First Reading: Acts 11:1-18
1The apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, 3“You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” 4But 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. 6Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. 7And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ 10This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. 11And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. 12And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13And 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; 14he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ 15As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17If 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?” 18When 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.”
Psalm 150
1Hallelujah! Praise God in his holy temple; praise him in the firmament of his power. 2Praise him for his mighty acts; praise him for his excellent greatness. 3Praise him with the blast of the ram’s horn; praise him with lyre and harp. 4Praise him with timbrel and dance; praise him with strings and pipe. 5Praise him with resounding cymbals; praise him with loud clanging cymbals. 6Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Hallelujah!
Second Reading: Revelation 21:1-7
1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”
Gospel: John 16:12-22
12{Jesus said to his disciples,} “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 16A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” 18So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 19Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”
New in Christ
Who doesn’t like new things? As I was pondering our readings for this week, I kept coming back to our Second reading, specifically verse 15 where Jesus says, “Behold I make all things new,” and it got me to thinking about how we like new things. We seem to appreciate everything new, from that new car smell, to new toys, I mean new tools, to new clothes. We like the fit, the feel, and the shininess of new things. And this is understandable. But apparently us liking new things doesn’t seem to include change. Overall, we don’t particularly appreciate change. But to move forward, we must accept that some changes are necessary.
There once was a very unhappy old man. For him, things were never right and, thus, he grumbled a lot. He complained that he had to get up in the morning, and when nightfall came, it came too soon. He complained when he had to work but found it boring when he had nothing to do. He talked about how people ignored him, yet when others did speak to him, he seemed annoyed or irritated. He hated it when it rained and found the sun too hot when it shined. In winter, he longed for the summer, and in summer for the fall. All-in-all the old man seemed miserable.
One day he stopped by a fruit stand, and as usual, he wasn’t satisfied. He found some of the fruit too ripe and the rest wasn’t ripe enough. As he was leaving, the fruit seller said, “I wish you new eyes, sir, child eyes.” “New eyes, child eyes,” grumbled the old man as he walked away. “I’ve never needed glasses; my vision has never been sharper.” A week later, the grumpy old man again stopped at the fruit stand. The fruit seller had the fruit he didn’t want and didn’t have the fruit he wanted. As he was leaving the fruit seller said, “I wish you kingdom eyes, sir.” “Kingdom eyes?” This puzzled the old man. But no matter, he was busy, and thus let it pass.
Sometime later, the man stopped at the fruit stand again. It was, as expected, the same old story. Everything he didn’t want was there and nothing he wanted; some things were overripe and others not ripe enough. And as he left the fruit seller told him, “I wish you treasure-hunting eyes, sir.” The man was perplexed at the comment, not knowing what the seller was talking about. Despite himself, the old man began to think about what the fruit seller had been saying to him. What did he mean by new eyes, child eyes, kingdom eyes, and treasure-hunting eyes?
The next time he went to the stand, he pressed the fruit seller to explain. “Well, you see,” the fruit seller began, “one day a stranger came to town. He spoke of many things, but a few things really stuck in my head. He spoke of the kingdom of God being among us and that in order to find it, one had to become like a child. On another occasion the stranger was present and so, too, was a man blind from birth. He went to the blind man and asked if he wanted to see and, of course, the man said, ‘Yes.’ And then He opened man’s eyes, and the man was delighted in all that he saw. I was confused about all this, so I asked the stranger, ‘Please, sir, give me new eyes.’ And he responded, ‘I will. I give you child eyes, kingdom eyes, and treasure-hunting eyes.’ I thanked him and he left. “That was the last time I saw the man, but from that time forward I saw things differently.
Where before I saw only darkness, I now saw stars and fireflies. When before I felt only pain, I now discovered a new door to joy. While before I could see nothing worthwhile, now I found much at which to marvel. Where before I lived in a desert of doubt and despair, now I found a fountain of faith, and where in the past I was irritated at people, now I saw something wonderful in them, something that reminded me of the stranger and I rejoiced.” The old man left trying not to think of the fruit seller’s story, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake it off.
The more the old man thought about it, the more he wished for new eyes for himself. He began to think about the stranger hoping that he would return. If he did, he would ask for new eyes, as well. He worried about how he would make his request to the stranger, so he practiced. In fact, he found it easy to put his request to music. He sang the refrain all day: “Give me new eyes, sir, child eyes, kingdom eyes, treasure-hunting eyes. Give me new eyes.”
Then one day he stopped at the fruit stand and saw the fruit seller was very sad. “What has happened?” he asked. The fruit seller replied, “I have just received news that the stranger has been arrested and will be put to death today.” The old man went home and cried, thinking that his chance for new eyes was now gone. Yet, because the song had become so much a part of his life, he continued to sing it, and to his great surprise, three days after the stranger was put to death, he suddenly felt like scales had fallen from his eyes. Suddenly, it seemed, he began to see things differently.
Whereas before he only saw darkness, he now saw light. Whereas before he saw only the injuries done against him, now he saw how much he was loved, and he was able to extend forgiveness that healed his wounds. Where before he had seen nothing of value, now he found many hidden treasures. Where before he experienced only boredom and suspicion, now he lived in wonderment and trust, and where before people had irritated him, he now saw in them something that reminded him of the stranger. And he knew that the stranger lived.
The old man for many years was bitter, arrogant, and resisted change, but through the persistence and love of the fruit seller, he came to realize his need for transformation, for conversion, and a new way of thinking. He needed the new eyes which the stranger had given the fruit seller. In the end he found what he needed through the power of the stranger.
