Tent maker
Dear People of St. Boniface:
Despite what some people may think, I didn’t spend every hour of every day spreading the Gospel. This was because people actually had to earn a living and go to work, and so couldn’t be there to listen to me. So I worked too, making tents, which was my trade.
I often point out in my letters that I didn’t want people’s money for myself; I could be self-supporting. On the other hand, money was handy for the missionary work, and also to help the poor, especially in the Holy Land.
Today I thank the Philippians for their financial support, and some of your clever Bible analysts have worked out that this was probably the first thing I wrote to them, despite its being at the end of the letter.
They also think that I might have been slightly ironical, as if the Philippians didn’t actually respond quickly enough the first time. Now as if I would do that!
Admittedly I didn’t like talking about money, and because I didn’t, people often didn’t give it. I gather some of your Catholic priests have the same problem!
That’s all of my words to my friends in Philippi; next week we will see what I wrote to those in Thessalonika.
My blessing, from Heaven, PAUL.