Without Discrimination

“The Spirit told me to accompany them without discriminating.”

Acts 11:12a

After Peter went back to Jerusalem, he was confronted by the Jewish people because he had entered the house of Gentiles and ate with them. This was not the common practice. They could become unclean and as a result unable to carry out their religious obligations. Peter explained what had happened to him. He had experienced a vision of animals and a voice telling him to slaughter and eat, but he said he could not because it would make him unclean. The voice told Peter numerous times, “What God has made clean, you are not to call profane.” Then three men appeared to Peter and he heard a voice say to him, “Accompany them without discriminating.” And so, Peter went with them and entered their home and when he prayed, the Holy Spirit came down upon them too. At this Peter realized that they had been given the same gift as he had received on the day of Pentecost. And he realized then that God has come to save the Gentiles as well.

Jesus came for all. He became man so that all people may go to Him and become the sons and daughters of His Father. Because Jesus is the Good Shepherd, He is the Shepherd of all, those who belong to His flock and those who have gone astray as well as those from other flocks. Jesus came for you. Jesus came for me. Jesus came for those who hurt us and for those who discriminate against us. We too are called to treat all people, including our enemies and persecutors without discrimination but rather with His love so that we may truly have life to the fullest.

Have you loved without discrimination?

Running Towards the Pain

It is human instinct and human nature to want to run away from pain and avoid as much suffering as possible. Can we really blame the Apostles for running away when they saw their Teacher, their Lord, who was all-powerful, arrested by the guards? They are humans. Emotions settle in and instinct takes charge. Jesus stayed. In the midst of chaos and betrayal, Jesus remained still. In the beginning when God created the world, He brought order out of chaos and said “Let there be light” and there was light. In the same way Christ was the Light that brought peace and order to that night of confusion and uncertainty, the silent Word made flesh that spoke most loudly. It was Jesus who brought order to the chaotic night and who stood firm affirming the truth. Jesus ran towards the pain and drank the cup that was handed to Him.

“A hired man, who is not a shepherd
and whose sheep are not his own,
sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away,
and the wolf catches and scatters them.
This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep” (Jn. 10:12-13).

Jesus is the Good Shepherd who, when wolves come, runs towards them and stands in front of the sheep, protecting them from harm and driving the wolves away. Jesus always goes before us. He protects us and drives away the darkness and the evil that tries to snatch us away time and again. In the midst of darkness and confusion, Jesus brings peace and order and light.

Because Jesus ran towards the pain, we have the hope of salvation and life eternal. Because Jesus ran towards the pain, death and sin no longer has a hold on us. Because Jesus ran towards the pain our suffering now has meaning. We too are invited to run towards the pain, because when we do we come to find that we are really running to a person, someone who knows us and loves us. When we run towards the pain, we find that Jesus is already there waiting for us so that He can bear that pain and endure that suffering with us. Run towards the pain because when we do our lives will be forever transformed.

Peace Amidst Persecution

“The Church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace.
She was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit she grew in numbers.”

Acts 9:31

Just a little bit ago we heard that severe persecutions broke out and the people scattered and preached the Good News wherever they went. But today we hear that “The Church was at peace.” Persecutions were still rampant and followers of this “Jesus” and who “ate His flesh” and “drank His blood” were not liked and were being eradicated. Why did the inspired author tell us that the Church was at peace?

Despite the persecutions, the Church was at peace and the Church was growing because this peace does not come from the world and is not dependent on the worldly situation. This peace is the peace that Jesus gave to the Apostles in the upper room when He appeared to them after the Resurrection. “Peace be with you.” The world around us may be falling apart and everything may seem to be going wrong, but this peace will never leave us. We must invite this peace to dwell within our hearts.

It was this peace that enabled the Apostles and disciples to go and preach the Good News despite the craziness around them. This peace gave them courage and it strengthened their faith. This peace even enabled Jesus to work through Peter in restoring mobility to a man who was paralyzed for 8 years and even bringing Tabitha, a disciple, back from the dead. This is what we must hold on to during these uncertain times. This is the peace that remains with us even through persecutions, trials, and violence. This peace is Christ Himself.