22Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, “Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are
in every way. 23For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found
among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown,
this I proclaim to you.
Paul then delivered a strong witness to the saving grace of God in Jesus Christ to the people of the Areopogus, the business council of Athens. Though a few heard and believed, most could not get past their Hellenist belief that the body is just excess baggage, a drag on the spirit which yearns to be set free from it. The idea of resurrection - of the body! - was too much to swallow.
The key point is that Paul looked for 'where the people were' and met them there. Just as God comes to us where we are in Jesus Christ. And that is where we are called to begin our witness. AND the good news for us is that we don't all have to gio out into streets like Paul. St. Francis of Assisi said so eloquently:
"Preach the gospel always; and when necessary, use words."
+ could you sit and simply breathe with a Native American as a way of praying with him/her?
+ could you welcome without judgment someone seeking God's love who looked or acted in a way
foreign or even distasteful to you?
+ who do you know who might benefit from receiving God's love and grace enacted through you?
how ready are you to offer it to strangers you will never see again or know whether you had any
impact on them or not?
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| My 'Visible and In visible' Class at Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM displaying our 'prayer totems' |
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| Prayer Flags made by the class and left outside the Agape Worship Center as a gift. |
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