More Than Silver and Gold
Preparing for the Third Sunday of Easter: One Day before Sunday (Year B)
Scripture
Psalter: Psalm 4
Epistle: Acts 3:1-10
Gospel: Luke 22:24-30
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Prayer
Mighty God, in whom we know the power of redemption, you stand among us in the shadows of our time. As we move through every sorrow and trial of this life, uphold us with knowledge of the final morning when, in the glorious presence of your risen Son, we will share in his resurrection, redeemed and restored to the fullness of life and forever freed to be your people. Amen. (Revised Common Lectionary)
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Reflection
One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, at three o’clock in the afternoon. And a man lame from birth was being carried in. People would lay him daily at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful Gate so that he could ask for alms from those entering the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked them for alms. Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. All the people saw him walking and praising God, and they recognized him as the one who used to sit and ask for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with wonder and astonishment at what had happened to him (Acts 3:1-10).
Have you ever received more than you were hoping for? At the heart of this story is a man who had been lame from birth, reduced to begging for his sustenance at the temple gate. His condition was not merely physical but also social and spiritual, as he was relegated to the margins of society, dependent on the mercy of others for his daily needs. His encounter with Peter and John changed everything. Rather than simply offering the man temporary relief in the form of money, they offered something far greater: the healing power of Jesus Christ.
Peter’s words reflect faith and authority: “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Here is the essence of Christian ministry — recognizing that true wealth and power reside in the name of Jesus. The man, who had never known the freedom of walking is not only healed physically but also spiritually and socially. He leaps to his feet, no longer bound by the chains of his disability. He enters the temple courts with joyous praise for God.
Acts 3 challenges us to reflect on our own approach to ministry and service. Do we merely offer superficial solutions to deep-seated problems, or do we seek to bring about transformative change rooted in faith? Like Peter and John, we are called to look beyond the surface and address the fundamental needs of those we encounter, pointing them toward the life-changing power of Jesus Christ.
This is also a reminder of the communal aspect of faith. The healed man’s transformation was not a private miracle but a public testimony that drew others to marvel at God’s work. Our actions of faith have the potential to inspire and uplift not only individuals but entire communities, sparking a chain reaction of hope and transformation.
PRAYER: Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord's resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer)
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