Daily Retreat 10/31/08
2008 Oct 31 Fri: Ordinary Weekday
Phil 1: 1-11/ Ps 110(111): 1-2. 3-4. 5-6/ Lk 14: 1-6
From today’s readings: “I give thanks to my God at every remembrance of you.... How great are the works of the Lord!... Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbath or not?”
You’ve Got Great Mail!
In his epistle, Paul himself mentions many of the reasons he’s so found of the Philippians, but it’s also helpful to remember why that city of Philippi was a memorable milestone in Paul’s own missionary journeys. In chapter 16 of the Acts of the Apostles, Luke notes that Paul, Timothy, and Silas were on the way to Bithynia, in northern Asia minor, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. Instead, Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia beckoning for help. Paul recognized this as a divine direction to preach the gospel in Macedonia (northern Greece), so he and his coworkers crossed the Aegean Sea and were the first missionaries to bring Christ to the continent of Europe! How they must have rejoiced at the spread of the gospel as they sailed across that sea, and after disembarking in the port town of Neapolis, they proceeded immediately to Philippi, which was the leading city of the district.
On the first Sabbath there, Paul and company went to the riverside to pray, and there, they were welcomed by Lydia, a hospitable seller of purple goods, and she and her household were soon baptized. Not long afterwards, calling upon the name of Jesus, Paul expels a demon, but for this good deed, he and Silas are thrown in jail! But even there, they pass the time praying and singing hymns to God, sharing the good news with their fellow prisoners. You can read chapter 16 of the Acts of the Apostles to find out why Paul then passed up a miraculous opportunity to escape, and then recall the rest of his intense adventures there in Philippi.
So that background helps us understand Paul’s affinity and affection expressed in his epistle to the Philippians. What a beautiful letter! Perhaps somewhere, you’ve held on to some treasured letter of your own, either because of the love for the person who sent it to you, or because of the inspirational, memorable contents - those are the same sentiments that emanate from this, Paul’s letter to the Philippians, the special type of letter we all rejoice when others send them to us, the kind of letter we should take the time to write to those dearest to us!
And Philippians really is a letter! Some of Paul’s writings are a bit lengthy and intimidating, but not this one. In fact, if you’ve never read in one sitting an entire book of the Bible before, this is the place to start! You can readily get through it in just ten minutes - not that I’m encouraging you to ever rush through the Bible, but it’s important for you to know how easy it will be to sit down this evening with the Bible for ten minutes - and what better way to end your day than with the Word of God?
Phil 1: 1-11/ Ps 110(111): 1-2. 3-4. 5-6/ Lk 14: 1-6
From today’s readings: “I give thanks to my God at every remembrance of you.... How great are the works of the Lord!... Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbath or not?”
You’ve Got Great Mail!
In his epistle, Paul himself mentions many of the reasons he’s so found of the Philippians, but it’s also helpful to remember why that city of Philippi was a memorable milestone in Paul’s own missionary journeys. In chapter 16 of the Acts of the Apostles, Luke notes that Paul, Timothy, and Silas were on the way to Bithynia, in northern Asia minor, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. Instead, Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia beckoning for help. Paul recognized this as a divine direction to preach the gospel in Macedonia (northern Greece), so he and his coworkers crossed the Aegean Sea and were the first missionaries to bring Christ to the continent of Europe! How they must have rejoiced at the spread of the gospel as they sailed across that sea, and after disembarking in the port town of Neapolis, they proceeded immediately to Philippi, which was the leading city of the district.
On the first Sabbath there, Paul and company went to the riverside to pray, and there, they were welcomed by Lydia, a hospitable seller of purple goods, and she and her household were soon baptized. Not long afterwards, calling upon the name of Jesus, Paul expels a demon, but for this good deed, he and Silas are thrown in jail! But even there, they pass the time praying and singing hymns to God, sharing the good news with their fellow prisoners. You can read chapter 16 of the Acts of the Apostles to find out why Paul then passed up a miraculous opportunity to escape, and then recall the rest of his intense adventures there in Philippi.
So that background helps us understand Paul’s affinity and affection expressed in his epistle to the Philippians. What a beautiful letter! Perhaps somewhere, you’ve held on to some treasured letter of your own, either because of the love for the person who sent it to you, or because of the inspirational, memorable contents - those are the same sentiments that emanate from this, Paul’s letter to the Philippians, the special type of letter we all rejoice when others send them to us, the kind of letter we should take the time to write to those dearest to us!
And Philippians really is a letter! Some of Paul’s writings are a bit lengthy and intimidating, but not this one. In fact, if you’ve never read in one sitting an entire book of the Bible before, this is the place to start! You can readily get through it in just ten minutes - not that I’m encouraging you to ever rush through the Bible, but it’s important for you to know how easy it will be to sit down this evening with the Bible for ten minutes - and what better way to end your day than with the Word of God?
posted by FrPitstick | 10/29/2008
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