Monday, May 21, 2007

What did Paul do today?

I don't have any kids named Paul, nor a husband named Paul or even any friends named Paul, now that I think about it. The Paul I'm referring to is this guy. This Paul died nearly two thousand years ago, minus sixty years, so why am I asking what he did today?

I started reading the daily mass readings. The first daily reading has been from the Acts of the Apostles. Acts is the first book of the New Testament following the Four Gospels. Basically it recounts how the early church was established.

Paul is struck from a donkey and is blinded; Peter, the first Pope and to whom Jesus entrusted the leadership of his church, stands up to speak to all the Apostles and presbyters gathered together. Once he makes a decision, everyone is silent on the matter and rejoices Peter's decision. Paul is stoned and left for dead. Paul debates the ways of the Lord with the Greeks, the Jews, and a man named Apollos. Paul is imprisoned for his teaching when an earthquake shakes down the walls of the prison and the jailer is converted....I'm getting it all out of order and there's more but it's a thrilling tale told in short paragraphs.

It's like watching Must See Tv--I only read a paragraph or two and I'm left dying to know what happens next. Reading the mass readings is easier for me than watching tv these days because I can find a few quiet moments somewhere in my day to do the reading, but I never have an opportunity to sit down and watch a television program. I never get to watch tv regularly as the girls need to be settled for bed when anything interesting comes on anyway. Yet here is a fascinating, thrilling adventure story. The brief paragraphs are short enough to really focus on and have enough going on in them that I am occcupied thinking about it for the rest of the day, much like a good television episode. Acts of the Apostles rivals Heros!

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