In our first reading today from the book of Acts, we have now followed Paul from Athens to Corinth in the south of Greece.
Given its high rate of immorality, Paul is thinking it will be different from Athens in terms of possible dialogue, yet as we heard yesterday, something he definitely wanted to change was his approach in evangelizing these people from his seemingly failed attempt in Athens.
In Corinth there was a large Jewish community. He always felt that, as God’s people, the religious Jews should be the first to hear the message of the Gospel— a sentiment most likely mimicking our Lord’s testing admonition to the gentile woman seeking his assistance for her daughter, that he came first to liberate the children of Israel. Only this time, he would focus on Christ and him crucified in his preaching. He would recall this when later writing his first letter to the Corinthians: “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” 2:1-2.
Soon after arriving in Corinth he meets a Jewish couple named Aquila and Pricilla who had recently arrived from Italy.
They’re most likely already Christians as there’s no mention of a conversion and they’re very keen on joining in Paul’s efforts. Very likely, they had converted while in Rome. Both of them were to become valuable assistants in his work. They had had to leave Rome because the emperor Claudius (AD 41-54) had ordered all Jews to leave given their constant clashes with converts to the Christian faith.
Paul begins to reside with this couple because of a common interest: tent-making. In other places, Paul writes about the rights of missionaries to being supported by those they have ministered to, but rather than accepting donations from the people he fends for himself which speaks to the dignity of earning one’s wage and making an honest living. He did recommend that his followers should imitate his example, supplying their own needs while simultaneously taking care of the needy. He seems to have accepted help only from the people in Philippi.
We are then told that: “Every Sabbath he would argue in the synagogue and would try to convince Jews and Greeks.” By “Greeks” we mean those who had been attracted to the Jewish faith and attended Synagogue as a result.
It was at this point that Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia as they had been instructed by Paul’s messenger. During this time as well, Paul wrote his two letters to the Christians in Thessalonica. They are his earliest letters to churches (and historically the first books of the New Testament to be written).
With the additional manpower on hand in Silas and Timothy, Paul devoted his time entirely to preaching the Word to his fellow countrymen, while putting aside his tent-making for a while. The main theme of Paul’s preaching to Jews would always be concerning how Jesus is that messiah they have long been waiting for. What he encountered however, was that they weren’t prepared to receive the true messiah, i.e., one who would suffer. If we recall this was Peter’s problem and all the apostles as well. It even threw John the Baptist for a loop, because it is beyond anything human beings expected or thought possible, that their Creator whom is worshipped night and day, should endure pain for our sakes, so as to atone for our sins. That pain was even possible to the Almighty was already a repulsive idea to the Jews. Our Lord himself knew this would be hard for people to accept and hence the secrecy in the gospels at first about his true identity: he knew they weren’t ready. Imagine Paul’s daunting task, therefore, and yet God was with him, and he’s with us whenever we ourselves find it a tall order to help someone see, perceive and understand the things of God. There’s only so much you can say or do with an individual to help them move closer to God’s truth and if they still reject your message, you’re to move on and keep them in prayer. They’re beyond your reach, but not beyond God’s. So Paul obeys our Lord, shakes the dust off his feet, and moves on.
In today’s gospel, Jesus reminds his followers, the apostles, the disciples, you and me, all of us who will in turn go out and live our faith and share and evangelize, that like him, at times we will be rejected. Paul experienced this many times first hand. At the last supper, Jesus says that they,
"…will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy."
In the immediate context, he is foretelling his passion and death, where they will weep and mourn, and his mortal enemies would rejoice. He told them this would cause them great pain, but that the pain will turn into joy. In other words, three days of extreme pain, followed by the explosive twist ending no one saw coming, the resurrection, would give them and the entire world a new direction. In the victory of Jesus over his true and final enemy, death, the world has a glimmer of hope when it has to confront things like our mortality and vulnerability. But what’s more, those who suffer in this life for the sake of righteousness will be vindicated. It’s one thing to be rejected a number of times for preaching the gospel. That’s tough, it’s not fun, it’s very saddening because you know the other person is foregoing the opportunity beyond any opportunity. When we forego Jesus, we not only forego an opportunity of a lifetime… but an opportunity of eternal bliss with him in paradise. The rejection may sting. The apostles were almost killed by being stoned or scourged or beaten to death and eventually most of them were martyred. But this is what the resurrection turns martyrdom into: Their body’s functions were halted, for the time being. That body will be raised glorious, spiritualized and beyond the abilities of this world. In the meanwhile their soul, which is basically who we are, minus the body… that went straight to God, with the joy of immediate entrance into paradise. Those martyrs and saints, now await their glorified bodies. They have the thrill and the unimaginable joy of knowing that they are with God forever, and that one given day, to add to all the extraordinariness they’re already living each day, their bodies will be reunited to them whole, entire, and resplendent.
The apostles, the martyrs, and then there’s us. Again, pain, followed by glory and joy. You might be rejected for loving our Lord, but this bitterness might be prolonged. The apostles shook the dust and moved on, but how are you supposed to do that if you live with the people who reject you? Imagine those people whose parents are vehemently against their child becoming a Christian. Imagine atheist family members who constantly mock or challenge the believing members, and imagine if the person who loves God, is the sole member of that family who does so. If this is you, remember Jesus’ words to the apostles in today’s gospel always: “…you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy.” It would sound a bit cold to say, your vindication will come, because one never wishes to be vindicated when it comes to their own family members whom they love.
We might not be able to shake the dust off our feet in these situations, but what we can do, is to continue showing our deep love for them as Jesus also asked of us who have been honoured with the dignity of being called children of God: “Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. Do good to those who hate you.” Your family members might not hate you, although that too has happened many times and is prevalent in today’s world where people’s love for one another, in general, is growing colder—something which is prophesied in scripture. But in the end, our Lord has promised you, that your pain will turn into joy. Persevere therefore.
Keep up your prayer life. Make full use of the sacraments because they are a gift to you, and when the time comes, you too shall hear the words, “Come, my precious, precious child. Well done. I was hungry… famished for truth, and you tried to feed me. I couldn’t hold that food down, but you stuck with me, and tried your best. You loved me. Come now, and enter the kingdom prepared for you from the foundations of the world.” Courage my brothers and sisters, Our Blessed Mother, your guardian angel, and all the angels and saints are with you cheering you on. The apostles and prophets, persecuted before you are cheering you on and praying for you. For, any suffering you may have to endure here, will not be forgotten by the Creator of all things. Amen.
Add comment
Comments