Monday of the Sixth
Week of Easter
(Acts 16:11-15; John 15:26a-16:4)
In today’s reading from Acts, Paul, evidently accompanied by
the author of Acts whom we know as St. Luke, crosses the Hellespont into
Europe. It is the beginning of a new
frontier. The gospel evidently arrived
in Rome through others apostles. But
Paul, like Christopher Columbus landing in America, is the one credited for
taking the gospel to Europe.
Paul does not begin preaching in the marketplace before
non-believers, but goes on the Sabbath to a river where Jews habitually
pray. He obviously figures that they
would most likely give him a hearing.
His hunch bears out. We should not
be surprised that a woman is the first one of his converts. Lydia is a Greek proselyte of
Judaism. We may speculate regarding what
about Jesus attracts her to him. Perhaps
it was his message of love for neighbor who included even one’s enemies. Maybe it was his courage to face opposition even
to the point of death. Or it might have
been the promise of resurrection to those who believe in him. We will never know.
But we can examine our own motives for belief. It would be disappointing to hear that we
espouse Christianity only because our families do or because it connects us to
important people or even because it gives meaning to our lives. Hopefully we can say that Christ’s teaching
draws us, his story fills us with expectation of eternal life, and his Holy
Spirit has compelled our assent.
