Apprenticed in community and aware

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary invite contemplation of the work of the Spirit in community that draws us to the Life of Jesus in relationship with the Trinity.

The Acts of the Apostles tells of the development of Apollos as a preacher of the Good News.

* [18:24, 25] Apollos appears as a preacher who knows the teaching of Jesus in the context of John’s baptism of repentance. Aquila and Priscilla instruct him more fully. He is referred to in 1 Cor 1:12; 3:5–6, 22.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus underlines the intimacy of being in relationship with the Father, through Jesus gift of the Spirit to His disciples.

* [16:25] See note on Jn 10:6. Here, possibly a reference to Jn 15:1–16 or Jn 16:21.

In our spiritual development, John Shea, S.J. suggests that we all get it wrong sometimes.

When authority rests on a weak foundation, then it easily topples. Authority grounded in our own ego and power does not last long when we make mistakes. But our authority to spread the Good News, like Apollos’ authority, comes from God. In the Gospel, Jesus prays to the Father and tells us that whatever we ask in God’s name will be given to us. But the disciples do not pray in their own names, with their own power. They are praying with the power of Jesus, in his relationship to the Father. So long as we remain in Jesus and his words remain in us, then our prayers will conform with God’s will and commandments. Our authority to teach and preach is grounded in God, through Christ.

The Global Christian Centre reflects on Acts 18:24-28 and offers that the major point of the story about Apollos is that God will use our background, skill, eloquence, and even fervency in spirit (or Spirit). However, we must keep on learning the truths of the Gospel.

As evangelists, we must have knowledge and understanding of the gospel. Apollos knew much, was fervent in Spirit, and preached powerfully, but to some degree his knowledge was limited. That deficiency was corrected, and Apollos became an even more outstanding minister of the Gospel in the early church. Today, we would speak about "continuing education" or "continuing learning." This must be a vital part of what we do.

Don Schwager uses quotes from Paul’s Letter to the Romans to explain our connection to the Spirit.

The Lord Jesus unites us with the Father through the love and power of the Holy SpiritPaul the Apostle states that "All who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God" (Romans 8:14). Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, Jesus makes it possible for his disciples to have a new relationship as sons and daughters of God the Father (Romans 8:14-17). No one would have dared to call God his or her Father before this! Because of what Jesus has done for us in offering his life for our redemption we now can boldly and confidently pray to God as our Father in heaven. The presence and action of the Holy Spirit within us is living proof of this new relationship with the Father. Paul the Apostles says that "when we cry, ‘Abba! Father!' it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God" (Romans 8:15-16).

The Word Among Us meditation reminds us that to speak in a person’s name was to speak in his or her place, as an ambassador would speak for the president. It was as if that person were right there with you, lending his authority to your words. So when Jesus invites us to pray in his own name, he is giving us a high privilege indeed!

This is the kind of relationship Jesus wants you to have with him. He wants you to come to know him deeply and intimately. He wants to teach you to love the things he loves, to see the world through his eyes of mercy, and to treat each other with the same tenderness he treats you.

Friar Jude Winkler explains the additional aspects of Christian Baptism, that Apollo was initially lacking, over the baptism of repentance offered by John the Baptist. When Jesus speaks about asking in the name of the Father, He is inviting us into a relationship wherein we relate to God as addressing our every need. Friar Jude notes the conclusion of Martin Luther that Apollos is a likely candidate for authorship of the Letter to the Hebrews.

For these reasons, Apollos of Alexandria has been a leading contender for the authorship of Hebrews at least as far back as the great Protestant Reformer, Martin Luther, but he has not been the only contender.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, cites Henri Nouwen in teaching that God’s basic method of communicating God’s self is not the “saved” individual, the rightly informed believer, or even a person with a career in ministry, but the journey and bonding process that God initiates in community.

Henri Nouwen describes the essence of community from a spiritual perspective. He says, “the basis of the Christian community is not the family or social or economic equality, or shared oppression or complaint, or mutual attraction . . . but the divine call.” [2] This is an important aspect of community that is overlooked. According to Nouwen, the Christian community is a waiting community. But it is also a group of people who pray the reality of their sense of belonging into being.

Our apprenticeship as disciples of Jesus is lifelong and time in the Spirit makes us more aware of the depth of Love to which we are invited.

References


(n.d.). Acts, chapter 18 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved May 12, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/acts/18:23

(n.d.). John, chapter 16 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved May 12, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/john/16:23

(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved May 12, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 12, 2018, from http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/

(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved May 12, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/

(2017, April 17). Who Wrote the Book of Hebrews? - Zondervan Academic. Retrieved May 12, 2018, from https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/who-wrote-the-book-of-hebrews/

(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archive - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved May 12, 2018, from https://cac.org/richard-rohr/daily-meditations/daily-meditations-archive/