In Acts 2, Peter stands up and delivers an amazing homily. I’m not overstating it. Three thousand people were baptized when he was done.

Peter spoke about his faith with the power of the Holy Spirit. And we are called to do the same.

Before you decide to set aside my words, allow me to set aside your excuses. (Lovingly, of course.) ;)

Have you ever prayed with every fiber of your being, just to feel as though all you got in return were the sound of crickets? I’ve been there.

Or have you ever thundered the heavens with frustration because the phrase, “God will never give you more than you can handle” just didn’t seem to apply to you? I’ve been there, too.

This Sunday’s First Reading comes to us from Acts 2:24-47 and we get a great glimpse of the Early Church.

“They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread, and to the prayers…

”Sound familiar? As in “every Sunday familiar?” (And I know, some of you who attend daily Mass are reading this and saying, “No David! Every day familiar!”)

Jesus died. A whole bunch of people saw it. The witnesses were all sorts of folks. Good guys. Bad guys. Civilians. Soldiers.

Then Jesus rose. A whole bunch of people saw it. A group of women on the road. A group of men on the road. And a group of men Locked In A Room.

But this is how it works with the Lord. When he gets knocked down, he never stays down. (Remember the stations of the cross?)

I was walking across the inner courtyard of my high school when I heard an eruption of sound from the other end. A crowd was quickly forming, and the energy was unmistakable. It was a fight. Naturally, I headed that way.

By the time I got there, the crowd had multiplied, but I swam the butterfly for the varsity swim team and I was more than able to muscle my way to the front.