Saturday in the Octave of Easter

When the leaders see the “boldness” of Peter they are “amazed”…that he is not intimidated by them…and in this they recognize him as “a companion of Jesus.” 

They don’t want Peter’s strange new teaching to spread further among the people. They claim, paternalistically, that they want to protect the people from being misled, “confused” by this teaching… but in fact they only care about their own prestige and influence.

The people, however, are not confused; “everyone in Jerusalem” has seen the healing power at work through Peter.

What the leaders truly think of the people is seen in the gospel of John when the Pharisees say to the temple guards: “Are you carried away like the rest of the rabble? You don’t see any of the leaders believing in him, do you? Or any from the Pharisees? It’s only this crowd, ignorant of God’s law, that is taken in by him and duped.”

While divine authority is clearly at work in Peter, as seen by the healing he has worked and the enthusiastic support and recognition of the people, the leaders presume to issue a “stern warning” and try to shame and threaten Peter into silence.

Peter’s role here is prophetic and like all prophets, in the familiar adage, while “he comforts the afflicted, he afflicts the comfortable.”

The comfortable feel afflicted in several ways: they feel afflicted by his comforting their victims, by the way he treats with respect those they oppress.

They see in Peter what a true shepherd looks like and are put to shame; and being attached to comfort and security, they are afflicted at the prospect of having to put these aside; they resent having their addiction to luxury and privilege exposed.

The leaders take on themselves the role of judge, they presume to judge the work of God…so Peter says, in effect, “Fine, you want to be judges. Judge this: is it right for us to obey you, who idolize what is merely human custom and convention, who tie up heavy burdens for others while not lifting a finger to carry them yourselves…or to obey the living God, at work here and now through the Spirit?”

On this day when the universal church celebrates the life of Pope Francis, we give thanks to God for raising up his bold and prophetic voice, truly in our time, the authentic voice of Peter.