A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 4, n. 26)
6th Sunday of Easter, Year B – May 21, 2006
“The Gift Was Poured Out”
BIBLE READINGS
Acts 10: 25-26, 34-35, 44-48 // I Jn 4:7-10 // Jn 15:9-17
N.B. This new series of BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD: A LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY LITURGY presents a biblico-liturgical study of the First Reading of each Sunday Mass to serve as background for a better understanding of the Gospel proclaimed in the liturgy. For a biblico-liturgical study of the Gospel for each Sunday, please go to the PDDM Web Archives: WWW.PDDM.US.
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS
Auckland, a picturesque place in New Zealand, is for me a dreamland. Its vast meadows are green as emerald. Its beautiful harbors are enchanting. The peaceful seas are turquoise blue and the sound of the soaring seagulls is deep and haunting. The place is so clean, serene, hospitable and inviting. One cheerful, sunny day in January 1986, I accepted the gracious invitation of one of our Sisters from Tonga to attend a special Sunday Mass in an Auckland parish. The Mass, which was participated by hundreds of Tongan families from different parishes in Auckland, included the blessing of children. The animation of the sung elements of the Mass was distributed among various parish choirs. When the choirs and the assembly started to sing, I was transported to an exquisite world of beauty, harmony and divine love. Though I did not understand the words of their songs, I was permeated by the sheer grace of the moment. They were praying and singing in foreign tongues, glorifying God in their native language. I felt that the gift of the Holy Spirit was being outpoured anew. What a wonderful experience of a new “Pentecost”!
This Sunday’s First Reading (Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48) narrates the “Pentecost of the Gentiles”. The visit of the Apostle Peter to the God-fearing and devout Cornelius is utterly significant for it makes possible the universal evangelization of the Gentiles, symbolized by the Roman centurion, Cornelius, and his household. A docile instrument of the Holy Spirit, Peter perceived that God does not have favorites, but that anyone of any nationality who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to him (Acts 10:34-35). Indeed, Peter did something radically new and remarkable: he ministered to a non-Jewish household by sharing with them the Easter kerygma of the saving acts of Jesus Christ, dead and risen, the glorious Lord of all (cf. Acts 10:36-43). Peter’s proclamation of the Easter event to the Gentiles concerning Christ, who laid down his life for the salvation of all, was climaxed by an astounding release and outpouring of the gift of the Holy Spirit on those who were speaking in tongues and were glorifying God (Acts 10:44-46). The Apostle Peter confirmed this phenomenal sign of the baptism in the Holy Spirit by baptism with water (Acts 10:47-48).
The biblical scholar, Justin Taylor comments: “As Peter progressively absorbs the truth that Christ is risen and living with the Church in his Holy Spirit he is able to throw off older habits of thinking and acting – even those with the most respectable authority behind them – and to encourage others as well to live in a new way. At Caesarea, Peter gives a relatively long address (vv. 36-43) that is effectively the preparation of Cornelius and his companions for baptism. The core of this catechesis repeats the points of his speech before the Sanhedrin (5:3-32), which were the essentials of the primitive kerygma. At the outset Peter declares that Jesus has been the messenger of peace for Israel, but is the Lord all …Then he reminds his listeners about the ministry of Jesus in Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem, beginning, like our four Gospels, with the baptism preached by John. God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and with power, and he went about curing all those who were oppressed by the devil. The apostles are witnesses not only to the death and resurrection of Jesus, but also to his whole wonder-working activity, the sign of the coming of the kingdom into which the Gentiles too are invited to enter by belief in Jesus and the forgiveness of sins in his name. Once Cornelius and his friends have received the Holy Spirit (v. 44), there is no reason why they should not be baptized. God evidently considers them as belonging to the kingdom. They receive the sign and seal of their belonging.”
Indeed, this episode from the Acts of the Apostles records a giant step in the fulfillment of Jesus’ command of love that we hear anew in this Sunday’s Gospel reading (Jn 15:9-17). Harold Buetow explains: “The story of the centurion Cornelius is not just another conversion story. It is the conclusion of one of the first dilemmas facing the early Church: whether a pagan could become a Christian without first accepting Judaism … Peter becomes the first to accept a non-Jew for baptism – a revolutionary step in the life of the Church, for it was an acknowledgement that blood, ethnic origin, being one of the so-called ‘beautiful people’, or other extrinsic traits, mean nothing.”
