In our First Reading, we encounter Apollos, an eloquent Jewish convert who speaks in the synagogue. He has an interesting situation: Apollos is knowledgeable and well spoken, but he does not know of Christ’s baptism, only the baptism of John. As he preaches and as he presumably converts others, Priscilla and Aquila take him aside to correct him and fill in the gaps in his instruction. Once instructed, he is sent on his way with encouragement and becomes an even more successful preacher.
We may have encountered people who remind us of Apollos. They have the charisma to evangelize, and they may even be intelligent and eloquent, but they do not have the whole picture. We may listen to them attentively and eagerly, only to be surprised when they are mistaken about something important regarding Faith or morality. Their heart is in the right place but perhaps they need additional catechesis to effectively spread the Gospel.
Our reading today makes it clear that both content and charisma are important to effectively preach the Gospel. We can have a whole host of natural gifts, but we need to be clear on our topic and make sure any gaps are filled in with the proper formation. Thankfully, this does not have to be complicated or time-consuming, as Apollos’ case shows. All it took was for Priscilla and Aquila to pull him aside and explain to him that Jesus had called for a new type of baptism, and he was off to the races. With his preaching complete, he could be a more effective witness to the Resurrection.
Drawing from this example, we can pray for the grace to be an effective witness of Christ to others. Apollos needed both human virtues and knowledge of the divine to be the best disciple possible. If we are lacking in charisma to communicate effectively, we can practice our writing and speaking, honing our human talents so that we provide an effective conduit for grace. If we are lacking in the proper formation in faith or morals, we can seek it out, filling in any gaps so that we are not unintentionally leading others astray and are not caught off guard when an unexpected topic arises. Either way, we can pray for both the charisma to preach the Gospel enthusiastically and the understanding to preach on the right topics with the right level of depth for the audience at hand.
En nuestra Primera Lectura, nos encontramos con Apolos, un elocuente judío convertido que habla en la sinagoga. Tiene una situación interesante: Apolos es sabio y bien hablado, pero no sabe del bautismo de Cristo, solo del bautismo de Juan. Mientras predica y presumiblemente convierte a otros, Priscila y Aquila lo llevan aparte para corregirlo y llenar los vacíos en su instrucción. Una vez instruido, se le envía en su camino con ánimo y se convierte en un predicador aún más exitoso.
Es posible que nos hayamos encontrado con personas que nos recuerdan a Apolos. Tienen el carisma para evangelizar, e incluso pueden ser inteligentes y elocuentes, pero no tienen el panorama completo. Podemos escucharlos con atención y entusiasmo, sólo para sorprendernos cuando se equivocan en algo importante relacionado con la fe o la moral. Su corazón está en el lugar correcto, pero tal vez necesitan catequesis adicional para difundir el Evangelio de manera efectiva.
Nuestra lectura de hoy deja en claro que tanto el contenido como el carisma son importantes para predicar el Evangelio con eficacia. Podemos tener una gran cantidad de dones naturales, pero debemos ser claros en nuestro tema y asegurarnos de que los vacíos se llenan con la formación adecuada. Afortunadamente, esto no tiene por qué ser complicado ni llevar mucho tiempo, como muestra el caso de Apolos. Lo único necesario fue que Priscila y Aquila le explicaran que Jesús había pedido un nuevo tipo de bautismo, y ya estaba listo para seguir enseñando. Predicando de forma más completa, podría ser un testigo más eficaz de la Resurrección.
Partiendo de este ejemplo, podemos orar por la gracia de ser un testimonio eficaz de Cristo para los demás. Apolos necesitaba tanto las virtudes humanas como el conocimiento de lo divino para ser el mejor discípulo posible. Si nos falta carisma para comunicarnos de manera efectiva, podemos practicar nuestra escritura y expresión oral, perfeccionando nuestros talentos humanos para que proporcionemos un conducto efectivo para la gracia. Si nos falta la formación adecuada en la fe o la moral, podemos buscarla, llenando cualquier vacío para no desviar involuntariamente a otros y no ser tomados por sorpresa cuando surge un tema inesperado. De cualquier manera, podemos orar tanto por el carisma para predicar el Evangelio con entusiasmo como por el entendimiento para predicar sobre los temas correctos con el nivel adecuado de profundidad para la audiencia en cuestión.
David Dashiell is a freelance author and editor in Nashville, Tennessee. He has a master’s degree in theology from Franciscan University, and is the editor of the anthology Ever Ancient, Ever New: Why Younger Generations Are Embracing Traditional Catholicism.
Feature Image Credit: Amor Santo, cathopic.com/photo/1649-speaking-of-love
Tami Urcia grew up in Western Michigan, a middle child in a large Catholic family. She spent early young adulthood as a missionary in Mexico, studying theology and philosophy, then worked and traveled extensively before finishing her Bachelor’s Degree in Western Kentucky. She loves tackling projects, finding fun ways to keep her little ones occupied, quiet conversation with the hubby and finding unique ways to love. She works full time, is a guest blogger on 
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