Homily for Thursday, 2d Week of Easter

Homily for Thursday
2d Week of Easter

April 28, 2022
Acts 5: 27-33
St. Peter Chanel
Christian Brothers, St. Joseph Residence, New Rochelle

“You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this man’s blood upon us” (Acts 5: 28).

The words of Annas the high priest (Acts 4:6) have an unintended irony, as did the words of Caiaphas recorded by St. John, that it was better for one man to die than that the whole nation should perish (11:50).  In this case, the preaching of the apostles does indeed aim “to bring this man’s blood” upon the Jewish leaders and upon the entire city—not in the sense that the high priest means, that the Sanhedrin should bear the guilt of having murdered Jesus, but in the sense that the blood of Jesus should wash over them as it already does over the thousands who already (according to the narrative of Acts) have received the good news of salvation thru the cross and thru “repentance and forgiveness of sins” (5:31).  This gift of God thru Jesus is offered to the high priest, the Sanhedrin, and the whole people, as the apostles are teaching.  They too can be saved thru the blood of the one they “killed by hanging him on a tree” (5:30).

The passage finds an echo in the life and ministry of today’s martyr, St. Peter Chanel.  As a Marist missionary he filled the Pacific island of Futuna with his teaching, the Gospel.  He taught in words and example, without much to show after several years—no conversions except among a few islanders at the point of death—and with serious opposition from the tribal leaders.

(from New Zealand Catholic)

But when Fr. Peter was killed because the native chieftain was jealous to maintain his own authority over the people, Peter’s blood became, as Tertullian says, the seed of the Church.  Peter’s patience, charity, and suffering led to the conversion of almost the entire population.

We invoke the blood of Christ upon ourselves and all people, that we may be led to repentance, forgiveness, and salvation.  We pray that our example and perseverance, like St. Peter’s, might contribute to building up the Body of Christ.