The marvelous event of the “Pentecost of the Gentiles” was an offshoot of the tremendous love and self-giving offered by Jesus on the cross. The love of the Father in sending his Son and fully revealed in the latter’s sacrifice in laying down his life for his friends is the same gratuitous divine love manifested in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit - the Easter gift – both upon Jewish believers and the Gentiles. The paschal event of Christ’s death and glorification on the cross, the “Pentecost of Jewish believers” (cf. Acts 2:1-41), and eventually, the “Pentecost of the Gentiles” are various manifestations of the ineffable love of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit for humankind. The ultimate love that Christ revealed in his passion and death is the same life-giving love that energized the apostles in preaching the good news of Easter to peoples of all nations, races and tongues. Indeed, the ministry of the apostles as resolute and zealous Easter witnesses was deeply motivated and strongly powered by God’s universal love for all.
The Bible expert Eugene Maly concludes: “What comes down from heaven must be spread throughout the world … God’s love comes down to us in his Son. The Son extends that love to us. We must bring it to others … God’s love has come to us in Jesus Christ. We must make it contagious so that what has come down from heaven will spread throughout the world.”
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Jn 15:13
“No greater love is there than this: to lay down one’ life for a friend.”
By Sr. Mary Tiziana Dal Massetto PDDM
PDDM Community, San Jose CA-U.S.A
The spirit of the Good Shepherd has touched me in a unique way this year. In this Sixth Sunday of Easter, the teaching of Jesus regarding “to lay down one’s life for a friend” is back again.
Following the example of Jesus who freely lay down his life for us, and following the example of Peter who learned to lay down his life for Jesus, some personal experiences come to my mind today.
I remember a time when I was in darkness … Giovanni was there. He noticed my confusion … he made himself present. In a discrete way he would give me a ride and provide much-needed information … would give his attentive ear. He remembered my birthday! We had some leisure time in the midst of nature. We enjoyed the blossom trail in spring. We played bubbles; we built kites and let them soar on high. We feasted our eyes in art museums or on richly colored fruits at the market. We didn’t miss to savor ice cream, cappuccino, or a simple salad.
Truly we gave a long, loving look at the reality around us!
Giovanni labored patiently to bring into light and to affirm my gift of transparency and awe. Giovanni, who began like an ordinary acquaintance, has become present to my soul’s situation in a unique supportive way … in a life-giving way.
One day, the morning sun is resplendent in my room. I say to myself: “I am well! I am loved!” I feel inundated with light and peace.
Many years have gone by from that invigorating experience. Today as I meditate on Jn 15:13, I realize the connection: an unknown gentle person has taken me to heart, has put his passion to care for me. At the right moment he has lain down his life for me, being Jesus in a disguised, ordinary way. The feeling of being loved and being precious is engraved in me forever.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART
A. Do we allow ourselves to be permeated by the life-giving, but challenging words of Jesus: “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you” (Jn 15:12-13)? How do we put into practice Jesus’ great command of love?
B. What concrete lessons do we glean from Peter’s attitude, behavior and ministry towards the Gentile Cornelius and his household?
C. Do we truly believe and acknowledge that the Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power? How do we share the universal love of God and his saving designs to peoples of all cultures and races?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD
Leader: Lord,
we pray for your people who believe in you.
May they enjoy the gift of your love,
share it with others,
and spread it everywhere.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Assembly: Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.
“The Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word.” (Acts 10:44)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION
A. Pray that there be a “new” outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon peoples of all nations and cultures and for a deeper realization of God’s universal love for all. Pray for missionaries all over the world who endeavor to spread the love of Christ to all children of God. Offer your ministry to alleviate the difficult plight of immigrants and refugees in various parts of the world.
B. ACTION PLAN: To help us experience more deeply the universal love of God and to penetrate the challenge of Christ’s command of love more intensely, make an effort to spend an hour in Eucharistic Adoration. Visit the PDDM WEB site (www.pddm.us) for the EUCHARISTIC ADORATION THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR (Vol. 2, n. 26): A Weekly Pastoral Tool.
Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang PDDM
PIAE DISCIPULAE DIVINI MAGISTRI
SISTER DISCIPLES OF THE DIVINE MASTER
60 Sunset Ave., Staten Island, NY 10314
Tel. (718) 494-8597 // (718) 761-2323
Website: WWW.PDDM.US