In today’s first reading,
Acts 16: 22-34,we read about Paul and Silas’ arrest, being beaten with rods and
put in chained shackles. They are treated
cruelly, shamefully, disdainfully. It is night. No bed. No comforts. They turn to their faith and spend the night
singing, thanking and praising God. Suddenly an earthquake shatters the prison,
breaks open their chains and they could be free men. However, they do not
escape. The jailor is terrified of his fate when he discovered the prison doors
wide open, the chains broken. In his desperation he is about to commit suicide when Paul yells
out: Don’t harm yourself! God uses Paul
and Silas’ heroic faith and love to save the jailor and his family, who turn to
Christ, are baptized and minister to Paul and Silas, taking them to his home; treating
their beaten, bruised bodies and giving them a meal.
As I reflect on my
reactions to things in my life that are irritating, humiliating and distasteful
on a much smaller scale than what Paul and Silas went through, I am humbled as
I reflect upon their faith response. I
rant and rave at much smaller injustices, far from turning to the Lord in
prayerful praise, as Paul and Silas had done.
When life throws me “a curve ball” or all hell breaks loose on my
efforts, what if my response flowed out of my faith instead of my anger, my
demand for just treatment or my insistence on being treated righteously. What miracles the Lord could perform!
