May 9 - 6th Week of Easter - Wednesday

+ The readings today are poignant, piercing and passionate, and if they do not strike you that way, then perhaps an adjustment needs to be made on your part, before the sands of time run out!

The first reading is actually astounding, with Paul’s discourse before the Council of the Areopagus – and it is the direct action and intervention into the ministry of St. Paul, for as we know, St. Paul was no public speaker – which was his main qualification for his job: Jesus chose him so his message could not be counterfeit, a puffed up proclamation which exalted himself, so that “o what a good speaker he is” would be a common result: no! for Paul’s delivering of the message of God always was under the direct influence and action of the Holy Spirit.

And so what an historic message the Spirit delivered this day to the intelligentsia of Athens. In summary:

I notice you have an altar to “An Unknown God” – among the stone and marble representations of your own gods. What I am telling you is that you already know deep down that the one God that I proclaim to you is in fact that unknown God. You are already. And what a God he is, far superior in every respect from your earthbound deities.

This God is the God of Creation, he is the one who gives life and breath to everyone. And he is Father Protector, Nurturer and yes, Lover of the entire human race and family that he crafted to be his own. And he has decreed how long each nation should flourish and what the boundaries of their territories should be. And he did this so that they may seek him and succeed in finding him: because he is our Father, and we are all his children – all of us. And one day he will judge the world as to what degree the wise and the learned, and the simple and the childlike knew him to be the God, Unknown, bust Desired – and who BELIEVED all the Self-Revelation that he made on their behalf, especially the ENFLESHMENT of HIS OWN SPEECH, HIS OWN WORD, HIS OWN SON!

He who believe in Jesus, and lives as he not only taught, but modeled, including suffering and death, would share in his resurrection to a newness of human life.

These are the very truths that Jesus tells his disciples that they forthcoming Spirit would teach them – and would lead in continual penetration and unfolding on the one truth – that GOD IS LOVE, and WHEN WE ABIDE IN LOVE WE ABIDE IN GOD – and WE ARE INVITED TO DO SO FOR ETERNITY! – What is God’s will be God’s – in his Heart – forever; and what is not won’t! The time for choosing is now! Are we God’s or are we his enemy’s?

For heaven’s sake choose life, choose love, choose GOD!

Amen.