Corinth was a port city. Like many port cities it collected a lot of the riff-raff of society. St. Paul spent more time in Corinth than anywhere else during his life as a missionary. If Christianity could take root here, it could flourish everywhere. In addition, Paul had excellent collaborators in the married couple Aquila… Read More »
MAY242017
The Areopagus is situated strategically in the great city of Athens. It is on the road up to the Acropolis which contained (arguably) the most beautiful building in the world, the Parthenon. It overlooked the large market of the city, the agora, at the northern end of which was the famous stoa where philosophers taught… Read More »
MAY232017
St. Paul was imprisoned in Philippi (Acts 16:23). A mighty earthquake broke open the prison doors and pulled the chains away from their anchors. Instead of escaping Paul and his companions stayed in the prison. This occasioned the conversion of the jailor and his whole household. Contrast that with the experience of St. Peter in… Read More »
MAY222017
We might headline Acts 16: Together with Paul in Europe. As a result of a vision he sails across the Aegean to Greece. He can’t operate as he had in the past, by starting to preach in the Jewish synagogues. He needs a new missionary strategy. “On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate… Read More »
MAY212017
One word can make a big difference. For example, to say “She rode the horse bareback” is not the same as saying “She rode the horse back bare.” One word, big difference. The one word which commands our attention today is “another.” Jesus says, “I will ask the Father and he will give you another… Read More »
MAY202017
The report of St. Paul’s second missionary journey as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles is, of course, written years later, in hindsight. Thus, for example, when we read “they had been prevented by the Holy Spirit from preaching the message in the province of Asia” we probably should not imagine some direct revelation… Read More »
MAY192017
The faculty at the seminary after Vatican II were confused. I remember Fr. Gilbert preaching a sermon with this memorable line: You can love, love, love until the cows come home but you’ve still got to keep the commandments. My guess is that he imagined that the call to gospel love in the air in… Read More »
MAY182017
Acts of the Apostles chapter 15 describes what has been called the “Council of Jerusalem.” Those first followers of Jesus had to make a big decision: was it necessary to be a Jew in order to be a follower of Jesus. There were strong feelings on both sides of the issue that prompted “no little… Read More »
MAY172017
From the very beginning there have been divisions and controversies in the Church. The most critical happened to the first generation of believers because of the inclusion of non-Jews (Gentiles) into the fellowship. Were they going to be required to follow the Jewish law or not? Very sincere, very devout people were on both side… Read More »
MAY162017
In the so called “last discourse” in St. John’s gospel (chapters 14-17) Jesus tells the disciples some variation of “Peace I leave with you … Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” How can we live in peace, have untroubled hearts in such an unpeaceful and troubled world? That made me think of… Read More »
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