Daily Readings - Wed May 09 2018
Acts
15The men who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.17So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.18A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.19Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?20You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean."21(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)22Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.23For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:|sc TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.24"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.25And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.26From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.27God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.28'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'29"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone--an image made by man's design and skill.30In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.31For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."32When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject."33At that, Paul left the Council.34A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.
1After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
John
12"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.14He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.15All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful moments of divine guidance and truth. In Acts, Paul stands in the heart of Athens, surrounded by idols, and seizes the opportunity to preach about Jesus and the Resurrection. The Athenians, curious yet skeptical, listen as Paul cleverly connects their altar to the unknown god to the Christian message, showcasing his adaptability in spreading the Gospel.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, who will guide the disciples into all truth. The Spirit will take what is Jesus' and declare it to them, emphasizing divine guidance and the revelation of truth. This passage highlights the Spirit’s role in illuminating our path and deepening our understanding of God’s will.
These readings are deeply connected. Paul’s missionary work in Athens is an example of being led by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the truth effectively. The Spirit guided Paul to navigate a foreign culture and present the Gospel in a relatable way. Similarly, in John’s Gospel, the Holy Spirit is our guide, helping us understand and live out the truth of God’s love.
In our daily lives, we are called to be open to the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Just as Paul was led to preach in Athens, we can be guided in our interactions to share our faith and values authentically. This requires trust and openness, allowing the Spirit to lead us in navigating our world, which can sometimes feel as unfamiliar as Athens did to Paul.
The moral lesson here is about trust and openness. By trusting the Holy Spirit and being open to His guidance, we can live out our faith authentically. It’s about adaptability—presenting the Gospel in ways that resonate with others, just as Paul did. Let us embrace the Spirit’s guidance, allowing it to illuminate our path and inspire us to share the truth of God’s love in all we do.