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Acts: 11: 19-26
Those who had been scattered by the persecution
that arose because of Stephen
went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch,
preaching the word to no one but Jews.
There were some Cypriots and Cyrenians among them, however,
who came to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks as well,
proclaiming the Lord Jesus.
The hand of the Lord was with them
and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.
The news about them reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem,
and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch.
When he arrived and saw the grace of God,
he rejoiced and encouraged them all
to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart,
for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.
And a large number of people was added to the Lord.
Then he went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch.
For a whole year they met with the Church
and taught a large number of people,
and it was in Antioch that the disciples
were first called Christians.
The Word of the Lord.
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Our first reading describes one of the most important events in human history. But without a careful ear, we’d miss it.
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“Some of them came to Antioch and spoke to the Greeks and told them the good news of the Lord Jesus.”
This is the moment when the Gospel is first shared with the Gentiles.
Until now, all Christians were converts from Judaism. They either encountered the Risen Lord himself or came to understand Jesus as the fulfillment of the Jewish scriptures through the teaching of the Apostles.
But, all of a sudden, Christians start evangelizing pagans – people who have never heard of the God of Israel before. This giant leap of faith demands courage and creativity as they have to think of ways to lead non-believers to God.
The momentum builds, and by the end of the first century, the Gospel reaches the far ends of the earth.
These early Christians started a movement that changed the world…and we don’t even know their names.
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Perhaps there’s a point in that for us today.
We can be eager to seek the spotlight; to take credit for all of the good things we do.
But the first Christians remind us that it doesn’t matter “who” does “what,” so long as the work gets done…and God gets the glory.
What might that mean for me today?
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Image credits: (1) pursueGOD.org (2) Catholic Exchange (3) Wisdom Hunters