Today’s Readings – Thursday of week 2 of Easter - First Reading

Commentary on Acts 5:27-33

After having been miraculously released from jail and returned to the Temple to continue their preaching in the name of Jesus, the apostles were re-arrested and brought again before the 71-member Sanhedrin, the ruling council of the Jews.

They were accused of two things:

they had continued to preach in “that name” (their accusers could  not bring themselves even to mention the name of Jesus) all over Jerusalem, even though they had been strictly forbidden to do so; and
they were blaming the Jewish leadership for Jesus’ death (a contentious issue in our own day, although we do need to remember that those against whom the accusations were being made were themselves all devoutly religious Jews and whose Lord and Saviou … Continue

Yesterday’s Readings – Wednesday of week 2 of Easter - First Reading

Commentary on Acts 5:17-26

In the passage immediately preceding today’s reading we are told that many signs and wonders were being performed by the apostles and more and more people joined their community.  Even Peter’s shadow falling on the sick was enough … Continue