HE OPENED THEIR MINDS TO UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURES

SUNDAY, Third Week of Eastertide

Reflection from Friar Nicholas Okeke, OP

Acts 3:13-15,17-19; Ps 4:2,4,7,9; 1 Jn 2:1-5; Lk 24:35-4

Theme: He opened their Minds to understand the Scriptures

The Church gives us the great speech of St. Peter on the morning of the Pentecost in the first reading. The reading is featuring for the third time since Easter Sunday. This frequency is an indication of the importance of the speech. Peter delivered the speech with so much confidence, intending to turn the same people who delivered Jesus Christ to death into believers in his resurrection and his divinity. But that is what all of us were: betrayers turned disciples. By what means is this miracle accomplished? It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, the coming of whom was made possible by the death and resurrection of the Lord. Peter delivered the powerful Pentecost speech by the miracle of his presence. This miracle is what St. Peter presents as the evidence of the Good News and the basis of his argument persuading the Israelites to believe. “You are Israelites, and it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, who has glorified his servant Jesus, the same Jesus you handed over and then disowned in the presence of Pilate after Pilate had decided to release him.” Peter was present at the trial; he betrayed the Prince of life equally by denying any knowledge of him. But he presented his call to conversion based on the evidence of the Spirit of adoption they have received.

The Lord used the same basis to move the disciples to conversion. He made himself manifest to them and greeted them with peace. They could not contain the peace because their minds were still unsettled and filled with doubts. The horrible event of his crucifixion was still fresh in their memory; how they abandoned him in his passion and fled for their lives; the cruel death he died on the cross; their fears and trepidations during his trial; and feelings of guilt. All these were still in their minds when he came to them with the Good News. But he came also with a miracle they could see: He is alive. He was offering them his Holy Spirit. But they could not receive him immediately because they still lacked faith in his resurrection. Hence, he opened their minds to understand the scriptures and perceive the foreknowledge of God in the whole event and the purpose for which he willed it. This opening of the minds of those in the darkness of unbelief is the activity of the Holy Spirit that brings to light what the word of God has accomplished. “‘This is what I meant when I said, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets and in the Psalms has to be fulfilled.’ He then opened their minds to understand the scriptures.” It was after they had understood the mysteries of the Lord that they had peace and joy.

 This process of adoption of sinners, the Lord ordained, entails the full knowledge and acknowledgment of our sinfulness and our evil act of betrayal of the Prince of life by our sins. This darkness of acknowledgment of our sinfulness and wickedness prepares a soul to receive the light of the word of God that enlightens us to see the divine will in what had happened, even in our sinfulness. This opening of our minds to understand the scriptures enables a sinner to believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, as also promised in the scriptures. The faith in the risen Lord is the last act ushering in the Holy Spirit of adoption. John writes about our adoption in the second reading: “I am writing this, my children, to stop you sinning; but if anyone should sin, we have our advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, who is just; he is the sacrifice that takes our sins away, and not only ours, but the whole world’s.” If we have not understood the sacrifice Jesus made of his life to expiate our sins, then we have not understood how evil our sins are and the Spirit of adoption that we have received. This ignorance is why we are still sinning.

Let us pray: Grant us, Lord, a true understanding of the weakness and sinfulness of our human nature, the sacrifice Jesus Christ offered for the expiation of our sins, and the Spirit of adoption you have sent to us through his resurrection, so that we may enjoy his peace.  

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