One of the most disheartening of human experiences is being misunderstood. Jesus knew how that felt. He worked great signs among His people and yet they failed to understand what He was trying to do for them. He wanted to draw these people to Himself as their Saviour and make them hunger for spiritual things, and all they were interested in was for Him to satisfy their material needs.
Another conflict between the apostles and the Sanhedrin is recorded in today's first reading. This time they have an unexpected defender in the influential Pharisee Gamaliel who speaks wisely when he says if this Christianity is not from God it will disappear as other religious movements have done. But if it is from God then leave them for we are sure to be fighting a losing cause against none other than God.
To let everyone know in Jerusalem that Jesus had risen and that He offered them eternal life was the one intention on the minds of the apostles after Pentecost. This angered the religious authorities. They forbade them to preach about Jesus but Peter responded that it was better to obey God than men.
How actively and effectively the Lord worked among the early Christians in Jerusalem is shown by today's first reading. He was not going to allow the spread of the good news of the resurrection to be limited or stopped by those who had crucified Jesus. Once again we see how powerfully transforming was the Holy Spirit in the lives of the apostles who fearlessly placed themselves at His disposal to spread the good news.
Could you, if you were well off, sell all you have to share it with those with little or nothing? It is asking a lot but this is precisely what the early Christians did. Through Baptism they were aware that they had all become God's children, and brothers and sisters to one another. They were indeed one family.
After the Crucifixion the Apostles were huddled together behind closed doors. It is not certain where but most likely they were in the Upper Room in which the Last Supper had been held. The doors were tightly bolted. They were frightened men.
Another conflict between the apostles and the Sanhedrin is recorded in today's first reading. This time they have an unexpected defender in the influential Pharisee Gamaliel who speaks wisely when he says if this Christianity is not from God it will disappear as other religious movements have done. But if it is from God then leave them for we are sure to be fighting a losing cause against none other than God.
