May 12: The Lord Stood Near Paul

Pieter Coecke van Aelst: Arresting Paul in the Temple in Jerusalem Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, 1535-40

Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter

Reading I: Acts 22:30; 23:6-11

That night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Keep up your courage! For just as you have testified for me in Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also in Rome (NRSV, Acts 23:11).”

Father, as the Word stood near Paul (actually nearer to him than he was to himself), so the Word is at every moment and in every place close to every human being, summoning us all to be faithful to the truth, spoken to us all once and for all and in every moment, faithful not only in our growing understanding of that truth and but also in the commitment to live it out in action.

Father, may we be ever responsive to the knowledge and courage given to us all in every situation.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.