ACTS 14: 5-18

Today's reading from Acts finds St. Paul and St. Barnabas proclaiming the good news in the city of Lystra. Paul cures a man who has been crippled since birth. When the crowds witness this healing, they cry out, "The gods have come down to us in human form." The priests and citizens of Lystra prepare to offer sacrifice to these two disciples.

Paul and Barnabas tear their garments and shout out to the crowds, "Men, why are you doing this? We are of the same nature as you, human beings. We proclaim to you good news that you should turn from these idols to the living God..."

Paul and Barnabas rejected being named as gods. By doing so, they would have become part of the false idols they were asking the crowds to turn from. Instead they direct the people to the living God. The God of love and forgiveness; the God of compassion and mercy; the God of faithfulness and humility. This is the living God among us.

Today, as I read this passage, the entire world is barely able to leave home. We work at home, we play at home, we eat at home, we worship at home, we study at home, and we spend the day with the people most close to us, or some spend their days at home alone. We are in the better-at-home stage of inching our way back to normalcy, to being able to gather once again.

Like Paul and Barnabas, I would also like to direct all of you to the living God.

During this time;

We welcome your voices in answering these questions, or others you may have, by writing a few sentences or a paragraph with your feelings and sentiments. These will be used to compose our current story, the story of God's people, in a time of uncertainty. Our regional newsletter, The Journey Shared, will be filled with pieces of these stories from members of all our regional churches. Please send your piece to marymagdalafc@gmail.com by May 19, 2020. We would love to hear from you!