Agrippa – The Noontimes

Acts 26:1-23: Agrippa Hears Paul

Fifth Sunday of Easter, May 19, 2019

Nikolai_Bodarevsky_001[1] — *Nikolai Bodarevsky: Paul’s Trial before King Agrippa*

One of the things we notice about Paul is that he is so intelligent he customizes his words for his particular audience. We see him in Greek cities where there are few Jews but where the people are open to new thoughts and new ideas. He appeals to their affinity to mythology by relating to their willingness to have a shrine to an unknown God. He tells these people that there is such a god, and his name is Jesus. He captures many in his apostolic net. When he travels to towns populated by people accustomed to reading scripture (towns more heavily populated with Jews) he bases his oratory on Hebrew Scripture. Both Paul and the Holy Spirit work mightily to bring all into the church, into Christ’s mystical body.

Last year when we read about the reaction to Paul’s speech we reflected and concluded the following: Having people believe that we are crazy is often the cost of discipleship.

We read his words today and see that he has given them a layman’s version of the Creed, this is what Paul believes, it is what we believe. And like Paul, when we speak truth and light to power, corruption and darkness . . . we can rest in the understanding that people will think we are crazy!

There are so many places in our lives when this happens. My parents would always say that you know you are doing God’s work when the establishment gets a bit uncomfortable . . . when the status quo resists change . . . not just any change . . . change that comes from the Spirit. They would emphasis, as we hear so many times in scripture, if God speaks to you . . . and you do not speak, you do not move, you will have to answer for your omission of action and voice.

This labeling of disciples as crazy numbers us among the brokenhearted, so let us pray the morning intercessions from MAGNIFICAT.

You sent your Son to bring glad tidings to the lowly: may the lowly in our midst read the Gospel in your peoples’ acts of love.

Make your Church a living sign of your love.

You sent your Son to heal the brokenhearted: may the brokenhearted of our world find relief in your peoples’ compassion.

Make your Church a living sign of your love.

You sent your Son to proclaim liberty to captives: may those imprisoned in addiction, loneliness, and despair find hope in your peoples’ active concern.

Make your Church a living sign of your love.

We are Church. We are Jesus’ Mystical Body. We are adopted sisters and brothers of the Christ. We are disciples. Let us read the words which Paul spoke to power. Let us take them in. Let us be The Word that moves into the world. Let us remember and hold close . . . the knowledge that we are the brokenhearted, but we are not alone. Amen.

A re-post from May 4, 2012.

Tomorrow we will see how Paul gives a succinct accounting of his work as a disciple to Agrippa.

For more on Paul’s speech before Agrippa including a video clip, click on the image above or go to: http://tyotb.blogspot.com/2012/03/pauls-trial-before-king-agrippa-acts-26.html

Written on March 11, 2008 and posted today as a Favorite.

Cameron, Peter John. “Prayer for the Morning.” MAGNIFICAT. 3.11 (2008). Print.

The Noontimes

Tag: Agrippa

Acts 26:1-23: Agrippa Hears Paul

Tag: Agrippa

Acts 26:1-23: Agrippa Hears Paul

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