The Second Sunday of Advent (NTA)

Acts 11:1-18

Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. ² So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, ³ “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” ⁴ But Peter began and explained it to them in order: ⁵ “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. ⁶ Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. ⁷ And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ ⁸ But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ ⁹ But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ ¹⁰ This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. ¹¹ And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. ¹² And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. ¹³ And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; ¹⁴ he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ ¹⁵ As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. ¹⁶ And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁷ If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” ¹⁸ When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

The Benedictus reminds us that God is fulfilling his promises to and covenant that he swore to our father Abraham. Abraham was to be a blessing to all the nations. It also recalls, “when the day shall dawn upon us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” God has come to make peace with the Gentiles.

St Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and had a vision concerning what God has made clean. Likewise, Cornelius saw a vision to bring St Peter under his roof. This could be very similar to Manoah and his wife confirming the message about Samson with one another. It could also relate to Elizabeth needing the name confirmed with the pen (writing instrument) of Zechariah.

God has commanded that the witness, or testimony, of two or more people, should confirm everything. These people join together to proclaim the truth. God has sent his son into the world to die for all the sins of the world. Christ has died for your sins. Christ has died for your neighbor’s sin, and likewise every people group throughout the world.

John the Baptist’s message of Repent and be Baptized goes to all nations. Likewise, Christ’s message of Repent and be Forgiven is offered to all people of the earth. Christ sends the Holy Spirit into their hearts and minds just as he has sent him in your heart.