1st Reading: Acts 3:11-26; Psalm: 8. R. v. 2ab; Gospel: Lk 24:35-48

LEAVING OUR SINFUL PAST BEHIND

BY FR VALENTINE NNAMDI EGBUONU, MSP

The healing of the lame at the beautiful gate attracted a lot of crowd as the lame man now cured clung to Peter. This was a man they were very familiar with because he always sat at the gate of the temple to beg. They knew with all certainty that this man was a cripple from birth; but what they cannot explain was how he suddenly began to walk. There was certainly a supernatural force behind this. And so they gathered around Peter and John probably to see more wonders or to understand their source of healing.

Peter ceased this moment to evangelise them. He informed them that it was by the name of Jesus whom they killed that this lame man was restored to health. He then tried to lessen their feeling of guilt by stating that he knew that they killed Jesus out of ignorance. But they would have to repent and turn to God so as to be saved. With the miracle that accompanied this preaching of Peter, this crowd must have felt remorseful and moved to repentance. For it is unimaginable for the power of Jesus to remain potent even in his absence.  

Sometimes we wish we never made some mistakes in life. We just wish we can erase the past to start again on a fresh page. We shouldn’t be so much dispirited by this because God is not even interested in our past neither does he wants us to remain stuck in it. Once we truly repent of our sins, our pasts are erased and we can begin on a fresh page. God is so much interested in our salvation. This was why the death of Jesus wasn’t the end of it all. The apostles of Jesus had to take it up from there to preach salvation in Jesus Christ. Just as the voice of Peter warned today, we need to repent of our sins.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY

Risen Lord, we pray for the grace of repentance. Amen.