The call of Ananias
On Sunday, we hear the story from John 21 of Jesus and Peter on the beach. Jesus asks Peter three times, "Do you love me?" and three times Peter answers, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Then Jesus tells him, "Feed my sheep." We also hear about how Saul became the apostle Paul, on the road to Damascus. Here he was, on the way to persecute the followers of the Way, and out of the blue, Jesus speaks to him, too: "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" There he is struck blind, and when he sees again, he has a new calling as a follower of Jesus and a missionary to the gentiles.
On one Sunday, we hear stories of two of the main characters from the New Testament. But I can't help being drawn to Ananias.
Who is Ananias? In all of the drama of the story of Saul, we might not notice another drama taking place on the sidelines. It is the drama of God, telling Ananias to go and heal Saul.
