Word to the Wise
Friday, June 12, 2009 - Friday in the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
[2 Corinthians 4:7-15 and Matthew 5:27-32]We hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carry about in the Body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.
Last Monday, when the Church turned to some days of reflecting, in part, on the Second Letter to the Corinthians, I mentioned that it is one of the most personal of Paul's communications. I find this to be one of its most powerful traits, at least in terms of the impact that it has on me in my own ministry. When I give retreats for groups that are in official church ministry (priests, deacons, religious or lay ministers) I see that impact as well. The words quoted above come home to me every day, and the older I get, the more earthen my vessel seems to get! Nevertheless, the message is for all of us in "the Body of Christ." We must have confidence that God's Spirit will work in us and through us if we strive to be faithful to the teachings of Christ, no matter how difficult our personal or physical challenges may be. St. Paul, himself, was not known to be a very good public speaker! The list of his trials in this letter is really terrible. For most of us the challenges will come from within, but we need to believe that our "earthen vessel" is beloved by God and will serve God's purpose. AMEN
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