Extra Notes from Father Andrew:
In the opening verses of Acts, Luke explains how Jesus spent forty days with the disciples after the Resurrection, teaching them and preparing them. At the end of that time, he tells them to await the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem, after which they will be his witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (1:8) We will watch this threefold mission unfold as the book develops; first the faith will spread in Jerusalem starting with Pentecost (Acts 1-7), then it will start to go throughout the nearby areas of Judea and Samaria (Acts 8-12), and then through missionaries like Saint Paul to the rest of the known world (Acts 13-28).
We see in Acts 2 the speech of Peter at Pentecost, shortly after receiving the Holy Spirit. This speech is what we are hearing at Mass this weekend and next weekend. Acts 3 & 4 feature additional speeches from Peter. You can note the common themes: Jesus truly died; he truly has risen; he is the savior God promised; you must repent of your sins and be baptized. These common themes are what theologians would call the “kerygma” (proclamation), the essence of the Gospel message, and these are the key truths that we would want to help share with our non-Christian friends and neighbors today. It is exciting to see these truths first proclaimed by the apostles, and with such joy and power!