4th Sunday in Easter - Year C

THE SAINTS WITH PALMS

The author of the book of Revelation is trying to encourage Christians to hold on to their faith. He uses a great morale-booster. He imagines heaven to be like the emperor's court. Jesus--represented as a Lamb--sits on a throne. Around him are all of these who withstood the temptation to abandon their faith during trials on earth. The author recalls Palm Sunday and the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. This is one reason why the Church gives out Palms on the annual commemoration of this event. Where is your palm?

THE IMPORTANCE OF PAUL

Saint Paul played a vital role in the development of our faith. It came about because of Jesus' handicap. Christ was not physically or mentally challenged. His problem lay in the people that he had to teach. Most of them let little or no education. They had little experience and probably traveled no more than a few miles from their birthplace. Jesus had to share his teachings from their limited knowledge. He used local illustrations in the form of stories, called parables.
This was a handicap for Missionaries to other areas. They had two ways of doing this. They explain the examples that Jesus used. Or they could develop new parables based on other cultures and languages.
This was Paul's approach. He used illustrations from Greek life and culture, especially sports. So Paul became Jesus' first interpreter--what we now call a theologian.

Related: Resources on Sunday Readings - Clipart, homelies, articles, coloring pages, music: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

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