St. Paul's trial before the Sanhedrin was not going well. The high priest had already "ordered his attendants to strike Paul on the mouth" (Acts 23:2). Paul's audience was obviously not receptive. Then Paul had a great idea on how to get out of the mess he was in. He turned the Sadducees of the Sanhedrin against the Pharisees of the Sanhedrin. His trick seemed to work at first, as the Pharisees and the Sadducees started fighting each other (Acts 23:9). However, Paul's trick soon backfired, and he was almost torn to pieces in the ensuing riot (Acts 23:10). Paul subsequently was left in prison for two years (Acts 24:27), almost drowned in a shipwreck (Acts 27:14ff), and kept under house arrest in Rome for two more years (Acts 28:30).
The "morals of the story" are:
"Flesh begets flesh, spirit begets spirit" (Jn 3:6). Don't do your thing. Follow the lead of the Spirit (Gal 5:25). Our best laid plans fail. The Lord's plans always succeed.
| PRAYER: | Father, I will crucify my flesh (Gal 5:24) and live by the Spirit. |
| PROMISE: | "I do not pray for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their word, that all may be one as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; I pray that they may be [one] in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me." –Jn 17:20-21 |
| PRAISE: | St. Boniface wrote: "What we ourselves cannot bear let us bear with the help of Christ." |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College