Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter
[They] brought him to the tribunal, saying, “This man is inducing people to worship God contrary to the law.” (Acts 18:12-13)
Throughout the Acts of the Apostles many speeches of the apostles and others show the beautiful message of the Gospel as it was preached in the earliest days of the Church. These words of Peter, of Stephen, of Paul helped many hearts to be opened to the gift of the Holy Spirit and the joy which that divine gift brings. Not everyone, however, responded so positively. We recall that Paul himself is first introduced in the Acts of the Apostles as a member of the crowd that took part in the stoning of St. Stephen. After his conversion, St. Paul’s preaching attracted many, but it also provoked many to work against him by popular and by civil means. Today we hear how Paul was dragged before the proconsul of the Roman province of Achaia, Lucius Junius Gallio Annaeanus, who dismisses the case only because of his complete indifference to the disputants. In the face of forceful opposition and dismissive indifference, St. Paul and the other apostles never respond in kind. Rather, with gentleness and patience, he simply continues his work of preaching and serving.
We may grow particularly concerned that Christ has been taken from our sight when we encounter opposition or indifference from those who misunderstand us. The accusation against Paul, that he who had devoted his whole life to serving God was causing people to act contrary to God’s covenant, must have hurt him deeply. Yet, he would write to the Romans “I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:38-39) The knowledge that the Spirit of Christ was with him to strengthen him must have fortified him against all wounds and disappointments to continue, with the love of God, to preach the Gospel with his words and with his life. He continued to share in Christ’s Passion so as to share more deeply in the Resurrection. Thus, Paul could come to know more fully the words of our Lord: “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.” (Jn 16:20)
Let us ask for the grace to seek the Lord, especially in those moments when we are misunderstood, ignored, and faced with our own crosses. Let us ask to find Him, even unseen, who is present even in those times. Let us ask, especially with those moments, to act with patience and gentleness which will give true witness to Him.