Daily Retreat 05/16/09
2009 May 16 Sat:Easter Weekday
Acts 16:1-10/ Ps 99(100):1b-2. 3. 5/ Jn 15:18-21
From today’s readings: “Day after day the churches grew stronger in faith and increased in number.... Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.... If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you.”
Closed and Open Doors
Paul has set out on his second missionary journey, accompanied by Silas this time. Instead of starting their travels with a sea voyage, as was the case in the first journey, Paul and Silas follow the land route, and thus soon reach Derbe and Lystra, which had been the end point of the first mission. There, they are joined by the young Timothy.
The plans were originally to head west to the coast cities of Asia minor, but things didn’t pan out, so they headed north, intending to go on to Bithynia, but again “the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them,” so they wound up in the northwest coastal city of Troas. Luke does not explain in what concrete manner the Holy Spirit re-directed them - perhaps it was just a matter of adverse weather or road conditions. In any case, the missionaries prove themselves docile to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, rather than stubbornly sticking to their pre-conceived plans (yes, there’s a lesson for you and me here!). And so, in Troas, Paul has his illuminating vision of the beckoning Macedonian man with the unplanned invitation to cross over the Aegean Sea, and sow the seeds of the Gospel on European land for the first time!
Acts 16:1-10/ Ps 99(100):1b-2. 3. 5/ Jn 15:18-21
From today’s readings: “Day after day the churches grew stronger in faith and increased in number.... Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.... If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you.”
Closed and Open Doors
Paul has set out on his second missionary journey, accompanied by Silas this time. Instead of starting their travels with a sea voyage, as was the case in the first journey, Paul and Silas follow the land route, and thus soon reach Derbe and Lystra, which had been the end point of the first mission. There, they are joined by the young Timothy.
The plans were originally to head west to the coast cities of Asia minor, but things didn’t pan out, so they headed north, intending to go on to Bithynia, but again “the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them,” so they wound up in the northwest coastal city of Troas. Luke does not explain in what concrete manner the Holy Spirit re-directed them - perhaps it was just a matter of adverse weather or road conditions. In any case, the missionaries prove themselves docile to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, rather than stubbornly sticking to their pre-conceived plans (yes, there’s a lesson for you and me here!). And so, in Troas, Paul has his illuminating vision of the beckoning Macedonian man with the unplanned invitation to cross over the Aegean Sea, and sow the seeds of the Gospel on European land for the first time!
posted by FrPitstick | 5/15/2009
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