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Paul’s Ministry in Corinth and Third Missionary Journey , chapter 18 (Adventures in Acts, session 15) Thursday, January 10, 2008

Let us first resituate where we are in the development of the early Church. Paul gets a separation from Barnabus, “so sharp was their disagreement” (:39). They had been “apostolic Bobsy twins” since Paul’s first visit to , when “Barnabus took charge of him, and brought him to the apostles” (:27) And lo and behold, after years together, they clash over the question of associating others to their ministry. How amazing: from the beginning of the Church there is internal conflict. The Lord, however, makes do! Because He is infinitely generous, He always makes do. Barnabus and Paul continue their ministry separately, and it bears fruit.

Paul reaches the northwest corner of Asia Minor, Troas (in modern day Turkey), with Silvanus (otherwise known as ) and Timothy. There, he meets Luke, probably for the first time. He has a vision from a Macedonian who implores him to come to (just north of ). He quickly journeys into Europe proper for the first time, to (in Macedonia or Bulgaria?). He has ministerial success, although not without hitting a huge bump in the road. “As they were going to the place of prayer, they met a slave girl with an oracular spirit”, a soothsayer upon whom Paul performs an exorcism of sorts. His intervention leads to outrage, and he is beaten with rods, according to Roman custom, and imprisoned (great fun!). He is then miraculously freed, finishing his stay in Philippi with a bang: • the conversion of the guard • the shaking of the magistrates with the realization of their injustice

From Philippi, Paul travels to Thessalonica (in Macedonia). From Thessalonica, Paul travels to Beroea (in Macedonia). At Beroea, they also go to the . The here were more welcoming. But the feisty bunch from Thessalonica catches wind that the Jews in Beroea had become believers, and travel to Beroea to “cause a commotion” (17:13).

Paul thus continues his journey. Notice how ministry is right in the thick of the complexity of human life. Paul arrives in , followed shortly thereafter by Silas and Timothy. Here, he not only engages the Jewish community in the synagogue, but also the Greeks philosophers in the town square. With the latter his discourse is philosophical, that is to say, he does not appeal to revelation.

1 It is very interesting, and very enlightening as regards the status of revelation and faith and as regards the nature of ministry. Revelation, that is to say, divine truth made known, respects human truth. If so, faith respects philosophy, that is to say, • the search for human truth • the acquisition of human wisdom It is interesting to see how the Church, in her prayer, respects this distinction. The first petition for Evening Prayer of the second week in Ordinary Time is: Holy Father, we pray for those who know you only by the light of reason -- may they be enriched by the light of the as well.

The speech at the Areopagus (17:22-31), in this cultural center of antiquity, is brilliant. The New American says, of the Areopagus, that it refers either to • the Hill of Ares west of the Acropolis • the Council of Athens which at one time met on the hill For most of the speech, Paul simply appeals to what we call “natural theology”. Natural theology, as distinguished from Christian theology, treats the question of a Being, a Source, that transcends the human being. Paul speaks of a Supreme Being, the One spoken of by the philosophers, and appealing to their ambient religiosity, articulates a few truths that set the stage for revelation: 1. “God” is source of all that is 2. “God” is spirit 3. “God” is sufficient unto itself 4. “God” is source of life, or aliveness 5. “God” is source of the human race 6. “God” is source of the order of the Cosmos He then levels a final critique at their worship: if we are offspring of God, as they claim, then God cannot be likened unto anything fashioned by humans, which is necessary lower and less. All of this intellectually sets the stage for a reference to the resurrection of the dead, which is a question of revelation. The question of the resurrection of the dead is beyond • the realm of natural inquiry • that part of philosophy we call “natural theology” With these last statements, most of Paul’s listeners “check out”. One notable convert is made, however: Dionysius the Areopagite, later canonized.

Paul appears to have been rather disappointed with Athens: • he does not visit it again • he makes no mention of it in his letters

2 From there, Paul travels 45 miles southwestward to Corinth, then capital of Greece. Corinth is a city of great luxury and artistic culture (consider its lasting architectural influence). On the summit of the hill to the south of the city was the infamous temple of Venus with its thousand “ladies of the night”.

Paul arrives surely worn and weary. He arrives • having been stoned and left for dead in (14:19) • beaten with rods in Philippi (16:22) just to mention a few occurrences…. Paul is very aware of his challenges. In his second letter, for example, to the same Corinthians, he mentions it regularly: II Corinthians 1:8 We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction that came to us in the province of Asia; we were utterly weighed down beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life. II Corinthians 4:8-10 We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. II Corinthians 7:5 When we came into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted in every way--external conflicts, internal fears. II Corinthians 11:21-30 To my shame I say that we were too weak! But what anyone dares to boast of (I am speaking in foolishness) I also dare. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? (I am talking like an insane person.) I am still more, with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, far worse beatings, and numerous brushes with death. Five times at the hands of the Jews I received forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I passed a night and a day on the deep; on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own race, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights, through hunger and thirst, through frequent fastings, through cold and exposure. And apart from these things, there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led to sin, and I am not indignant? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

3 Paul arrives in Corinth in 51 AD. He would later write to the Church in Corinth • a first letter from in 57 AD • a second letter from Macedonia in 58 AD (Today, by the way, there are two in Greece: Corinth and Athens) Paul’s weariness, along with the opposition and revulsion of the Jews, was terribly discouraging, such that God encouragingly speaks to him in a vision (18:9). Paul stays in Corinth for 18 months.

