Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
“Ya gotta know the territory!” was the musical refrain and solid advice coming from the fast-talking salesman, Prof. Harold Hill, in The Music Man. When St. Paul decided to preach to the philosophers and scholars at Athens, he could well have used that salesman’s advice.
He was confident that his new Athenian audience would be very open to what he had to say because they worshipped the Unknown God. St. Paul’s God created the whole world and called all people to righteousness. The mood of the audience changed, however, when he called them to believe that this Unknown God took on our human nature as a man, died, and then rose from the dead. That “rising from the dead” was a bridge just a bit too far in that territory.
Our readings for today carry the challenging theme of “taking that extra step.” The words of Jesus echoed by St. Paul call us to new bridges of understanding. Jesus promises the power of the Holy Spirit to take us to a greater worldview. Taking that extra step, with the help of the Holy Spirit, the gift of the Resurrection, means that our spiritual life and our human experience are intimately connected. We are called to holiness through the reality of our strengths and weaknesses. “Here I am!” is our most basic and honest response in the Holy Spirit! That is where we start!
Reflection by Fr. Daniel Petsche, OSB
Posted in Article for Easter, Daily Reflections