1st Reading – Acts 6:1-7
As the number of disciples continued to grow,
the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews
because their widows
were being neglected in the daily distribution.
So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said,
“It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table.
Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men,
filled with the Spirit and wisdom,
whom we shall appoint to this task,
whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer
and to the ministry of the word.”
The proposal was acceptable to the whole community,
so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit,
also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas,
and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
They presented these men to the apostles
who prayed and laid hands on them.
The word of God continued to spread,
and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly;
even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith.
Today’s reading describes conflict and resolution within the early Christian community, a departure from earlier portrayals of unity (Acts 2:42-47) and success (Acts 2:41).
As the number of disciples continued to grow, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews
The first converts to Christianity came from two groups of Jews: the Hellenists and the Hebrews.
Hellenists were Greek-speaking Jews who had their own synagogues and used the Greek translation of Scripture (the Septuagint). The Hebrews spoke Aramaic and used the Hebrew Bible in their synagogues. While these discrepancies persisted in the early years of the Christian community, it would be inaccurate to describe them as rival groups.
because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.
The text doesn’t specify the reason the Greek-speaking widows were slighted.
This problem is a practical and perhaps a political one, not a point of doctrine.
So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table.
As important as the distribution of food is for the community, the larger demands of their apostolic ministry require the full attention of the Twelve.
Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
Saint Luke uses the Greek word diakonía (“service”) in this passage three different ways:
-
- daily “distribution” – the distribution of alms, in which the Hellenist widows were being neglected
- “serving” at table – the distribution of food
- “ministry” of the word – evangelization
The proposal was acceptable to the whole community, so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit, also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
The apostles do not resolve the problem on their own; rather, it is proposed to and accepted by the assembled community.
Note that the seven men appointed to remedy a complaint from the Hellenists all had Greek names. It’s as if the combined community chose members from the complaining segment in order to ensure a full resolution.
They presented these men to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them.
The practice of laying on of hands dates back to the Old Testament. In the book of Genesis, Isaac blessed his sons by laying his hands on them (Genesis 27:27-29). Similarly, in the book of Leviticus, the priests were ordained by the laying on of hands (Leviticus 8:14-18).
Jesus himself used the laying on of hands for healing and blessing. In Mark 6:5, Jesus laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. He also laid hands on the children and blessed them (Mark 10:13-16).
The practice of laying on of hands was also used by the apostles and early Christian communities, as seen here. Sometimes the apostles laid their hands on new believers to confer the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:17, 19:6; 2 Timothy 1:6), but the seven men in this reading have previously received the Spirit, which was a prerequisite for their selection.
Paul instructed Timothy to be ordained by the laying on of hands (1 Timothy 4:14), which is likely what is happening here.
The word of God continued to spread, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly; even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith.
Like our readings for the past two weeks, the passage ends by noting the growth of the Church.
The mention of Jewish priests combined with the earlier mention of Hellenists and Hebrews shows the growing diversity and complexity of this community. While the reading explores how this diversity brought tension, the value of that diversity itself is never questioned. Instead, the story describes how to resolve it in a fair and satisfactory way.
From this point forward, Christians were no longer identified by their backgrounds prior to their conversion; they are simply called disciples.
2nd Reading – 1 Peter 2:4-9
Beloved:
Come to him, a living stone, rejected by human beings
but chosen and precious in the sight of God,
and, like living stones,
let yourselves be built into a spiritual house
to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
For it says in Scripture:
“Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion,
a cornerstone, chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in it shall not be put to shame.”
Therefore, its value is for you who have faith, but for those without faith:
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone, and
A stone that will make people stumble,
and a rock that will make them fall.
They stumble by disobeying the word, as is their destiny.
You are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, a people of his own,
so that you may announce the praises” of him
who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Today is the fourth week of our six-week study of 1 Peter. Borrowing an image from architecture, Peter develops both a christological theme and an ecclesiological one. His teaching is built on quotations from the Old Testament, possibly mirroring the techniques used in early apostolic catechesis.
Beloved: Come to him, a living stone, rejected by human beings but chosen and precious in the sight of God,
The words of Psalm 118:22 are applied to the Risen Christ. He was rejected by humans but chosen by God for a particular purpose.
and, like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house
Peter uses the idea of constructing a building to explain that Christians together, as a whole, make up the one true people of God.
Mentioning stones used to build a spiritual house calls to mind the stones of the temple, a structure precious to the Jews. Remember, Jesus was accused of saying, “I will destroy this temple made with hands and within three days I will build another not made with hands” (Mark 14:58).
However, these aren’t just any stones; those who are “alive in Christ” are living stones. This is an intentionally peculiar phrase: these stones are unique, set apart from all other stones. Jesus did rebuild the temple where God dwells, not as a house made of stones and mortar, but as a house of the Spirit made with living stones.
By sharing the life of the Risen Lord, Christians become with him a household formed by the Holy Spirit.
