As I read today’s first reading, the lyrics to Tubthumping comes to mind, and it goes like this, ”I get knocked down, but I get up again
You are never gonna keep me down.” Can you fathom the love St Paul had for Jesus? That torn, battered, bloodied and bruised he got up again for Christ, and later met up with St Barnabas to resume his mission as guided by the Holy Spirit.
Yes intricate details of his suffering is left out and it is left to our imagination. Would they have used rocks made out of foam to stone him? No! The people dragged him outside town thinking he was dead for very good reason. He did not look as though he survived the horrendous stoning!
How did he manage to get up again and go on? Will power? Perhaps a little, but I am quite certain it has to do with the power and grace of the Holy Spirit. And the lasting gift of the powerful peace of Christ Jesus bestowed on him and all of us. The prince of this world has no power over us, for are beloved children of God our Heavenly Father. Amen alleluia!
Saint Pius V, pray for us…
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First reading
Acts 14:19-28
They gave an account of how God had opened the door of faith to the pagans
Some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium, and turned the people against the apostles. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the town, thinking he was dead. The disciples came crowding round him but, as they did so, he stood up and went back to the town. The next day he and Barnabas went off to Derbe.
Having preached the Good News in that town and made a considerable number of disciples, they went back through Lystra and Iconium to Antioch. They put fresh heart into the disciples, encouraging them to persevere in the faith. ‘We all have to experience many hardships’ they said ‘before we enter the kingdom of God.’ In each of these churches they appointed elders, and with prayer and fasting they commended them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe.
They passed through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. Then after proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia and from there sailed for Antioch, where they had originally been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.
On their arrival they assembled the church and gave an account of all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the pagans. They stayed there with the disciples for some time.
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Gospel
John 14:27-31
A peace the world cannot give is my gift to you
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you,
a peace the world cannot give,
this is my gift to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
You heard me say: I am going away, and shall return.
If you loved me you would have been glad to know that I am going to the Father,
for the Father is greater than I.
I have told you this now before it happens,
so that when it does happen you may believe.
I shall not talk with you any longer,
because the prince of this world is on his way.
He has no power over me,
but the world must be brought to know
that I love the Father
and that I am doing exactly what the Father told me.’
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