Today at mass the first reading was from Acts. Just thought I would share it with whoever reads this.
In those days, some Jews from Antioch and Iconium
arrived and won over the crowds.
They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city,
supposing that he was dead.
But when the disciples gathered around him,
he got up and entered the city.
On the following day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
After they had proclaimed the good news to that city
and made a considerable number of disciples,
they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch.
They strengthened the spirits of the disciples
and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying,
“It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships
to enter the Kingdom of God.”
They appointed presbyters for them in each Church and,
with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord
in whom they had put their faith.
Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia.
After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia.
From there they sailed to Antioch,
where they had been commended to the grace of God
for the work they had now accomplished.
And when they arrived, they called the Church together
and reported what God had done with them
and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
Then they spent no little time with the disciples.I think it is amazing that Paul was stoned to the point that those who stoned him just thought he was dead, but he just got up and went right back to evangelizing people. It is such an encouragement to see this courage and perseverance in the face of adversity and persecution. We all may face times in our lives when we are "stoned" or just discouraged in life. This reading has provided for me and I hope for others encouragement to keep fighting the good fight even when things seem to not be going well. Paul knew what he had to do and what God had called him to and he wasn't going to let anyone or anything get in his way of speaking the truth. I love readings Acts of the Apostles, because I always find such encouragement from how these early christians lived their lives.
To any one who is reading this, God Bless you and may his grace and peace be with you!
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