These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
A Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, an eloquent speaker, arrived in Ephesus. He was an authority on the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the Way of the Lord and, with ardent spirit, spoke and taught accurately about Jesus, although he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the Way of God more accurately. (Acts 18:23-28)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/052023.cfm
Who is this Apollos? Well, Paul mentions him in the First Letter to the Corinthians. Apollos followed Paul in the mission at Corinth. Paul writes, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth” (1 Cor 3:6). Today is my grandmother’s birthday (1906-1987). She was Nanny to everyone!
Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy. When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. (Jn 16:20-23)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/051923.cfm
Some folks think the world is in pretty bad shape . . . and it probably is. We human beings have been making a mess of things for at least the past 10,000 years. I remember my spiritual director in seminary always saying, “What’s coming must really be wonderful, because the labor pains are just terrible!”
Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. Paul began to occupy himself totally with preaching the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. When they opposed him and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” So he left there and went to a house belonging to a man named Titus Justus, a worshiper of God; his house was next to a synagogue. (Acts 18:1-8)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/051823-Weekday.cfm
Paul’s ministry in Corinth will be pivotal to the future of the Apostle to the Gentiles. Paul arranges to stay at the home of Titus Justus, a “worshiper of God” which means he was a Gentile who attended the synagogue. And it just so happened that his house was next door. Which means that Paul was engaged in good old fashioned “sheep stealing.” Today’s photo is of ancient Corinth.
Then Paul stood up at the Areopagus and said: "You Athenians, I see that in every respect you are very religious. For as I walked around looking carefully at your shrines, I even discovered an altar inscribed, 'To an Unknown God.' What therefore you unknowingly worship, I proclaim to you.” (Acts17:15, 22-18:1)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/051723.cfm
It is interesting that Paul doesn’t begin by chastising the Athenians for their multiplicity of Gods and temples, rather Paul praises their religious nature and begins to share with them the Good News. Today’s photo is of the Areopagus in Athens with a view of the temples on the Acropolis.
Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 138)
R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord. Alleluia.
Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
forsake not the work of your hands.
R. Your right hand saves me, O Lord. Alleluia.
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/051623.cfm
As the Psalmist joyfully proclaims that God’s mercy and kindness endure forever. God never abandons or forsakes us. We are the work of God’s hands. As Julian of Norwich (1343-1416) reminded the church 650 years ago: “All shall be well, all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.” As Julian says, “Love holds us fast and will not let us go.”
