Our reading today points us to God's might in taking his distinctive Gospel and bringing it, counter to the culture at large, to the culture. See how the people of Israel receive the sign of circumcision. See how Cornelius, a Gentile, is heard by God. See how God breaks down Peter's predisposition to keep to the dietary laws, not contaminating himself with things from the culture at large.
The Lord has created a people who are different from the world. They have different beliefs, different codes of ethics, different values. Yet living off to ourselves is not an option our Lord has given us. We are to be different, but we are to be in this world, active members of our society and culture, living a different kind of life within that culture. We purify ourselves through Christ, then through Christ we deal with the uncleanness all around us. We are a city on a hill, shining light to all those around. And that hill on which we are located is in the middle of the city of this world. It isn't hundreds of miles distant where nobody sees the light. It's right there in the world, visible, distinct, shining the light of the Lord.
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