Reflections
We are part of the story of Acts Readings Between the Lines Father Glenn LeCompte
At Masses throughout the Easter season the first reading comes from Acts of the Apostles. I thought it would be fitting, then, for this month’s article to focus on that book. The author of Acts does not identify himself, but several factors point to Luke, the author of the third Gospel, as the author of Acts. Both works have a prologue addressed to a certain “Theophilus” (Luke 1:1-4; Acts 1:15), and in Acts 1:1 the author refers to “the first book,” meaning that Acts is connected to another work. The vocabulary, writing style and theological themes in both works are very similar. Luke views God’s plan of salvation, or “salvation history,” in three phases: 1) the period of Israel, 2) the period of Jesus, 3) the period of the church. Acts is the story of the beginning of the third phase. In the first scene of Acts (1:6-12) the risen Lord addresses his apostles for the last time before he ascends to the Father, and directs them to undertake a mission as “witnesses” to him, meaning that they will testify to all that Jesus said and did, and explain how he brought God’s plan of salvation to fruition. The key verse in understanding the Acts of the Apostles is 1:8, when the risen Lord says to the Eleven (the Twelve minus Judas who is dead), “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Three of Luke’s key themes are contained in this one sentence. First, the very same Holy Spirit who empowered and guided Jesus’ ministry
in Luke (see 4:16-21) does the same for the apostles, who are instructed by the risen Lord to await the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4). Secondly, they are to await the Spirit’s coming in Jerusalem, the city where Jesus suffered, died and rose obtaining forgiveness of sin for all people. Finally, from this central geographical hub of salvation history, the apostles will proceed to bring the good news to the “ends of the earth.” As the story unfolds the apostles are not initially aware that they are to preach beyond the confines of Jerusalem. In the scene of the descent of the Holy Spirit and Peter’s Pentecost speech (2:1-41) it is clear from the makeup of the crowd, people from many nations for whom Peter’s speech is relevant, that the message is not just for Jews but for all people. Nevertheless, it is not until 8:4 that the mission spreads outside of Judea and into Samaria. Why does this happen? Persecution is the reason. Although the apostles return to their ministry in Jerusalem after the Jewish Religious Leaders persecute them (4:1-22), it is in the aftermath of the martyrdom of Stephen (7:59-60) that persecution becomes so severe that Christian missionaries are driven north into Samaria. Stephen was one of the seven servants appointed to wait on Greekspeaking widows (6:1-7), but who also preach (7:2-53; 8:5-8). Saul, a Pharisee,
14 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • April 2021
is a great instigator of the persecution of Christians (8:1). At this point it may seem to the reader that the mission is endangered. In fact, the treachery the church faces plays right into God’s plan for the Gospel to spread, just as the Jewish religious leaders’ arranging of Jesus’ death also facilitated the divine purpose. The mission to Samaria spreads into Syria, and Saul obtains authorization to seek out followers of Jesus in Damascus (9:1-2). On the way there, he is confronted by the risen Lord (9:3-9), is taken to Antioch in Syria and begins a process of conversion (9:10-19). His name changes to Paul (13:9). Word gets back to the church in Jerusalem that Gentiles are accepting the faith (11:1). Peter is confronted by other Jews for entering the homes of uncircumcised Gentiles to bring them the good news. But he explains a vision (a biblical medium of divine revelation) which indicated to him that this was God’s desire (11:5-10). The persecution drives the mission even farther out, into Phoenicia, Cyprus and Syrian Antioch (11:19), and in each of these places those scattered there announce the good news to Gentiles and they accept it. Eventually word gets back to Jerusalem that Gentiles are accepting the Gospel and even preaching it, so the Jerusalem church sends Barnabas to
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