The earthquake which shook the place where the Christians were listening to Peter and John was a sign of God's presence and of his willingness to support them, threatened as they were with persecution. It could, however, also be taken as a symbol of the extraordinary change that was taking place in their lives and in the life of Nicodemus.

Nicodemus was a member of the supreme Jewish religious council. Most of the council members were implacably opposed to Jesus. Yet,moved by Jesus' words and deeds, Nicodemus came to Jesus 'by night'. He was a cautious man but an honest one. His visit to Jesus seems to have confirmed his favourable impression of Jesus. Some time later he stood up for Jesus in a meeting of the council to the great annoyance of his fellow members. Later still, he was to be found among those who honoured Jesus after his death.

These days we are becoming familiar with the enthusiasm and power of groups of people taking to the streets to demand what they believe is their due. We see at least the possibility of extraordinary social changes before our eyes. In the first reading we see a group of people swept by a similar kind of enthusiasm. A quiet earthquake shook the heart and mind of the sober Nicomedus. A more exhuberant one rocked the hearts and minds of Peter's and John's listeners. It drove them to undertake the perilous task of establishing the Church in the very heart of Jerusalem.