St. Paul’s second missionary journey began in what is now the country of Turkiye. However, as he moved around the province he found that he was not able to minister in certain areas. St. Luke, in the Act of the Apostles, attributes this to the action of the Holy Spirit. “They had been prevented by the Holy Spirit
from preaching the message in the province of Asia. This was probably not a direct revelation but rather a blocked road, a political impasse, an economic hardship, some religious opposition that Paul interpreted as the hand of the Holy Spirit. Paul did not lament what was impossible but looked for what was possible. So the missionary journey went to Greece, went to Europe to spread the word there. As the saying goes, when God closes a door, a window opens. Today the Holy Spirit is sending us a message loud and clear: the way we are doing Church is not working. Having these beautiful buildings and a clear catechism no longer is a sufficient magnet drawing people in. Instead the Holy Spirit is sending us in a different direction, going out. Being Church today means meeting people where they are, not expecting them to come where we are.
