Can You Spare a Coin

 

Lectio:        Acts 3:1-10

Peter and John were going up to the temple area
for the three o’clock hour of prayer.
And a man crippled from birth was carried
and placed at the gate of the temple called “the Beautiful Gate”
every day to beg for alms from the people who entered the temple.
When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple,
he asked for alms.
But Peter looked intently at him, as did John,
and said, “Look at us.”
He paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them.
Peter said, “I have neither silver nor gold,
but what I do have I give you:
in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk.”
Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up,
and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong.
He leaped up, stood, and walked around,
and went into the temple with them,
walking and jumping and praising God.
When all the people saw the man walking and praising God,
they recognized him as the one who used to sit begging
at the Beautiful Gate of the temple,
and they were filled with amazement and astonishment
at what had happened to him.

Studium:

Note that Peter is going to pray.  He is a good Jew.  He is with John--the oldest and the youngest apostles.  They are not solitary; they are friendly and going to community prayer.  Like Jesus, Peter pays attention to the undesirables.  Peter refers to Jesus, pointing that they are poor, but be-cause of Jesus, he can help the crippled man.  The man is open to Peter's teaching. Such is the Kingdom of God

Meditatio:

When I ask God for something, sometimes I don't get it.  I don't get what I want, I may get what I need. Whatever, I should "walk and jump and praise God."

Oratio:

Lord, thank You for Your love, Your care.  I need to realize that You know best.

Contemplatio:

Thank You, Jesus, for loving me.

Resolutio:

Every day I need to remember to praise God.