Monday 15 May, 2023 | Sixth Week of Easter |Readings: Acts 16:11-15; Psalm 149:1-6,9; John 15:26-16:4 (You can find these in full on the Universalis website – Click here)
“I see that it is by no means useless to travel, if a man wants to see something new,’ said Phileas Fogg in Around the World in Eight Days. Written by Jules Vernes the novel tells the story of Phileas Fogg of London and his newly employed French valet Passepartout who attempt to attempt to circumnavigate the world in 80 days on a wager of £20,000 (an amount equivalent to about £2m today). Today, we are used to so many examples of travel writing and TV documentaries from the likes of Michael Palin and Simon Reeve, or the American writer Bill Bryson, as we follow their adventures and see the world through their eyes.
In the Acts of the Apostles, we see how the Christian Faith moves out from Jerusalem to so many other countries and cultures, and St Paul’s missionary journeys are set out in adventurous style, as we follow his success in spreading the gospel and meets so many challenges along the way. We are also introduced to many colourful characters, one such being Lydia who appears in the reading today. Acts sets out three missionary journeys that took Paul through Greece, Turkey, Syria and numerous regions we don’t find on present day maps. The reading today features some details from Paul’s second missionary journey.
In the gospel reading, Jesus said, ‘When the Advocate comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who issues from the Father, he will be my witness. And you too will be witnesses, because you have been with me from the outset.” Each of us is called to witness to Jesus in our own lives, whether near or far. St Paul felt that his calling was to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, and this vocation took him many miles and many years. But we don’t have to travel far or at all to witness to our life in Christ. We can do this in so many different ways. How can we witness to Christ today? How can we make him known?
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MINISTRY AREA MASS
Mass today (Monday 15 May, 2023) is celebrated at St Mary’s Church, Butetown at 6pm, and Ss Dyfrig and Samson, Grangetown at 7pm | If you would like to send a prayer request then click on the ‘REQUEST PRAYER’ Button. You can discover more about Worship across the Ministry Area on our Worship page
South Cardiff Ministry Area 