Baptised with the Holy Spirit

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How Great Thou Art

Salt of the Sound

Today is Monday the 27th of April, the feast of Saint Peter Canisius SJ, in the fourth week of Easter.

Take a moment to arrive here today.

Notice what you are carrying into this time of prayer.

Notice too the gentle invitation of Christ to rest in this moment.

As Salt of the Sound sings ‘How Great Thou Art’, lift your eyes to the Lord.

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation

And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart

Then I shall bow in humble adoration

And there proclaim: "My God, how great thou art!"

Then sings my soul, my Saviour-God, to thee

How great thou art! How great thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Saviour-God, to thee

How great thou art! How great thou art!

3:12

Today’s reading is from the Acts of the Apostles.

Acts 11:1-18

Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, ‘Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?’ Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, ‘I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. I also heard a voice saying to me, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.” But I replied, “By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.” But a second time the voice answered from heaven, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.” This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, “Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.” And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?’ When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, ‘Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.’

6:04

Today is the feast day of St Peter Canisius SJ. Living during the 16th century, he faced strong disagreements and tensions within Christianity. Yet he chose a path of patience and dialogue, seeking to teach the faith clearly, with respect and charity.

In today’s passage from the Acts of the Apostles, we see a Church learning — sometimes painfully — that God’s grace cannot be contained. In Jerusalem, Peter is accused of going into the homes of Gentiles and eating with them. The laws and traditions of generations have been broken. What is Peter thinking? Perhaps there are boundaries you have set in your faith that the Lord is challenging you to reconsider.

Peter witnesses the Holy Spirit being given to the community of Gentiles, just as it had been given to him and his friends. Peter realises that God is beyond limits. Consider where you might allow the Holy Spirit to challenge your assumptions.

As you listen to the passage again, consider what it would mean this week to welcome someone with the openness that Peter learned to express.

9:14

Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, ‘I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. I also heard a voice saying to me, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.” But I replied, “By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.” But a second time the voice answered from heaven, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.” This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, “Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.” And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?’ When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, ‘Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.’

11:36

“Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.”

The community responds with humility. Easter is meant to change how we see people. The risen Christ shows us that every door may be opened. Like Peter, we learn to trust that God is already at work in human hearts.

In this time of reflection, you may wish to speak with the Lord about anything in your life that needs to change.

13:50

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

World without end

Amen