We can forget that during Jesus's lifetime disciples remained within the framework of the Jews faith. Jesus and his disciples would have thought of themselves as faithful observant Jews. He came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it.
In today's first reading we reach one of the great turning points in our history. While we think of Paul as "the Apostle to the Gentiles" today we hear the story of the vision that led Peter to a new understanding of his faith.
It is difficult for us to grasp the radical nature of this change. Peter would have spent his entire life believing that there was clean and unclean food would have no more eaten unclean food than you or I would eat rats. He would have had it engrained in his being that it was not only unclean but immoral.
It was only his absolute faith in Jesus that opened his heart to see the world in a new way, and be willing to abandon his lifelong preconceived notions.
Do we have that same faith, that same love. That willingness to let go, and surrender our lives to God's will no matter where it leads?
