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From: Acts 10:34a, 37-43

Peter’s Address

[34] And Peter opened his mouth and said, “(You know the) [37] word which was
proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which
John preached; [38] how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and
with power; how He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by
the devil, for God was with Him. [39] And we are witnesses to all that He did both
in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put Him to death by hanging
Him on a tree; [40] but God raised Him on the third day and made Him manifest;
[41] not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, who
ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead. [42] And He commanded us
to preach to the people, and to testify that He is the one ordained by God to be
judge of the living and the dead. [43] To Him all the prophets bear witness that
every one who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”

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Commentary:

34-43. Peter’s short address is his first to non-Jews. It begins with the central
idea that God is impartial: He wants all men to be saved through the proclama-
tion of the Gospel (verses 34-36) and, finally, the statement (the first time it
appears in Acts) that Jesus Christ has been made Judge of the living and the
dead (verse 42). As in all Christian preaching to Gentiles, proofs from Scripture
take a secondary place (verse 43).

34. This verse refers to 1 Samuel 16:7, where the Lord, in connection with the
anointing of David as king of Israel, tells the prophet, “Do not look on his appea-
rance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord
sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord
looks on the heart.” When God calls and offers salvation to His elect, He does
not judge as men do. With Him distinctions regarding social class, race, sex
or education do not count.

Here St. Peter proclaims that the Old Testament prophecies about the Jews and
the Gentiles forming one single nation (Isaiah 2:2-4; Joel 2:28; Amos 9:12; Micah
4:1) and Jesus’ words calling everyone to enter His Kingdom (cf. Matthew 8:11;
Mark 16:15-16; John 10:16) should be interpreted literally.

40. Peter’s summary of the Gospel of Jesus (verses 37-41) reaches its climax
with his statement that “God raised Him on the third day.” This had become the
usual way of referring to our Lord’s resurrection (cf.1 Corinthians 15:4); see note
on Acts 4:10.

42. This verse refers to Christ’s role as Judge: He has been made supreme
Judge over all mankind and will deliver His judgment at His second coming (Pa-
rousia). “The Sacred Scriptures inform us that there are two comings of the Son
of God: the one when He assumed human flesh for our salvation in the womb of
a virgin; the other when He shall come at the end of the world to judge all man-
kind” (”St. Pius V Catechism”, I, 8, 2).

Christ’s coming as Judge means that men will appear before Him twice, to ren-
der an account of their lives—of their thoughts, words, deeds and omissions. The
first judgment will take place “when each of us departs this life; for then He is in-
stantly placed before the judgment-seat of God, where all that he has ever done
or spoken or thought during his life shall be subjected to the most rigid scrutiny.
This is called the Particular Judgment. The second occurs when on the same
day and in the same place all men shall stand together before the tribunal of
their Judge [...], and this is called the General Judgment” (”Ibid.”, I, 8, 3).

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: Colossians 3:1-4

Seek the Things That Are Above

[1] If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above,
where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Avoid Sin

[2] Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. [3]
For you have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. [4] When Christ who is
our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

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Commentary:

1-4. The more ethical and exhortatory part of the letter begins at this point. It is
a practical application of the teaching given in the earlier chapters, designed to
suit the circumstances that have arisen in the Colossian church.

By His death and resurrection the Son of God frees us from the power of Satan
and of death. “By Baptism men are grafted into the paschal mystery of Christ;
they die with him, are buried with Him, and rise with Him” (Vatican II, “Sacrosanc-
tum Concilium”, 6). In other words, Christians have been raised to a new kind of
life, a supernatural life, whereby they share, even while on earth, in the glorious
life of the risen Jesus. This life is at present spiritual and hidden, but when our
Lord comes again in glory, it will become manifest and glorious.

Two practical consequences flow from this teaching—the need to seek the “things
that are above”, that is, the things of God; and the need to pass unnoticed in one’s
everyday work and ordinary life, yet to do everything with a supernatural purpose
in mind.

As regards the first of these the Second Vatican Council has said: “In their pilgri-
mage to the Heavenly city Christians are to seek and relish the things that are
above (cf. Colossians 3:1-2): this involves not a lesser, but a greater commitment
to working with all men to build a world that is more human” (”Gaudium Et Spes”,
57). Work, family relationships, social involvements—every aspect of human affairs
— should be approached in a spirit of faith and done perfectly, out of love: “The true
Christian, who acts according to this faith”, St. Escriva comments, “always has
his sights set on God. His outlook is supernatural. He works in this world of ours,
which he loves passionately; he is involved in all its challenges, but all the while
his eyes are fixed on Heaven” (”Friends of God”, 206).

Ordinary life, everyday interests, the desire to be better and to serve others with-
out seeking public recognition of one’s merits—all this makes for holiness if done
for love of God. A simple life “hid with Christ in God” (verse 3) is so important
that Jesus Himself chose to spend the greater part of His life on earth living like
an ordinary person: He was the son of a tradesman. “As we meditate on these
truths, we come to understand better the logic of God. We come to realize that
the supernatural value of our life does not depend on accomplishing great under-
takings suggested to us by our over-active imagination.

Rather it is to be found in the faithful acceptance of God’s will, in welcoming ge-
nerously the opportunities for small, daily sacrifice” (St. J. Escriva, “Christ Is
Passing By”, 172).

This means that those who try to seek holiness by imitating Jesus in His hidden
life will be people full of hope; they will be optimistic and happy people; and after
their death they will share in the glory of the Lord: they will hear Jesus’ praise,
“Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little; I will set
you over much; enter into the joy of your Master” (Matthew 25:21).

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.