Thursday of the
Sixth Week of Easter
(Acts 18:1-8; John 16:16-20)
Willie and Linda Sosa preach on behalf of Jesus in West
Texas. They have never studied theology
formally, but they read the Scriptures constantly and, just as important, pray
continually. Willie is the more
expressive of the two, but Linda’s firm faith is palpable and reassuring. They make a principle of not asking for money
but gladly accept donations that somehow manage to meet their physical
needs. They resemble Aquila and
Priscilla introduced in today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
The couple comes to Corinth from Rome where they were
expelled by Claudius. Although Acts
implies that they are Jews, more than likely they are Christian Jews. For this reason they welcome Paul into their
home. Eventually they will return to
Rome and receive the greeting from Paul when he writes the Christian community
there. “Greet Prisca and Aquila,” Paul
writes, “my fellow workers in Christ Jesus , who risked their necks for my life
, to whom not only I but also all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks…”
Christian couples can give powerful witness to
Christ. The Letter to the Ephesians
testifies that their love for each other testifies to Christ’s love for the
Church. Working side-by-side, they
exemplify that Christianity is not about power over others but the power of the
Holy Spirit bestowing equal dignity and genuine love to those willing to accept
it.
