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Acts: 20:30, 23:6-11
Wishing to determine the truth
about why Paul was being accused by the Jews,
the commander freed him
and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to convene.
Then he brought Paul down and made him stand before them.
Paul was aware that some were Sadducees and some Pharisees,
so he called out before the Sanhedrin,
“My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees;
I am on trial for hope in the resurrection of the dead.”
When he said this,
a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees,
and the group became divided.
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection
or angels or spirits,
while the Pharisees acknowledge all three.
A great uproar occurred,
and some scribes belonging to the Pharisee party
stood up and sharply argued,
“We find nothing wrong with this man.
Suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”
The dispute was so serious that the commander,
afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them,
ordered his troops to go down and rescue Paul from their midst
and take him into the compound.
The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage.
For just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem,
so you must also bear witness in Rome.”
The Word of the Lord.
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Saint Paul is in trouble… again… because of his preaching.
In nearly all, if not all, of his sermons we can find at least one of the following themes: Jesus Christ is the Son of God; he died for our sins; he was raised from the dead in accordance with the scriptures; and we are saved – not by following the Law – but by grace.
It’s this final point that gets Paul into trouble in our first reading.
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He’s been preaching inside the Temple in Jerusalem, angering mobs of Jews who believe he’s trying to nullify their religion. But Paul insists that his message does not invalidate, but rather fulfills the Law and the prophets.
In their rage, the mobs shout, wave their garments, and throw dust in the air, calling for his execution. While standing trial, realizing his death is almost certain, Paul makes one claim in self-defense:
I am a Roman citizen.
It was considered reprehensible – if not punishable by law – to strike a Roman citizen. Paul knew this was his way out.
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What’s key here is not the fact that Paul saves his life; it’s why he saves it.
He’s not afraid of death. He risks his life each day of his ministry and willingly accepts his death in Rome. But Paul refuses to die until the appointed time; the Lord had revealed to him in prayer there was more work to be done.
Secondly, Paul teaches us that – while he is not afraid of martyrdom – he is also not afraid to live. There is an undeniable dignity to each human life and to every second we walk this earth.
But the time we are given is not meant for worldly glory or self-satisfaction; rather, it’s meant to be used to spread the kingdom of God.
As Paul later writes, “I long to depart this life and be with Christ, for that is far better. Yet that I remain in the flesh is more necessary for your benefit.”
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Like Paul, may we not only value the time we are given, but also use it well – for the glory of God.
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Image credits: (1) John Paul II Catholic Church (2) National Catholic Register (3) LinkedIn