Unveiling the mystery of salvation and its consequence for our lives
May 28, 2024 - Tuesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
1 Peter 1:10-16
Yesterday's excerpt from Peter's letter concluded with a statement that the aim of our faith is our salvation. Today, the apostle tells us that this salvation was the object of investigation of the prophets. The Church traditionally divides the history of salvation into three periods: the time of the Old Testament, the time of the New Testament, and the time of the Church. At the heart of the Old Testament is an expectation of the coming of the Messiah fulfilled in the New Testament. The time of the Church is the time of the proclamation of this salvation to the whole world.
Peter says that the prophets, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, "testified in advance to the sufferings destined for Christ and the glories to follow them" (1 Peter 1:11). There are many examples that prove the truth of Peter's statement. The first is the story of Abraham about to sacrifice his son, Isaac, in obedience to the Lord, only to have him miraculously spared and returned. Another example is Psalm 22, which begins with a description of the psalmist's terrible sufferings but then sees God intervene and all is made well. Finally, the most detailed prophecy can be found in the Book of Isaiah, known as the Fourth Song of the Suffering Servant of God (see Is 52:13-53:12). In all such passages, we see the prophecy of Christ's suffering and His resurrection.
Peter also indicates that even the angels would like to know about the mystery of salvation revealed to the prophets and apostles through the Holy Spirit. So what is this salvation all about? The answer is provided in one of the documents of the Vatican II. In the Dogmatic Constitution of Divine Revelation, we read: "In His goodness and wisdom God chose to reveal Himself and to make known to us the hidden purpose of His will (see Eph. 1:9) by which through Christ, the Word made flesh, man might in the Holy Spirit have access to the Father and come to share in the divine nature (see Eph. 2:18; 2 Peter 1:4)" (Dei Verbum, 2). That is an incredible statement.
The realization of the greatness of God's salvation should lead us to a different way of life. Peter quotes the Book of Leviticus where God commands His people: "Be holy because I am holy" (Lev 19:2; see also 11:44; 20:7,26). On the one hand, Israel was holy by virtue of being chosen by God. On the other hand, this holiness had to be evident in their style of worship and life regulated by the law of Moses. The same applies to Christians. On the one hand, by that new birth in the sacrament of baptism, we are "a chosen race" and "a holy nation" (see Exodus 19:5-6; 1 Peter 2:9). On the other hand, our holiness has to be seen in the way we live and worship God. Being followers of Christ, we are called to imitate Him, and the Gospel becomes our rule of life.
The root of the Hebrew word "holy" is also found in the word "temple/sanctuary". This should remind us that we are the living temple of God. Let us pray that the Spirit of Christ that dwells within us turns our lives into something as beautiful as the new Jerusalem - the beautiful bride of Christ.