May 7: Thursday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Posted by Campus Ministry on Thursday, May 7, 2020 at 6:00 AM PDT
I don’t know if you have ever volunteered to be reader at church, maybe filling in at the last minute, and you confronted a reading like today’s from the Acts of the Apostles. All those difficult names! The stories of the apostles, with all the details, have the potential to help us put ourselves in their shoes. Imagine them traveling the roads through villages, getting in and out of boats, sharing meals with strangers. This past, with all its fascinating details, is part of our faith story.
When the apostles preach to the communities they encounter, they also put themselves into the shoes of the past. They recount the history of a people waiting, hoping, preparing for salvation, for the Messiah. They remind their listeners that from Moses to John the Baptist, God was working through real people to reveal how much God loved and cared for all them. They encouraged these newly formed communities to not just focus on the recent events of the Risen Christ. They wanted to make sure that everyone was taking the long view.
What is the long view that you need to have in your life? What is your own history of conversion? There is never just one story of conversion. Who were your prophets? Who reminded you that you are part of the bigger picture and the long view? I encourage you to ask God for the help you need to draw the lens back on your faith history, and God will help you look into the future.
Tammy Liddell, Director of Campus Ministry