Fifth Sunday of EasterActs 11:1-18 Psalm 148 Revelation 21:1-6 John 13:31-35One day Gill and I were out shopping and it was lunchtime. The nearest and most accessible place to eat advertises itself with a golden ‘M’. We parked the car and went in, made our order and sat down to eat. A short while later a voice said, “You can’t eat here”. I was surprised to say the least. It was one of my parishioners. As far as I knew the food was fine and no problem. Very soon I associated this event with that of Peter faced with a blanket of different foods being lowered down before him with the invitation to eat. His response of not wishing to eat ritually unclean food was met with a stern reply. Here we have an indication that it is not up to us to declare what is good and that which is not.The reading from the Acts of the Apostles continues with Peter being sent into a house to deliver a message. He was warned not to make any distinctions regarding who was there. Peter was a Jew and was accompanied by other believers who were also Jews. But it was from those who were following him that he received the caution. He was mixing with Gentiles, the uncircumcised. Not only was he mixing with them but was eating with them. Sharing a meal with another is an even greater depth of association. For a Jew to eat with a Gentile was just not done. Not only that but Peter would become unclean.Each occasion was accompanied by a voice from heaven, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane”. It is not up to us to go through life making judgements. Yet it is so easy to do. The final part of the reading from Acts speaks to us of a baptism. Regardless of who is conducting the baptism it is the Holy Spirit falling upon the one being baptised which is important. As Peter entered the house he had been directed to, the Holy Spirit fell upon that household. This Peter remembered. It was then that he realised the power of the Holy Spirit, a power so great that he could not overpower it.The message he gave to the household was that of repentance. The message was that all who lived there would be saved. Hearing this they all were silenced. As the message sank in they praised God saying, “God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.”Collect for the Fifth Sunday of EasterAlmighty God,who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christhave overcome death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life:grant that, as by your grace going before us you put into our minds good desires,so by your continual helpwe may bring them to good effect;through Jesus Christ our risen Lord,who is alive and reigns with you,in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, now and for ever.
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