“This is how Peter describes the way in which those who have been accepted by God are integrated into the Church. It is by sharing a common origin, and by being in harmony with one another, by thinking and saying the same things, by having the same mind and the same thoughts, that we are built into one house for the Lord.” [Theodoret of Cyr (ca. 430 AD), Catena]
to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Peter refers to Christians as a “holy priesthood,” which means they are set apart for God’s service and have a responsibility to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God. This is the universal priesthood, as distinct from the ministerial priesthood: Through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, Christians have a share in the priesthood of Christ. As such, we offer spiritual sacrifices such as prayer, worship, and acts of service (see Romans 12:1; Ephesians 5:2; Philippians 4:18).
The ideal setting for offering these spiritual sacrifices to the Father is within the celebration of the Eucharist, when they are joined with the offering of the body of the Lord.
“The temple which Christ built is the universal Church, which He gathers into the one structure of His faith and love from all the believers throughout the world, as it were from living stones.” [Saint Bede the Venerable (ca. 416 AD), Homilies on the Gospels, 2,24]
For it says in scripture: “Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion, a cornerstone, chosen and precious, and whoever believes in it shall not be put to shame.”
This quote is adapted form of Isaiah 28:16, from the Septuagint.
The cornerstone is a foundation stone, one that acts as the underpinning of the entire structure. Applied to Christ, this feature would illustrate the building’s (i.e., the Church’s) total dependence on Christ.
Therefore, its value is for you who have faith, but for those without faith: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”
Psalm 118:22 is again referenced.
and “A stone that will make people stumble, and a rock that will make them fall.”
Peter quotes Isaiah 8:14, applying to Christ what Isaiah had proclaimed about Yahweh. Simeon predicted this when he encountered the infant Jesus at the temple (Luke 2:34).
They stumble by disobeying the word, as is their destiny.
This doesn’t mean that God predestined some to damnation. God desires that all be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), which is why Christ became man. However, for individuals to be saved, they must freely respond to God’s grace. This leaves open the possibility for individuals to resist God’s salvific plan and reject grace.
It is important to remember that in the language of the Bible, particularly the Old Testament, there is sometimes no distinction made between what God orders or wills and what he simply allows to happen (see Romans 9:14-33).
But you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises”
Here Peter elaborates on the earlier theme of Christians as a holy priesthood, quoting Exodus 19:5-6.
In contrast with those who have stumbled by rejecting the faith, believers in Christ form the true Israel, the true people of God. Peter explains this by applying the titles for Israel in the Old Testament to Christians.
The first three titles (“chosen race,” “royal priesthood,” “holy nation”) are from the Mosaic covenant: titles promised to Israel in the Mosaic covenant (Exodus 19:5-6). The last title (“a people of his own”) is a combination of Isaiah 43:21 and Malachi 3:17.
In the context of Christ and his re-constitution of the people of God, these ancient titles find their full meaning.
“All who have been born again in Christ are made kings by the sign of the cross and consecrated priests by the anointing of the Holy Spirit.” [Pope Saint Leo (The Great) I (after 461 AD), Sermons, 4]
of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Peter uses the image of being called out of darkness to describe the conversion of his audience, a theme found throughout scripture and that fits nicely with the earlier reference to stumbling. It also emphasizes the ongoing need to avoid the pitfalls of sin and ignorance on their journey with Christ.
Christ is, after all, the Light of the World.
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” —John 8:12
Gospel – John 14:1-12
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way.”
Thomas said to him,
“Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
If you know me, then you will also know my Father.
From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Philip said to him,
“Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time
and you still do not know me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own.
The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.
Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,
or else, believe because of the works themselves.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,
and will do greater ones than these,
because I am going to the Father.”
Today’s reading takes place at the Last Supper. Judas has departed and Jesus has told the remaining eleven that he must soon depart, too.
Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.
Just before this, Jesus told his closest friends that he will soon be leaving them, that they cannot follow him, and that Peter would deny him (John 13:33-38). They are apparently (and understandably) saddened by this news.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
He calms their hearts by urging them to trust in God and in himself.
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.
Jesus doesn’t avoid the reality of his departure, but he casts it in a positive light. He tells them that he’s going to God’s dwelling place (oikía), which he describes as a mansion with many rooms.
If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
There is plenty of room; there is no need to fear that they will not have a place.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way.”
There is a bit of ambiguity here. Jesus promises to return for them, and then they will all be together again. Is he referring to his Second Coming and reuniting in heaven in the afterlife? Or is his death the departure and his resurrection the return?
If the latter is the intended meaning, the reunion after his return would refer to the mutual indwelling that those united with Christ enjoy in this life.
Both interpretations are valid: one is apocalyptic and the other is mystical.
Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?”
The ambiguity of Jesus’ words prompt a question from Thomas. As usual with the apostles, he has understood the meaning of “way” in a literal sense: the path one takes in order to reach one’s destination.
However, Jesus probably intended it to be understood in the Wisdom tradition, where “the way” refers to the path of life that leads to God and to wisdom. It is often contrasted with “the way of the wicked” or “the way of folly,” which lead to destruction and death. Psalm 1:1-2 and Proverbs 4:11, 4:19 are just a few of the many examples.
John often calls out misunderstandings like this in his gospel, which provides Jesus an opportunity to expand on his teaching, as he does here.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jesus declares who he is, in a memorable summary of the entire gospel.
