In not of the world

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today present an opportunity to reflect on how Christians live in the world. Friar Jude Winkler expands upon the narrative from the Evangelist Luke in the Acts of the Apostles about the travels of Paul and the conditions which may have caused him to circumcise Timothy and hear the Holy Spirit call him to preach in Macedonia. This crossing to Europe by Paul is told in a magnificent manner in the Father Robert Barron series “Catholicism”. Tom Purcell at Creighton University uses the experience of travel to help us relate to the role of being in bit not of the world. Jesus, through the Holy Spirit orients and re-orients our direction so that even though we, who Friar Jude recalls are not greater than our Master, will be rejected we will understand that our affiliation with Jesus brings Life which moves us through faith to act in countercultural ways to see Christ in all people and attempt to treat them accordingly.