On the following day he entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and, falling at his feet, paid him homage. 26 Peter, however, raised him up, saying, “Get up. I myself am also a human being.” 27 While he conversed with him, he went in and found many people gathered together 28 and said to them, “You know that it is unlawful for a Jewish man to associate with, or visit, a Gentile, but God has shown me that I should not call any person profane or unclean. 29 And that is why I came without objection when sent for. May I ask, then, why you summoned me?” 30 Cornelius replied, “Four days ago at this hour, three o’clock in the afternoon, I was at prayer in my house when suddenly a man in dazzling robes stood before me and said, 31 ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your almsgiving remembered before God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and summon Simon, who is called Peter. He is a guest in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’ 33 So I sent for you immediately, and you were kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to listen to all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”
Peter arrived at Cornelius’ home with six of the brothers from Joppa (Acts 11:12). Cornelius greeted him by falling in worship at Peter’s feet and Peter told him, “Get up. I myself am also a human being.” Luke’s message in Acts is that one should pay homage only to God or the risen Christ not to man bearing God’s message. However, this gesture towards the apostles and Paul occurred in the evangelization of the Church where the apostles were thought of as more than mere men because of the wonders they performed (Acts 14:8-15; 28:3-6). Peter reminded Cornelius that it was against Jewish religious Law for a Jew to associate with or enter the home of a Gentile and interpreted the vision he had as God telling him that he “should not call any person profane or unclean.” Cornelius then explained his vision to Peter and waited for Peter’s response.
Almighty God, grant us the grace to overcome our prejudices and open our hearts to others in the way you prompt us to. Help us never to seek the glory that is reserved for you and our Risen Lord but to serve you in all reverence and humility. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
__________________________________
References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Comments