What I also recieved

1 corinthians 15:1-11; Ps 118 Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; Lk 7:36-50

Words of St. Paul, "For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also recieved..."

Paul speaks of having recieved the message he proclaims. He expresses in his writings that he had an encounter with Christ and it was in this encounter he was called forth to preach (Gal 1:18).

He speaks of his credentials as an apostle. An apsotle is one who had eye witness experience of Jesus Christ. This is the valid and authentic way of determining who's who among the the many who claimed such authority.

Obviously the 12 apsotles with Matthias replacing Judas had eye witness experience, they had known Christ before and after the death and resurretcion. This eye witness experience gives them the credentials as apsotles chosen and commissioned by Christ.

Paul also speaks of his eye witness experience on the way to Damascus (Acts 9, 22, 26). He encunters the living Christ and is commissioned to preach.

This commissioning is not apart from the other apostles. Paul seeks out the other apsotles as he mentions in Gal 1:18 and as we see in Acts 9.

Thus he is acquainted with the work of the church and is commissioned by the church as a valid apostle sent to preach and spread the message of Christ.

He did not stand alone nor was he a preacher at large.

Even Paul understood the necessity of the Church and its unity.

This is why he speaks of recieving the message that includes the appearance to Cephas, the twelve, 500 brothers, James and then to himself.

He realized that he was not in it for himself, nor was he in it by himself.


we have many today who want to do their own thing, start their own church in the name of Paul and yet disregard the very foundation of unity he sought to uphold.


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As the Pope Visits England, may he also help bring forth a much needed unity and ocnversion ot that land. May they be open to recieve what has been passed down through the apostles and the successor of Peter himself.