What they already hear

Psalm 19:1 famously says

The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

It is a very similar message that Paul gives in today’s first reading (Acts 14:5-18):

In past generations
(God) allowed all Gentiles to go their own ways;
yet, in bestowing his goodness,
he did not leave himself without witness,
for he gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons,
and filled you with nourishment
and gladness for your hearts.

A major difficulty, of course, was that although the heavens declare the glory of God, human beings do not always listen clearly and misunderstand the message.

This is demonstrated (almost comically so) in today’s first reading, as Paul and Barnabas are thought to be Zeus and Hermes.

There is a two-fold lesson for us here: first, that nearly everyone has heard from God (albeit in a limited and imperfect way), that through Creation God always makes himself known, but that this knowledge is easily confused in the mind of man; and second, that it is our task by God's grace to help free others from their confusion, to help them recognize the hand of God in the world, and to help bring them into a full relationship with God through his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.