Today’s Readings – Tuesday of Week 5 of Easter - First Reading

Commentary on Acts 14:19-28

We come today to the final description of Paul’s and Barnabas’ first missionary journey. In the previous passage, they were in Lystra, and in the embarrassing situation of being taken for gods because of the cure of a paralysed man. But their glory was to be short-lived; their enemies were on their tail.

Those Jews whose hostility they had incurred in the towns of Antioch and Iconium turned up and successfully stirred up the feelings of the people of Lystra against the two Apostles. But it’s important to remember that there were also other Jews in these towns who had become Christian believers.

Reflecting the fickleness of crowds, the people who had just been treating the Apostles as gods now had Paul stoned and left him for dead. It … Continue

Yesterday’s Readings – Monday of Week 5 of Easter - First Reading

Commentary on Acts 14:5-18

Paul and Barnabas continue their first missionary journey of spreading the Gospel. We last saw them in the Galatian town of Iconium. At first, they had great success with their preaching, and we are told (in verses prior to today’s reading) “that … Continue