6th Sunday of Easter - First Reading: Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48 –
1. Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48
Peter addressed Cornelius and the Holy Spirit
came upon all – so they were baptized in the
name of Jesus Christ.
Excerpts from The Holy Bible : Revised Standard Version Second Catholic edition (2006), with the ecclesiastical approval of the
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Thomas Nelson Publishing for Ignatius Press.
2. 25 When Peter entered,
Cornelius met him and fell
down at his feet and
worshiped him.
26 But Peter lifted him up,
saying, “Stand up; I too
am a man.”
34 And Peter opened his
mouth and said: “Truly I
perceive that God shows
no partiality,
35 but in every nation any
one who fears him and
does what is right is
acceptable to him.
4 While Peter was still saying
this, the Holy Spirit fell on
all who heard the word.
45 And the believers from
among the circumcised
who came with Peter were
amazed, because the gift of
the Holy Spirit had been
poured out even on the
Gentiles.
46 For they heard them
speaking in tongues and
extolling God. Then Peter
declared,
3. 47 “Can any one forbid
water for baptizing these
people who have
received the Holy Spirit
just as we have?”
48 And he commanded
them to be baptized in
the name of Jesus
Christ. Then they asked
him to remain for some
days.
4. The Willing Listener
Cornelius showed an amazing
willingness to learn about and
obey God.
He responded immediately to the
vision given to him by God
(Acts 10:3-8).
He was grateful to Peter for
coming to instruct both he and
his family.
We should be just as eager to
hear from God and to do his
will?
5. 10:34 And Peter opened his mouth and said:
“Truly I perceive that God shows no partiality,
These words were earth
shaking and counter
cultural.
For generations Jews believed
that they were “better” than
the Gentiles.
The Jews thought that only
they would be saved.
Peter casts all that aside and
says that God loves all
people equally.
6. 10:44 “Holy Spirit fell on all”
The Holy Spirit helped them to
understand the truth in what Peter
was saying.
The Spirit allowed the listeners to take
the message into their hearts and
believe.
We see the circumcised, the Jews, were
astonished because the Spirit came
even to the uncircumcised, the
Gentiles.
Peter now had creditable witnesses,
Cornelius, to the fact that the Holy
Spirit even came to the Gentiles not
just to the Jews.
7. Cornelius and Peter Helped
Each Other, But How?
Cornelius was a wealthy
Italian Gentile, and a
Roman Centurion in
charge of 100 Roman
soldiers.
Cornelius’ vision told him of
his need for further
instruction from Peter and
gospel to find the way to
salvation.
Peter was a Jewish fisherman
until he became a
follower, a disciple, of Christ
and then became the first
leader of the Church that
Christ would leave in His
place when He ascended,
or returned to heaven.
Peter needed Cornelius and
his salvation experience to
know that the Gentiles
were also included in
God’s plan.
8. Excerpts from The Holy Bible : Revised Standard Version Second Catholic edition (2006), with the ecclesiastical approval of the
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Thomas Nelson Publishing for Ignatius Press.