And Went On

And Went On

Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter

The Jews, however, incited the women of prominence who were worshipers and the leading men of the city, stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their territory. So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.  Acts 13:50-52

Jesus said to his disciples: "If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him." Philip said to Jesus, "Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” John 14:7-9

Piety

Study

The week of the Good Shepherd ends with a frustrated shepherd.  He has repeatedly told his closest disciples teaching after teaching about what will happen.  However, yesterday it was Thomas questioning what would become evident after the Resurrection.  Today, the puzzled questioner is Philip. 

For all the bewilderment of the disciples, we do see the continuity of the scriptures played out from the Hebrew Bible and Isaiah, to the Gospels, to the Acts of the Apostles. 

Isaiah laid the groundwork for today's proclamation. It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.  Isaiah 49:6

Thus, when faced with the frustration in preaching to a reluctant Israel, the next step in being a light for all nations is to bring the “Way” to others like the Greeks and the Gentiles.

Not only did Isaiah foretell the destiny to preach to all nations, but Jesus also directly instructed the disciples that when the message falls on deaf ears and is rejected, that they should press onward (“Ultreya?”) and find new people to evangelize. Thus, the words originally passed down to us from Luke (“And as for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet* in testimony against them.” Luke 9:5), also are echoed in today’s first reading (So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. Acts 13:51). 

Iconium is distinctly a place not populated by a strictly Jewish population.    The name Iconium belonged to a city in central Anatolia (modern Turkey), in the Roman province of Lycaonia and situated on the road from Ephesus to Tarsus.  Today this city is known as Konieh or Konya.

When Paul and Barnabas went to Iconium, they not only preached the “Way” to Jews in the temple, but they also proclaimed the same message to Greeks and other Gentiles who were willing to listen and believe.  After initial success, the people in Iconium drove out Paul and Barnabas.  They shook the dust from their feet once again and went onward to Lystra and Derbe in their quest to be a light for all nations. 

Action

Some years ago, I had the privilege to meet one of the Cursillo leaders of the US movement: Cef Aguillon, the English language coordinator for the USA.  He spoke a phrase that still resonates with me today when I consider action.  We were discussing how many Cursillo weekends we should have in Arlington Diocese and where we were recruiting people in Pre-Cursillo.  Many times, we spoke of other members of the Knights of Columbus, other people already involved in different parish activities, and more.  He told us: “You have to fish outside the bowl.”

Recruiting people who already are busy in ministry is not necessarily going to bring more people into the Church.  As my sponsor Esther Silva reminded me, we are not trying to grow more Cursillistas, we are trying to grow more Christians.

Cef and Esther remind me of what Isaiah, Luke, and Acts are imploring us today. If our efforts are not bearing fruit, then we have to move on to another place where we might have more success.

How is your action in continuity with centuries of sacred scripture and traditions?  To what ends will you go to fulfill your Easter mission with the persistence of Paul and Barnabas?