Epiphany IV: Peter’s Speech

The crowd gathers at Solomon’s porch as February’s winter light lingers on the stone — like a rose blooming out of season, clinging still to the hope of spring, presenting what has waited through eons to bloom more beautiful.

As the crowd swells around this unexpected bloom — the restoration of a crippled one — Peter steps forward to make one thing clear: this Crippled One did not walk and flower from his power or John’s alone. Rather, the moment cannot be understood apart from an ancient love that had been alive for centuries — wounded by dishonesty and disbelief, but never extinguished.

Those who have long awaited this moment are ready for Peter’s words. They hear him echo John the Forerunner — calling them to repent and remember — so that their transgressions may be forgiven, and the Crippled One — appearing like a rose in winter — may be restored as the very foundation stone.

First came the Johannine Teacher — like a father of Eros — speaking to her under the cover of darkness, awakening the Love she had carried in her soul since the songs of Solomon and long before — as the Gardener of the fig tree.

Then in the same town of Andrew and Peter, when Phillip found Nathanael — a true Israelite — her thorned branches began to bud and bloom like a flower in winter, watching, and waiting for the Gift of God who would one day take her hand and redeem her in public.

As you listen to Peter’s speech, notice that Scripture speaks in male grammar, yet the mystery revealed is not only masculine. When Peter says “He,” listen for what has long been assumed, and also listen for the whole Christ — Bride and Bridegroom together — standing fully alive at the heart of this moment, as testified and witnessed by the Johannine Forerunner.

“Why do you stare at us, as though by our power we had made this person walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob…has glorified his servant Jesus…” (Acts 3:12-13)

“Repent therefore, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord…” (Acts 3:19-20)

“…whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all things, as God spoke long ago through the prophets.” (Acts 3:21)

Heaven cannot be understood simply as a spiritual, bodiless realm. It is better seen as a treasury of holy memory where God’s ancient love is preserved — publicly in Scripture, in prayer, and in the hearts of believers — until the living Christ: the Bride and Bridegroom together is recognized face to face in the fullness of time, as the Johannine Forerunner testified.

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This is the fourth in a series of Epiphany reflections. Epiphany V, turns to what the authorities make of this amazing moment.

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