Stoning of St. Paul the Apostle

The Church of Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas to convert the Gentiles in Cyprus and Southeast Asia Minor. These two heralds could then certainly testify how the Holy Spirit works (many times even extremely) and how he guides them. That their activity and service are necessary both internally and externally ( both evangelistically and pastorally). Thus, both to spread the good news among the Gentiles and in the pastoral and organizational care of already established municipalities ( establishment of elders ).

When they worked in Iconium, in the cities of Lystra and Derbe, they could also see the lively reaction of the Gentiles, and they experienced persecution by the Jews. They stoned Paul and left him lying to die. However, Paul recovered and continued with Barnabas on his next journey.

Paul and Barnabas also make their first personal mission experience, with what they are sent to by both Christ and the church. They could try to reflect on what the mission entails, what people’s reactions are, whether they assumed these reactions, what people believe, how willingly the gospel is accepted or rejected, how to prepare for the next time, and what to improve. This analysis we would like to do today can be good and beneficial, but it is unimportant. Seeing, learning, and strengthening what made both apostles stand out is essential. We see them without a single sign of fear and disgust, because “they were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13,52).

Then, we also hear the apostle Paul’s urgent exhortation to the need for living faith and constant patience in his words: “We are to enter the kingdom of God through many tribulations.” And Paul knew what he was talking about. He had experienced firsthand the enmity and non-acceptance of Christ’s glad tidings of salvation. However, he continues his journey and preaches further. Surely he could testify to the truth of Christ’s statement: “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you too; if they kept my word, they will also keep yours.” (Jn 15,20). All of us who live in a neo-pagan environment (secularized) and move daily in a society without faith in Christ are undoubtedly also affected by these challenges.

So to have the courage of faith and patience as participants in Easter and Pentecost and to prove something to suffer for faith and witness to faith and morals, often to suffer a lot. When the CCC states in Article 2847 that the Holy Spirit leads us to distinguish between the test of the growth of the inner man, to demonstrate certitude in virtue and between temptation, which leads to sin and death, the verse where Paul encourages the disciples “to be steadfast in their faith” states in connection with the test for growth, because we are to enter the kingdom of God through many tribulations”.

And finally, I will quote from the Message of Pope Benedict XVI. for the Lenten period 2013, where the Holy Father points out that evangelization in words and certainly in example( is the fruit of merciful love. That was the case with the apostle Paul; it should also be here. “It is important to remember that the highest work of love is evangelization, i.e., ‘service of the Word”. There is no activity more beneficial to one’s neighbor, that is, more loving, than breaking the bread of God’s word, allowing one’s neighbor to participate in the glad tidings of the gospel and bringing him to a relationship with God. Evangelism represents the highest and most complete exaltation of the human person… Everything starts with Love and goes to Love. We became acquainted with God’s free love through preaching the Gospel. If we accept it with faith, we will come into the first necessary contact with the divine, allowing us to “fall in love with Love” so that we can dwell in this Love, grow in it, and happily announce it to others.