Thursday within the Octave of the Feast of Pentecost
Posted on May 23, 2024 by under
Scripture: Acts 10:34-48 (NKJV)
10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all—37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.
Then Peter answered, 47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
Devotion
In yesterday’s reading, the people of Samaria did not receive the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost until the laying on of hands by Sts. Peter and John. Today, this happened while St. Peter was preaching. “While Peter was still speaking these words … they heard them speak with tongues.” That the Church would be a Church of all nations was already established through the faith of the people of Samaria, who received the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost after the laying on of hands. Here the Holy Ghost reveals also through Cornelius and his family that the Church would be established among the Gentiles. He gives them His miraculous gift of speaking in tongues to show that the Church was to be established also among the Gentiles, just as it had been revealed to St. Peter in a dream.
The Holy Ghost, having already established His presence among the Gentiles by the use of His miraculous gift of speaking in tongues, now leads those who came from Jerusalem to baptize them “in the name of the Lord.” They were now considered to be a part of the one true Church on earth. The Church would now be a Church of all nations, who clung in faith to their Lord and Savior Jesus, the Christ; the One into whom they had been baptized.
Collect: O God, Who didst teach the hearts of Thy faithful people, by sending to them the light of Thy Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in His holy comfort; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
