We sometimes consider the early Church as a golden age and romanticize the work of the Apostles. Paul mentions the difficulties inherent in the work of evangelization. He speaks of "great opposition" at Thessalonica and of "the humiliation suffered at Philippi." If this humiliation refers to the imprisonment which he writes about in the Letter to the Philippians, we can see from that letter itself how much spiritual and theological insight Paul derived from the experience. He remarks, "I can do all things in him who gives me strength" (Phil 4:13). So, too, he here affirms "we drew great courage from our God": he had the faith and the sensitivity to see the gift of God's courage in his companions as well as in himself.

If we reflect on the way Paul dealt with difficulties, on the faith which enabled him to see God in all situations and how he lived his apostolic companionship with others, we will realize that the early Church was indeed a "golden age" in spite of all the difficulties, and we will learn to make our own age a "golden age", where God's grace is eternally powerful.