On Shaking the Dust Off

The Gentiles were delighted when they heard this
and glorified the word of the Lord.
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.
                                                   The Acts of the Apostles, 13:48-52

Happy Fourth Sunday of Easter!

The Sunday readings seem to be moving through the Acts of the Apostles at a break-neck speed! We’re already in Acts 13! Where’s the martyrdom of Stephen? The conversion of Cornelius? Philip’s trip into Ethiopia and Peter and John’s jailbreak?

We have to get the daily readings for this, availabl at https://bible.usccb.org/; the bishops will gladly send them to our email boxes. We might subscribe to Give Us This Day or Magnificat which have the daily reading, prayer and contemplation. Of course, we could also just read Acts.

Paul and Barnabas have set out on Paul’s first missionary journey. They have already been to Cyprus and are now back on the mainland in Antioch. Antioch was an important city of the Middle East at the time; it was on major trade routes and was a political capital. It was located in what now might be called the panhandle of Turkey, bordered by the Mediterranean on the west and Syria on the east and south.

Paul, the former rabbi, is preaching freedom from the Jewish law and that the future of salvation history lies with conversion of the Gentiles to the Gospel. This isn’t going over well with Jewish leaders, who lead a popular uprising to expel Paul and Barnabas from the city. Paul and Barnabas follow Jesus’ instructions to shake the dust from their feet and go on to the next town, “filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.”

We at St. Therese are trying to proselytize in one of the most secular towns in the most secular region of an increasingly secular country. Let us do so in peace and with a thick skin.

Ministry Opportunities

Wonder why there was no livestream of Mass the Sunday after Easter? Our ministers needed a week off, so there was no one to tend to the equipment! We need some tech support from the faithful. If you can work a computer you can manage the live stream. Email Nicole at nicoles@st-therese.cc.

The parish garden is springing up and needs your help! If you like to get your hands into the Earth but don’t have a garden, this is the ministry for you! All produce goes to kitchens for the homeless. Contact Victoria Ries at victoria.ries@comcast.net to get down and dirty.