First Reading Acts 18:9-18 Gospel John 16:20-23

In yesterday’s first reading, we saw that Paul left Athens in a spirit of dejection. Wise Athens had proved foolish. He went down to Corinth, about thirty miles south of Athens. Corinth was “sin city” of the ancient world. It was a seaport town with all the sins of seaports. In common slang, “Corinthians’ disease” was venereal disease; a “Corinthianess” was a prostitute. You get the idea. After the disaster in using rhetoric and eloquence at Athens, Paul had resolved to preach only the crucified Christ. He turned to the Gentile sinners at Corinth. But the Holy Spirit tells him not to be afraid, that there are many believers in Corinth. Through God’s grace, Corinth became a flourishing Church. An old saying is: “The corruption of the best becomes the worst; the conversion of the worst becomes the best.” Evil Corinth will eventually become holy Corinth. There is hope for all.

Also Pope St. John I (+526 A.D.)
He was elected pope when he was old and sickly. He was forced to go to Constantinople by the Arian co-emperor Theodoric. Theodoric wanted him to give toleration to Arians. When John returned to the West, Theodoric had him imprisoned where he died.