Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany (Year 2, NL)

Rejection has been the traveling companion of the gospel from the beginning.

The other day I was sitting in a coffee shop and couldn’t help overhearing an interesting and intense debate on the other side of the room. An older gentleman was trying his best to aid an inquisitive college student who had some hard-hitting questions. She asked about scripture, about authority and about the church. One question kept popping up: “What is the difference between truth for you, truth for me and truth with a capital T?”

Even with Paul's wish to serve, even with his good motives, the Lord does not answer his prayer as he asked or expected.