Breaking the Word

7^th week in Easter Time, Saturday – 18^th May 2024 — Acts 28,16-20.30-31; Jn 21,20-25

Gospel Becoming Heart at the World Centre

The first reading presents the last part of Paul’s ministry, the last two years of his life, under house arrest in Rome. After hard struggle, i.e., storm, shipwreck and eventful long sea journey, Paul and other prisoners reached Rome through Appian way. In Rome, Paul addressed the Jewish community about his being more faithful to the God of Jews than earlier in his life as persecutor. He asked his listeners to see Jesus as the hope of Israel. Until now, the book of the Acts of the Apostles presented to us the general picture of the extraordinary developments of the Church from a small group of uneducated fishermen to a chain of communities formed and built up systematically by zealous preachers. From being a tiny movement in Jerusalem the Church spread progressively to the surrounding territories and then on to Macedonia and Greece and ultimately to the heart of the empire and the centre of the world – Rome. Thus, the Gospel was being preached freely in the very heart of the Roman Empire. This would be the new centre from where the building up of God’s kingdom would become a reality over the centuries and expand to every corner of the world. There are many more triumphs and tragedies for the fledgling church. But to have reached Rome in a such short time was little short of miraculous.

7^th week in Easter Time, Thursday – 16^th May 2024 – Acts 22,30; 23,6-11; Jn 17,20-26

Fulfilling the Promises  

In the first reading, Paul, after his conversion, testified always for Jesus in Jerusalem. He began preaching in the Jewish synagogue whenever he entered a new city. Often some Jews and several Gentiles would believe in his preaching. Many times, he was misunderstood and attacked for bringing more Gentiles to conversion. When Paul’s life was in danger in Jerusalem, Jesus appeared to him in the temple and told him what to do (Acts 22,17-21). When Paul was discouraged in Corinth and contemplated going elsewhere, Jesus appeared to him and encouraged him to stay (Acts 18,9-10). Now, when he was certainly very much down in his ministry, Jesus appeared once again to encourage and instruct him. Indeed, this was a great assurance of Jesus’ everlasting presence, “I am with you always” and a sign of protection. Since it was not only the Lord’s wish, but Paul’s desire for months (Acts 19,21; Rom 15,22-29) that Paul needed to witness to the Gospel in Rome, he was protected until then. He was saved many times from the dangerous sea voyage that included a fierce storm (Acts 27,13-18), a shipwreck (Acts 27,39-44) and a viper (Acts 28,3-6). He found encouragement in this promise, when he had difficult times with the leaders, the fanatics who tried to kill him and the government officials who ignored him. In all of this, the Lord was with him and fulfilling His perfect plan to get His Faithful servant to Rome.