After the Resurrection Peter knows he has been called to share Jesus’ message about the Kingdom of God, but little idea how Jesus wants him to do it. In the gospel today Peter is in the Temple with John and comes to one of the entrances to an inner courtyard, the Beautiful Gate, beyond which those with disabilities cannot go as they are not ‘whole’ and therefore not holy in the eyes of the time. Peter does for the beggar, ‘crippled from birth’ it says, what Jesus did for him, he takes him by the hand and changes his life. He pulls him to his feet. The beggar has asked for money. Peter says: ‘I have neither silver nor gold, but I give you what I have, in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!’ I dont think Peter even knew exactly what would happen. We are talking a lot about ‘exit strategies’ these days, but for any Christian, when it comes to life, we have found ours, it is Christ, he is the gate, we simply have to trust and share it, him with others.
Kendal Catholic Priest 