Thomas A. Frank

Thoughts and Reflection Today we read about the Holy Spirit. Many of us do not know what the Holy Spirit is but God wants us to fill us with the power so we can walk in his strength and power. We also read that people take handkerchiefs and other objects that Paul touches and use […]

Thoughts and Reflection Today we read about Paul’s meeting with Aquila and Pricilla. They are in the Corinth because the Roman emperor expelled all the Jews from Rome. It is from this persecution that they met Paul and the persecution led them to freedom. Just as Pope Benedict wrote in his encyclical, these encounters with […]

Thoughts and Reflections Today we read when the apostles preach and bears fruit, they still encounter opposition. This does not deter them. One of the complaints has been that the apostles turn the world upside down. We find ourselves, today, in a culture of death and meaninglessness. Like the apostles, we should turn the world […]

Thoughts and Reflections Today we read baptize a woman named Lydia and her household. Paul and Silas are recognized by a demon. The demon is possessing a slave girl and the family that has her makes money from the demon’s prophecies. Paul exorcised the demon and he is beaten and imprisoned with Silas. During their […]

Thoughts and Reflection Today we read about some controversy in the early church with the gentile converts to Christianity. The question at the time was if gentiles needed to become Jews by first being circumcised. The Council of Jerusalem was convened to help answer this question. The Church isn’t perfect; however, it was founded by […]

Thoughts and Reflection Today we read about Paul and Barnabas who encounter a man in Lystra who was crippled throughout his life. They heal him through the power of the Lord. The people of Lystra want to worship Paul and Barnabas as Zeus and Hermes, but that horrifies them. Soon the people stone Paul. Not […]

Thoughts and Reflection Today we read that Saul and Barnabas are commissioned while serving the Church in Antioch. While they are fasting, the Holy Spirit gives them a message. Fasting can accompany our prayers. We don’t need to just fast from food, it can be anything. It helps to align our bodies with our spirits. […]

Thoughts and Reflections Today we read the apostle James is killed by Herod and Peter is rescued. Why did this happen? We don’t know. We also read that Paul gives the Corinthians a remedy for a man who is publicly violating the laws of God. He is excommunicated. We must allow the Holy Spirit to […]

Thoughts and Reflection Today we read about Peter reporting that God wants to send his spirit to the Gentiles. Not everyone is open to this idea. Peter explains that his hope is that the Holy Spirit comes upon the Gentiles to help those of the “circumcision party” help understand his actions. A question that the […]

Thoughts and Reflection Today we read about Peter’s vision where the Lord tells him to eat the food that was considered unclean under the kosher laws of the Old Testament. These laws have been superseded by the Lord’s expansion of his kingdom to the Gentiles. When Peter arrives in Caesarea, the Roman Centurion gathered his […]