This First Reading takes on special meaning for me because of recent summer travel, i.e., my husband and I returned two nights ago from time in Hungary and Turkey – the latter quite close to the area where this Reading was written and to the population to which it was addressed. I re-image the geography, the places, and the people in a context of first century Christianity. I visualize the Christians’ enduring faithfulness.

Christ’s message to us in the Gospel is quite forceful – we have an obligation to 1) not be hypocrites in our behaviors, 2) to engage fully in our faith, 3) to not be obstacles to others who are on their spiritual journey, and 4) to be most inclusive and supportive of others as their engage in their faith journey. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy observed these latter three traits in the early Christian community at Thessalonia and praised them for their faithfulness and their love and support of each other.

Let us each visualize how we might be a 21st century Thessalonian in our individual lives around the globe in late summer 2008.