our life and death are in God's hands . . . 7th week easter thursday

In our first reading today we now find St. Paul back to Jerusalem after saying goodbye to the elders of the church of Ephesus.  And there in Jerusalem the Jews plotted against him.  In fact while Paul was in the temple he was attacked and almost killed by a mob.  But a Roman soldier, a centurion, got hold of him.  He had asked the ruling council of the Jews, the Sanhedrin to meet, so that Paul can defend himself before them.  And so they met, both Pharisees and Sadducees in council. 

But St. Paul was very wise.  He talked about a topic that the Pharisees and the Sadducee are at odds with each other.  He talked about the resurrection – and there and then the battle begun – not between St. Paul and the Sanhedrin, but between the Pharisees and the Sadducees.  Why?  Because the Pharisees believe in the resurrection of the dead while the Sadducees do not.  So the Pharisees sided with Paul and the Sadducees went against both.  And there was a great conflict in the council.  So St. Paul was taken out of the gathering and was lead to stay at the compound of the Romans. 

On the next night however Jesus appeared to Paul and told him that now since he bore witness to the Lord in Jerusalem, he is asked to go and bear witness to the Lord in Rome.  This prophesy would become true when Paul would die a martyr’s death in Rome and together with Peter who also died in Rome became the two pillars of the Roman Catholic Church.

How would you feel if the Lord tells you like Paul that everything in your life has been already planned out including your death?  How would you feel if the Lord appears to you in a dream telling you he is guiding you at every moment until you come face to face with your own death - to be assured that everything in your life has been planned out by God; to be assured that everything in my life including my death has already been spelled out in God’s mind and heart.

Would we be more trusting like Paul?  Or would we still be anxious, and disturbed and worried?

Our life and our death are in God’s hands and are already part of God’s plan.