Now, Paul’s difficulties with the Jews does not mean that he dismisses them. The missionary to the Gentiles does not evacuate the Jewish community from his heart. In fact, Sosthenes, the synagogue official who gets beaten in place of Paul, goes on to become an associate, so much so that the first letter sent to the Corinthians (from Ephesus, 57) is introduced as coming from Paul and Sosthenes. In 18:18, Paul stops, on his way home to , for a haircut – an odd detail. A renowned barber? No, a vow Paul had taken, which expresses his commitment to Judaism. The vow was a Nazarite vow. John the Baptist was probably a Nazarite. The Nazarites were a group of “dedicated” Jews, that is to say, Jews dedicated to God. The vow they took to “dedicate themselves to the Lord”, as we read in Numbers 6) was threefold: 1. no wine or string drink or vinegar or an products related to grapes 2. no haircuts 3. no entry into the presence of a corpse At the end of the period of dedication, the hair would be • cut • collected • placed on the fire under the peace offering

From Antioch, Paul embarks on a third missionary journey, which takes him to Ephesus. He travels with the infamous Aquila and Priscilla. He stays for about three years. Aquila and Priscilla will eventually send the eloquent Jewish convert Apollos to Corinth to lead the community there. Ephesus is, of course, the city which eventually became that of the beloved disciple John.

Now, in his letters to the Church in Corinth, Paul very early and quickly makes mention of divisions. He addresses these problems by reiterating that the only • source • reason • foundation of the Church is Christ, crucified and risen. He also proceeds to speak of the mystery of the Church as body. We are de facto one. The gift of sanctifying grace from the Holy Spirit makes us church.

4 Divine love, which flows from grace into our hearts, concretely binds us to one another. The Holy Spirit • watches over the Body of Christ • endows the members of the Body with gifts You are Christ's body, and individually parts of it. Some people God has designated in the church to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds; then, gifts of healing, assistance, administration, and varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts. But I shall show you a still more excellent way. (I Corinthians 12:27-31) What must animate the exercise of the various gifts of the Holy Spirit, so that they • be truly of Christ • truly build the Body of Christ is love.

Saint Therese understood it magnificently. Let us close with an excerpt from her autobiography, “Story of a Soul”:

“Be zealous for the better gifts. And I show unto you a yet more excellent way." The Apostle Paul explains how all perfect gifts are nothing without Love, that Charity is the most excellent way of going surely to God. At last I had found rest.

Meditating on the mystical Body of Holy Church, I could not recognise myself among any of its members as described by St. Paul, or was it not rather that I wished to recognise myself in all? Charity provided me with the key to my vocation. I understood that since the Church is a body composed of different members, the noblest and most important of all the organs would not be wanting. I knew that the Church has a heart, that this heart burns with love, and that it is love alone which gives life to its members. I knew that if this love were extinguished, the Apostles would no longer preach the Gospel, and the Martyrs would refuse to shed their blood. I understood that love embraces all vocations, that it is all things, and that it reaches out through all the ages, and to the uttermost limits of the earth, because it is eternal.

Then, beside myself with joy, I cried out: "O Jesus, my Love, at last I have found my vocation. My vocation is love! Yes, I have found my place in the bosom of the Church, and this place, O my God, Thou hast Thyself given to me: in the heart of the Church, my Mother, I will be LOVE! . . . Thus I shall be all things: thus will my dream be realised. . . ."

5 Why do I say I am beside myself with joy? This does not convey my thought. Rather is it peace which has become my portion--the calm peace of the sailor when he catches sight of the beacon which lights him to port. O luminous Beacon of Love! I know how to come even unto Thee, I have found the means of borrowing Thy Fires.

I am but a weak and helpless child, yet it is my very weakness which makes me dare to offer myself, O Jesus, as victim to Thy Love.

In olden days pure and spotless holocausts alone were acceptable to the Omnipotent God. Nor could His Justice be appeased, save by the most perfect sacrifices. But the law of fear has given place to the law of love, and Love has chosen me, a weak and imperfect creature, as its victim. Is not such a choice worthy of God's Love? Yea, for in order that Love may be fully satisfied, it must stoop even unto nothingness, and must transform that nothingness into fire. O my God, I know it-- "Love is repaid by love alone."[15] Therefore I have sought, I have found, how to ease my heart, by rendering Thee love for love.

"Use the riches that make men unjust, to find you friends who may receive you into everlasting dwellings."[16] This, O Lord, is the advice Thou gavest to Thy disciples after complaining that "the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light."[17]

Child of light, as I am, I understood that my desires to be all things, and to embrace all vocations, were riches that might well make me unjust; so I set to work to use them for the making of friends. Mindful of the prayer of Eliseus when he asked the Prophet Elias for his double spirit, I presented myself before the company of the Angels and Saints and addressed them thus: "I am the least of all creatures. I know my mean estate, but I know that noble and generous hearts love to do good. Therefore, O Blessed Inhabitants of the Celestial City, I entreat you to adopt me as your child. All the glory that you help me to acquire, will be yours; only deign to hear my prayer, and obtain for me a double portion of the love of God."

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