Daily Retreat 04/18/06

2006 Apr 18 Tue: Easter Tuesday

Acts 2: 36-41/ Ps 32(33): 4-5. 18-19. 20 and 22/ Jn 20: 11-18

From today’s readings: "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.... May Your kindness, O LORD, be upon us who have put our hope in You.... I am going to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God...."

Save Yourself from this Corrupt Generation!

Peter’s speech on the day of Pentecost was an urgent exhortation, not just a shallow suggestion. Even for those of us already baptized, the need to repent and be fully committed to our baptismal promises is a reminder we all have to act upon. Peter’s description of the people of his day as a "corrupt generation" is certainly not an outlandish claim at this time as well.

That’s not to say though, that Peter fell into a "holier than thou" attitude - his assessment of the "corrupt generation" was just a matter of fact, and he recognized his own contribution to that corruption. But he also welcomed the sacramental solution, and prescribed that for everyone who heard him.

Our own sins and selfishness has contributed to the corruption of this generation. On our own, we don’t have what it takes to rectify our own messes, or those of others, but we do have the same sacramental solution offered to us, for "the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call."