Persecuted and yet Super Empowered
Homily on Monday, 5th Week of Easter; 4 May 2026, DBPH Chapel, Talamban
Today’s First Reading (Acts 14:5-18) sounds very interesting and thought-provoking on two counts. First, as Paul and Barnabas began their mission, they immediately experience rejection and persecution. Secondly, because they persevered in preaching despite the persecution, both of them began to experience the miraculous deeds of the Risen Lord powerfully at work in them and through them.
Let’s talk about the first. Paul and Barnabas had just been ordained by the apostles through the laying on of hands. We find this in chapter 13 of the Acts of the Apostles. After that, they travelled from one city to another preaching the good news until they reached Iconium in Asia Minor. Unfortunately, however, when they were in the synagogue in that city they started experiencing rejection and persecution from their fellow Jews. We can imagine how Paul must have felt in the face of these trials. He, who once initiated the persecution against the Christians with the stoning of St Stephen to death, was this time the one about to be executed by stoning. It seems like a “karma” for him.
But God had other plans. As soon as Paul learned about the plot against them, he and his companions immediately escaped through the back door. Had they not fled away quickly, we would not have a rich collection of Pauline Epistles in our New Testament Bible today.
Secondly, after their successful escape, Paul and Barnabas continued to preach the good news at the city of Lystra, unmindful of the risk of being rejected and persecuted again. By God’s wonderful providence, it was there that they witnessed God’s mighty hand at work in them and through them, as they were able to make a man crippled from birth instantly walk and jump around to the amazement of the people.
We recall that Jesus, sometime at the beginning of his public ministry cured a paralytic by commanding him to stand up, pick up his mat and walk home. Similarly, after the Resurrection and Pentecost events, Peter and John were able to cure a crippled man begging at the temple gate. At their command, the man stood up and started jumping and dancing around. Amazingly, the two apostolic partners, Paul and Barnabas, were super empowered by God to perform a similar healing miracle which definitely proved that the same Spirit of the Risen Lord was also with them, powerfully at work in them.
Didn’t Jesus say to his disciples during the Last Supper “The man who believes in me will do the works I do, and will do greater ones than these” (Jn 14:12). This same gospel verse was in fact proclaimed for us in the Holy Mass yesterday.
Now, the most amazing part of the story is how the people of Lystra including their local priest reacted to what they have seen – the crippled man walking, jumping and dancing. They began to revere, honor and worship the two Apostles as if they were gods who have come down in their midst. They were so astonished by their exceptional power that they started offering animal sacrifices to their visiting preachers.
Nonetheless, fully aware of who they were, Paul and Barnabas refused to accept their offerings, and directed the people to glorify God instead. They must have remembered the words of the Psalm which we have sang today, “Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory (Ps 115).
The miraculous healing performed by Paul and Barnabas was a clear testimony to what Jesus had taught in today’s Gospel “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him” (Jn 14:23). GiGsss!