In the first reading we find Paul and his companions arriving in the town of Antioch in what is now southern Turkey (not to be confused with Antioch in Syria). While they are attending the Jewish service on the Sabbath, they are invited to give some words of encouragement. Paul takes the opportunity to tell his fellow-Jews about Jesus as Saviour. What is interesting is how he roots the origins of Jesus in the history of the Jewish people and shows Jesus as naturally emerging in the development of God's plans for His people. When he speaks to Gentiles he will use a very different approach. Paul's address to the people of Athens is a good example. All this is a reminder to us of the need to adapt the way we present the Gospel to the particular situation of different groups of people. We will not present the Gospel in the same way to a group of small children, to a group of mature Catholics, to people who are hearing the message for the very first time, or to a people whose culture is very different from ours. We must always distinguish the core of our message from the language of its presentation. As Paul says, the letter kills; it is the Spirit that gives life.