This “I am” statement, like the other “I am” statements in John’s gospel, is an allusion to the story of Moses and the burning bush when God reveals God’s name as “I AM.” Jesus is claiming his complete union with the Father and stating that he is the only source of salvation:
- Jesus is the way to the Father, both by example and by identification with the Father. He is our unique means of salvation.
- Jesus is the truth, because by coming into the world and teaching the truth about God’s nature, he demonstrates God’s faithfulness to his promises. In John’s gospel, “truth” is the divinely revealed reality of the Father manifested in the person and works of Jesus. The possession of truth confers knowledge and liberation from sin (John 8:32).
- Jesus is the life because Jesus, who from all eternity has divine life with his Father (John 1:4), makes us, through grace, sharers in that divine life.
If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
If anyone wants to know God, they need only know Jesus.
The kind of union that Jesus claims here is often referred to as high christology; that is, christology that focuses on Jesus’ divine prerogatives.
Philip said to him, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
Philip, thinking that he understands, requests to be shown the Father. The apostles simply cannot understand the oneness of Father and Son.
Philip is likely asking for an extraordinary theophany like Exodus 24:9-10; 33:18. He has not yet grasped the fact that knowing Jesus is knowing the Father because Jesus and the Father are one.
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?
Jesus reiterates almost word-for-word what he has stated on other occasions (John 7:16; 8:28; 10:38), claiming a manner of union with God that implies mutual indwelling and equality.
To the Greeks, God was, by definition, invisible. The Jews believed that no human being has seen God at any time. And many people at that time, like many today, emphasized the distance between God and the worldly realm of people. Yet here Jesus calmly makes a claim that stuns: Whoever has seen Jesus has seen the Father.
The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves.
Knowing full well the audacity of his statement, Jesus urges Philip and the others to recall the astounding miracles he has performed:
-
- He turned water into wine (John 2:1-11)
- He healed a man born blind (John 9:1-7)
- He commanded the weather (Matthew 8:23-27)
- He fed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish (Matthew 14:13-21)
- He walked on water (Matthew 14:22-33)
- He raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-44)
This is why Jesus reproves Philip somewhat harshly: what else would it take for them to understand his divine nature?
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these,
Jesus ends with a promise (the double “amen” is a way of underscoring the seriousness and certainty of his message): Those who have faith in him will do even greater miracles than his.
The “works” referred to are the miracles the apostles will perform in the name of Jesus, such as those described in Acts 3:1-10, 5:15-16, etc., as well as the conversion and sanctification of people through preaching and ministry of the sacraments. In other words, the Church will share in Christ’s divine power in order to continue God’s plan for salvation.
These works can be seen as even greater than those of Jesus in terms of scope and scale:
- Jesus fed a few thousand; today Christians feed millions.
- Jesus cured a few; Christians now support charities that bring relief to millions from disease and pain.
- Jesus preached in Palestine; today the Church has a global reach.
because I am going to the Father.
This extraordinary power of apostolic preaching will come from Christ, after he has ascended to the Father. In other words, Christians will only be able to do these great works in the power of Christ’s death and resurrection.
Connections and Themes
The exaltation of Jesus. The entirety of the gospel message centers on Jesus’ death, resurrection, and exaltation at the right hand of God, a reality we commemorate throughout the liturgical year. However, during the fifty days of the Easter season, we have the opportunity to delve deeply into this mystery and celebrate Jesus’ glorification in a special way.
God’s standards are different from those of the world:
- In today’s gospel, Jesus speaks of going to the Father, which sounds so benign, but the means by which he will go involves a brutal execution.
- Later in John’s gospel, Jesus is exalted as he is raised up in crucifixion. An event of abject humiliation is presented as victory over sin and death.
- In today’s second reading, Peter declares Jesus “chosen and precious in the sight of God,” but was rejected by the world.
The message is clear: we must be careful not to fall victim to the world’s standards of acceptability. We must follow Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life — and in so doing avoid the ways of the world, which lead to destruction and death.
Life in the community. The exaltation of Jesus has ramifications for us as well. First, he makes an astounding promise to prepare a place for us in his Father’s house, if we but follow him. Further, we see Jesus’ exaltation reflected in the character of the Christian community: In the first reading, we see how resolving conflicts can prevent division within the community, and Peter’s letter portrays Jesus as the cornerstone holding the community together.
Proclaim God’s praises. The exaltation of Jesus is reflected not only in the Christians living as a reconciled community but also in their evangelization efforts. In our reading from Acts, the Church’s witness and preaching led to an increase in their numbers, and in the gospel, Jesus claims that his followers will accomplish even greater deeds than his.
Yet today, Christians face the challenge of proclaiming the gospel in a world ravaged by materialism and war, a world that struggles to recognize its own limitations and admit mistakes.
Despite the challenges, the promise of the gospel remains good news for all people. As Christians, we are called to continue the work of spreading the message of Christ’s exaltation and love to all corners of the world, and to live as a community of reconciliation and peace. Let us take inspiration from the early Church and the words of Jesus himself, and strive to do even greater works for the glory of God.
Sunday Readings 