catholic ecclesial assemblies within our parish boundaries to see what they were doing to help our neighbors in need. Surely they would be up to something. I'd been interfacing with them on the internet and I had learned that they had great faith and that their faith would be evident by their works and those works would be apparent and easy to see. Besides, I'm not the most ecumenical Catholic, so perhaps joining in a common cause of serving the poor in our area would be a way to find common ground.

As it turned out, none of them were doing anything like that. I figured that maybe it was because they were too small, or maybe they had something going on overseas, or maybe like you say, they were taking care of their own. I know we took care of a few of them as well.

The situation has gotten better. There are now two denominations that I know are distributing food boxes at least once a week. It's tied in through United Way so you have have to show an ID in order to enforce their one-food-box-a-month rule since a number of these little churches are participating in the same program. I don't really go for that. Being a Catholic charity, we were large enough to work autonomously. We never required anyone show us an ID, and I'd be at some peoples homes with a food box every week depending on the need. In that way, I wasn't serving clients but making friends of and that's what building our treasure's in heaven is all about.

At any rate, it is good to know that the situation isn't that bleak outside of Catholicville.

 

[tadoflamb]

Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter
Lectionary: 269
ACTS 5:17-26

The high priest rose up and all his companions,
that is, the party of the Sadducees,
and, filled with jealousy,
laid hands upon the Apostles and put them in the public jail.
But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison,
led them out, and said,
"Go and take your place in the temple area,
and tell the people everything about this life."
When they heard this,
they went to the temple early in the morning and taught.
When the high priest and his companions arrived,
they convened the Sanhedrin,
the full senate of the children of Israel,
and sent to the jail to have them brought in.
But the court officers who went did not find them in the prison,
so they came back and reported,
"We found the jail securely locked
and the guards stationed outside the doors,
but when we opened them, we found no one inside."
When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this report,
they were at a loss about them,
as to what this would come to.
Then someone came in and reported to them,
"The men whom you put in prison are in the temple area
and are teaching the people."
Then the captain and the court officers went and brought them,
but without force,
because they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

 

[Fantine]

I did have a friend, a single mom, who sang in the choir with us in Missouri, and she did receive a car as a gift once. The donor (who was also a choir member) was married to the owner of a car dealership. Our friend was in desperate need of a working car. The donor wanted a tax deduction and gave it to "the church" with the specification that it go to a particular needy person (e.g. my friend). I'm not sure if that was completely legal, but they both got what they wanted.

The problem with showing ID's, etc. is that most food pantries won't give food to undocumented people--and some of them are in dire need of food. If the ID has to be a US birth certificate, or drivers' license, those are ID's that undocumented people won't have.

I can understand the food pantry's concern if they are getting commodities from the government or some other government assistance to distribute--yes, they can't give it to undocumented people then. But otherwise I think the criteria should be need, not nationality.

 

[tadoflamb]

Thursday of the Second Week of Easter
Lectionary: 270

ACTS 5:27-33When the court officers had brought the Apostles in
and made them stand before the Sanhedrin,
the high priest questioned them,
"We gave you strict orders did we not,
to stop teaching in that name.
Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching
and want to bring this man's blood upon us."
But Peter and the Apostles said in reply,
"We must obey God rather than men.
The God of our ancestors raised Jesus,
though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree.
God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior
to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins.
We are witnesses of these things,
as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him."

When they heard this,
they became infuriated and wanted to put them to death.