Daily Retreat 05/12/09
2009 May 12 Tue:Easter Weekday/ Nereus and Achilleus, mts/ Pancras, mt
Acts 14:19-28/ Ps 144(145):10-11. 12-13ab. 21/ Jn 14:27-31a
From today’s readings: “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.... Let all Your works give You thanks, O LORD, and let Your faithful ones bless You.... Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.”
Coming Full Circle
It’s crucial to our faith to realize that “it is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.” The initial verses today clarify the context - Paul had recently been stoned and left for dead! And remember, this was in Lystra, where the Apostles were originally received as gods (cf. yesterday’s reading and reflection) - what a fickle crowd!
Derbe was the most distant city reached in Paul’s first missionary journey. Afterwards, he and Barnabas back-traced their steps, always taking the time to encourage the new disciples and ordain presbyters (elders or priests) to share in their apostolic ministry. By the time they returned to Antioch, the Apostles had spent almost two and a half years on their mission and had traveled about 600 miles by foot on the land portion of their trip - and this would turn out to be the shortest of Paul’s missionary journeys!
The Apostles’ zeal, and sacrifice, and “many hardships” should serve as a wake-up call to you and me, inspiring us to do more than just plod along complacently in a half-hearted commitment to our Christian faith! We might even take on a concrete missionary goal for this week: to pray a bit more consistently, stand up for our principles a bit more courageously, and share our faith a bit more generously!
Acts 14:19-28/ Ps 144(145):10-11. 12-13ab. 21/ Jn 14:27-31a
From today’s readings: “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.... Let all Your works give You thanks, O LORD, and let Your faithful ones bless You.... Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.”
Coming Full Circle
It’s crucial to our faith to realize that “it is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.” The initial verses today clarify the context - Paul had recently been stoned and left for dead! And remember, this was in Lystra, where the Apostles were originally received as gods (cf. yesterday’s reading and reflection) - what a fickle crowd!
Derbe was the most distant city reached in Paul’s first missionary journey. Afterwards, he and Barnabas back-traced their steps, always taking the time to encourage the new disciples and ordain presbyters (elders or priests) to share in their apostolic ministry. By the time they returned to Antioch, the Apostles had spent almost two and a half years on their mission and had traveled about 600 miles by foot on the land portion of their trip - and this would turn out to be the shortest of Paul’s missionary journeys!
The Apostles’ zeal, and sacrifice, and “many hardships” should serve as a wake-up call to you and me, inspiring us to do more than just plod along complacently in a half-hearted commitment to our Christian faith! We might even take on a concrete missionary goal for this week: to pray a bit more consistently, stand up for our principles a bit more courageously, and share our faith a bit more generously!
posted by FrPitstick | 5/10/2009
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