Wednesday Reflection: April 30, 2008

Sorry for the delay.

The first reading today is a rather unusual presentation in the New Testament. St. Luke points out the FAILURE of St. Paul to have a preaching and coversion impact upon the Athenians. I believe this is one of the few times when such a situation is presneted in NT writings.

What is its importance for you and me, for any reader? Perhaps it might pass over us if someone does not bring it to our attention ... as it was for me.

Paul failed in Athens. However, he did not stop his mission. He did not quit. St. Luke has a very short sentence: He left Athens and went to Corinth!

We know what happened after Athens. Paul became a great preacher, bringing even more converts to the early Church. He allowed God to continue showering his graces in his heart and life. He did not pity himself or turn to some other kind of work.

What it says to us is obvious: all of us at one time or another and in one way or another encounter failure or disappointment in a project or mission ... even how we live our lives. Like Paul, we have to pick ourselves us and move on to our own Corinths!