Today, we continue to hear our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, as we hear how the early Church developed and brought the word of God to the different peoples of the ancient world, including the Gentiles who had been excluded from the covenant that God made with the Jewish people. We hear how the early Church did not shy away from the challenges and obstacles that stood in their way. In other words, they did not give up easily, but were instead rather tenacious in trying to bring the Way of Jesus to the Gentiles. We hear today how Judas, who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, were sent to help Barnabas and Paul in their efforts to evangelize the people of Cilicia, Antioch, and Syria.
In our world today, we have seen a lot of countries move away from the Church. I met people on the pilgrimage route in Spain from countries such as Denmark and Sweden, and they told us that so many people in their countries do not go to church at all. It dismayed me that so many of the small towns where we stayed overnight, that there was not a daily mass that I could attend. Pope Benedict has been very adamant in advocating that we need a new evangelization in our world today, especially in Europe and in other places in the world where Christianity once was very strong. How can we help in these efforts, especially in our own backyard?
The two photos below were taken on the pilgrimage trail to Santiago de Compostela just a week ago. The were taken just a minute or two from each other. Life and death are so intrinsically tied to each other, just as the cross and the suffering that Jesus endured is a part of our faith, just as the resurrection is a part of it. Some times our efforts bring us new life and new hope, some times it seems like those efforts are not bearing any fruits at all. The plants that were burned in the fire will bring new life once again. Such is the cycle of life here on earth.
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