Bright Wednesday. Our Venerable Father and Confessor Nicetas, Hegumen of the Monastery of Medicius (824).
Bright Week. No fasting or abstention from foods.
Acts 2:22-36. John 1:35-51.
Read Acts 2:22-36
Christ is risen! Truly, He is risen!
Today we hear the Holy Apostle Peter, filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit, preaching a homily to the Jews. The main focus of the homily is tohelp the listener discover the identity of Jesus—the one whom the Jews crucified on the cross just fifty days earlier. Notice that St. Peter starts by focusing on the humanity of Jesus: “Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and miracles and signs…” These works and miracles were undeniable and very numerous. They were still very much in the present memory of the people and were so wide spread that St. Peter only had to mention them instead of giving examples. This Jesus is of the lineage of King David. It was David who prophesied and anticipated Jesus’ coming in the Psalms.
Jesus is greater than David, for David’s tomb is in our midst, but Jesus was raised from the dead—his body never saw corruption nor was his soul abandoned in Hades, like every other human being. He was exulted to the right hand of God and through him the Holy Spirit is poured out. Notice how St. Peter leads the listener to the conclusion that Jesus has a Divine origin? For who can work so many miracles? Who can he be that he is greater than all the Patriarchs and Prophets who came before him? Who can he be that death and corruption are not able to take hold of? Who can he be that he sits at the right hand of God? Who can he be that he sends the Holy Spirit of God? This man is not merely man, but also God: “The Lord said to my Lord…”