First reading: Acts 14:21–27

After Paul and Barnabas had proclaimed the good news to that city and made a considerable number of disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch. They strengthened the spirits of the disciples and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying, “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” They appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord in whom they had put their faith. Then they traveled through Pisidia and reached Pamphylia. After proclaiming the word at Perga they went down to Attalia. From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now accomplished. And when they arrived, they called the church together and reported what God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.

Second reading: Rev. 21:1–5a

Then I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them as their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the old order has passed away.”

The One who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”

Gospel: Jn. 13:31–35

When Judas had left them, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and God will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

In other words

by Fr. Randy Flores, SVD (Sacred Heart Parish Shrine, Kamuning, Quezon City)

The first readings during the weeks of Easter come from the Acts of the Apostles. If it were not for this book, we would have only scant pieces of information about the beginnings of the Church. This is Luke’s second book. It is the best book for Easter that all Christians must read.

In Luke-Acts, a clear plot unfolds as the good news about Jesus (“the gospel”) was preached, starting from Jerusalem and extending outward to various regions, encompassing Outer Judea, Samaria, Caesarea Maritima, Galilee, Damascus, Phoenicia, Cyprus, Syria, Antioch, and traversing the Roman Provinces of Cilicia, Galatia, Asia, Macedonia, Achaia, ultimately culminating in Rome, symbolizing the end of the earth.

Chapter 14 of Acts, where we have the First Reading for this Sunday, concludes the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas in Antioch. Antioch, located in Syria on the eastern side of the Orontes River was an urban center, a metropolis, and a major city of the Roman Empire. Antioch’s population ranged from 200,000 to 500,000. Most of the population consisted of Greeks or Syrian Greeks, with approximately 10% being Jews from the Diaspora, totaling around 50,000 individuals. While the city was predominantly Gentile and characterized by “pagan” religious practices, there was a significant Jewish presence, evidenced by the existence of synagogues.

The Church in Antioch had its origins in migrant missionaries. These missionaries were Hellenists, Jewish Christians who spoke Greek and converted to Christianity. They were scattered following the death of Stephen, and notable figures such as Nicholas of Antioch (Acts 6:5) were among them. The message of the Church in Antioch centered around proclaiming Jesus as Lord (Gk. kyrios), emphasizing the risen Jesus as the Lord of all peoples and nations.

This implies that the good news of Christianity was open to everyone. The gospel was “re-contextualized” for the Greeks in Antioch, resulting in a significant number of Greeks turning to the Lord. Unlike the requirement of circumcision for Jews, the Greeks were not obligated to undergo this practice. This distinction led to the disciples being called “Christians” (Gk. christianoi) for the first time, as their identity was based on adherence to Christ rather than ethnicity or language, such as being referred to as “Nazarenes.”

Barnabas paid a visit to the church in Antioch to investigate the matter. Barnabas, described as a good man from Cyprus, is filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. His visit affirmed the authenticity of the Gentiles’ conversion and the ministry of the migrant missionaries. He encouraged and strengthened the church, which comprised both Jews and Greeks. Additionally, Barnabas played a crucial role in sustaining the new missionary church by recruiting Saul (Paul) of Tarsus around 44–45 A.D. This led to an even larger number of believers.

Consequently, the Antiochean church became the hub of missionary activities and was the first of many Gentile churches. When there was a famine, the Antioch church responded by sending relief (Gk. diakonia) to the Christians in Jerusalem swiftly and without hesitation, demonstrating a partnership (Gk. koinonia) between the two churches.

The origins of the Antioch church teach us that embracing diversity, adapting the message to different cultures, and fostering inclusive communities based on faith rather than ethnicity or language can lead to significant growth, impactful outreach, and compassionate partnership.