Everybody has a time in their lives when they want to fit in. For some of us that time just never seems to arrive. St. Paul suggests that fitting in is not the point. Rather we are called to have our lives transformed by the love of God in Jesus Christ.

We encounter lots of experiences on our journey that would seem to be able to separate us from Gods love. St. Paul, however, begs to differ. He lists everything he can think of that might appear to stand between us and the love of God; and in the light of that divine love all those barriers disappear.

The Athenians have many shrines to many gods, among them an unknown god. Paul arrives to tell them who this unknown god really is and what God is doing among them.

There is an old gospel tune that included the refrain, Paul and Silas bound to jail all night long. Of course, it refers to this story. The manner of their being jailed was quite ordinary, but the manner of their release is earthshaking

Lydia is a merchant who sells purple cloth. She is also one of the early followers of Jesus who had never met Jesus in the flesh. She heard the good news of God and immediately welcomed those who brought it to her and others