Word to the Wise
Monday, April 16, 2007 - Monday in the Second Week of Easter
[Acts 4:23-31 and John 3:1-8]As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
During the Easter season, the Church often presents passages from the Acts of the Apostles as the first scripture of the day. There could be any number of reasons for this. The sheer enthusiasm of the early preaching efforts has the ability to inspire. The constant progress of the word of God, despite great obstacles both from Jews and from non-Jewish adversaries, is also highlighted, and is probably the principal reason the book was written. Much of the book is like a collection of sermons and anecdotes with some travelogue included. The constant role of the Holy Spirit in inspiring the preachers is important. The ideal Christian community is described in chapters 2 and 4. St. Paul's journeys are a major part. The book begins in Jerusalem and ends in Rome, the center of the known civilized world at the time. The early days of any important movement are times of excitement and idealism. Those who participate in the initial efforts tend to remember them with great affection even if the experience was dangerous and difficult. We Catholics in the USA, especially in the last 100 years have little experience of any governmental or official prejudice against our faith. There is still prejudice on other levels, especially in the media. To be excited about our faith and to want to get the word out as we might hear in the Acts of the Apostles is not a common experience. Since there are about 60 million Catholics in the USA , we may not feel it is our personal responsibility or that there is any urgency. Recapturing the excitement and challenge of ACTS could have a great impact if we could be open to it. It requires a fresh look and a renewal of faith. How about it? AMEN
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