Did St. Paul Get to Spain?

Reflecting on the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost: Two Days after Sunday (Year B)

Scripture

Semi-continuous: Psalm 37:12-22; 2 Samuel 11:22-27; Romans 15:22-33

Complementary: Psalm 111; Exodus 24:1-11; Romans 15:22-33

___

Prayer

Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer)

___

Reflection

This is the reason that I have so often been hindered from coming to you. But now, with no further place for me in these regions, I desire, as I have for many years, to come to you when I go to Spain. For I do hope to see you on my journey and to be sent on by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a little while. At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem in a ministry to the saints, for Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to share their resources with the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. They were pleased to do this, and indeed they owe it to them, for if the gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material things. So, when I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will set out by way of you to Spain, and I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in earnest prayer to God on my behalf, that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my ministry to Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. The God of peace be with all of you. Amen (Romans 15:22-33).

The New Testament does not provide a definitive answer as to whether the Apostle Paul reached Spain. In his letter to the Romans, Paul expresses his intention to visit Spain after delivering aid to Jerusalem, but there is no biblical record confirming that he made the journey.