It might be easy for us to wonder why it took so long for Peter to understand that the Gospel is for “every nation,” namely, for the Gentiles as well as the Jews. However, I think I understand how he felt. God may have gotten his head straightened out, but he was simply not used to being in the midst of Gentiles and it must have made him fairly uncomfortable. Customs and experiences can be hard to overcome. I will never forget an experience in the 8th grade when I asked my parents if my friend, Don, could stay overnight at our house one Friday night. No problem; we were in a new town and they were happy I had made a friend. Years later they told me how shocked they were initially when Don came in the house. You see, Don has the most beautiful black skin. They had never lived around African-Americans and had never had one in their house. They had taught their children to treat all people with respect, but they simply didn’t have any experience with people of other races. It didn’t take them long though to love Don and his older brother, Lionel. They spent hours at our place and became almost like family. So, I couldn’t be too hard on Peter and the other Jews with him who hesitated when it came to going into Cornelius’ house. God was stretching them and that can be painful. Our youngest son grew a foot one summer; he lay on the floor every night writhing in pain.

St. John tells us something important about love; it requires action. God didn’t just say, “I love you.” We like to say that talk is cheap. He did something when he sent Jesus “as expiation for our sins.” You don’t “reveal” love for another with warm feelings and words only, although words are better than nothing. You reveal love by actions. “God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him.” I strive to demonstrate love for my wife. She especially senses that love when I cook dinner, feed the dogs, or do the dishes. Those are simple things around our house, but they spell love. I am a knucklehead, and it has taken me years to find this out. What actions say “I love you” to the ones we love?