When you stop and consider this story, this fable is clearly an Easter story of the new life that Jesus’ resurrection brings, to all God’s people, to all the faithful who believe. Today, in our lesson from the book of Revelation, St. John tells us of the new creation Jesus will bring about when He returns. And this is certainly a welcome message amidst a society which often disregards the very virtues Jesus engendered in His life. We, like the old man, seem to resist change and anything new, but we must seek the new eyes which only Jesus can provide. This is why our First Reading speaks to us.
St. Peter was stuck in the old ways, informed by his old views. God came to Peter in a vision and challenged his law-based thinking and opened his eyes to seeing the new way of what God was doing in the lives of not only God’s people, but in the lives of the people Peter considered unclean. In Peter’s defense, his response was rooted in the Old Covenant Jewish laws, “by no means Lord, nothing common or unclean has ever entered my lips” (Acts 11:8). In St. Peter’s view, the Gentiles were not worthy of God’s love or forgiveness. But the New Covenant in Jesus changed all this.
God created a new and clean heart in Peter. And the result of Peter’s renewed outlook comes in the wonderful news of verse 18: “And they glorified God saying, then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.” Oftentimes receiving something new means we must put away the old. And when we look to God for the new creation, our eyes are opened to the wonders of God’s work in this world.
In our Second lesson, we hear that God will create a new heaven and a new earth, and a new Jerusalem will come down from the heavens and God will dwell with His people. John is referring to what he said in the previous chapter (20:11) that earth and heaven have fled from God’s presence. Those who were not worthy, that is the unbelieving and the wicked, have been sent into punishment in the lake of fire (20:15). Thus, the new creation is the apex of John’s Revelation. Those who have survived the great period of trial, the redeemed of humanity, must be received by a creation that is more than just renewed and refurbished, it’s been completely recreated.
This new creation is manifest in some very specific ways. First, John says the sea was no more. In the chaos of the primeval world, the sea was aroused by brutal forces and gave rise to myths of monsters. God will destroy this sea in the new creation. Brutal power and violence present in the old sea are incompatible with God’s reign of peace that will come. Along with the new creation comes a new Jerusalem which will come down from heaven. This new holy city has God as its architect and builder. In this new creation, God will once again be present and in a personal relationship with His people.
It’s a return to the intimacy that God shared with Adam and Eve, and later to the nation of Israel, when the people traveled through the desert, and through God’s presence in the temple, is now granted to all God’s people. The former world, with all its repulsive characteristics damaged by sin, will disappear. No longer will there be tears, death, pain, or mourning. Then, we hear the Lord say, “See, I am making all things new … I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end” (21:5b, 6b).
God is saying that all that was declared earlier in this passage will take place. All will be accomplished. The message of the book of Revelation is told through the scripture as salvation history, the story of how God has saved His people through several new creations. The story begins as it should at the outset with creation. The creation story in Genesis is laden with hope, possibility, and new life. Each of the six days God created something new, giving the world more and more possibilities. God first created light so that the further creation would be seen. Then God created the oceans and the land, thus providing an environment for what was planned. God then created all manner of vegetation and animals. All was readied for the pinnacle of God’s creation, that of humankind, made in the Divine’s image.
Next in the history of God’s new beginnings, He created a way for the Israelites as they fled from bondage in Egypt. God opened the Red Sea, allowing Israel to escape, but set a trap for the Egyptian army to be destroyed. The people traveled to the Promise Land and God made them into a great nation under king David. However, the people often wandered away from God and, thus, the Lord sent prophets who proclaimed God’s message. When necessary, it was a message of warning, and at times doom, but in the end, God’s faithfulness prevailed.
God gave the Hebrew people new life from their death in exile in Babylon. As Ezekiel prophesied, (37:1-14) God would bring new life to the dead bones of Israel. In his letter to the Romans (6:3-11), St. Paul speaks of how Christ gave us new life in the waters of baptism. The final chapter of God’s salvation story comes in the paschal mystery, the events we recently celebrated, the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Christ makes all things new through His life, death, and resurrection. His victory over sin, death and satan, brings new hope to all who bear His name.
Thus, the new creation that Jesus brings forces us to ask an important question — what needs to change, to be regenerated, to become new in our life? No matter our age, status in life, or primary day-to-day work, we all need the new beginnings that Christ brings, and we rejoice, along with our Psalmist saying, “Praise Him for his mighty acts; praise Him for His excellent greatness” (150:2) rejoicing in the hope that His resurrection brings. Maybe you’ve felt stagnant in your devotional life, your nine-to-five job, or your relationship with God. Then, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord” (vs 6).
Possibly we need renewal in a relationship — in our family, with friends, associates at work, or people who live in our neighborhood: “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” Some may feel held bound by past hurts inflicted upon ourselves or ones we have inflicted on others. Still others may find the routine of daily life a downward spiral from which we seemingly cannot escape: “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” Today, as we give praise to the Lord, we rejoice because God has released us from our bondage to sin and death, as assuredly as the Jews were freed from Egypt and Jesus was raised from death. The new creation of Christ is ours for the claiming.
The new creation we seek may seem elusive when we look around at our contemporary world. It may seem like God is no longer creating anything new, but if we believe this to be true, then we’re looking in all the wrong places. In many ways the new creation of Christ is aided by us; in praise of God, we must share the good news of the resurrection of Christ with those around us and trust that the Holy Spirit will work in our neighbors as well.
Like St. Peter, the old man needed new eyes, but it took some time and the persistence of the fruit seller for him to find the renewal only God can give. Jesus’ resurrection brings the possibility of new life to us. So let us cast off our slavery to the old world, our old way of thinking, and place our trust in God’s words, “See, I am making all things new.” Our trust in God and our surrender to His way will bring us the gift of eternal life. So, along with everything that has breath, let us praise the Lord. So, in this Eastertide, let us boldly proclaim, Christ has risen. He is risen indeed. Hallelujah!
Amen