Wednesday of the Seventh Week of Easter
(Acts 20:28-38; John 17:11b-19)
Today’s first reading will attract the interest of biblical
students. In one passage the leaders of
the church of Miletus are called both presbyters (presbyterous) and
bishops (episkopous). Evidently,
these terms were used interchangeably in the early Church. Later they had more definite meanings.
Another notable aspect of the reading is Paul’s concern that
false preachers may steal members of the community. Just as today, upstarts claimed that they had
the true teaching to be followed. Paul
would criticize them for not following the teaching which the apostles handed
down from Jesus.
But most prominent in the reading is the love exhibited among
Paul and his visitors. The way they
cried and hugged one another testifies that the Church is above all a community
of love in truth. If we do not love,
Paul has written to the Corinthians, we are but clanging cymbals.
