Word to the Wise
Monday, September 9, 2019 - Monday in the 23th Week in Ordinary Time
[Col 1:24—2:3 and Luke 6:6-11]I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his Body, which is the Church, of which I am a minister in accordance with God's stewardship given to me to bring to completion for you the word of God, the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past. [Colossians]
SEPTEMBER 9, ST. PETER CLAVER, SJ
There is no question that St. Paul suffered much for the sake of his mission. He was a driven man. This passage from Colossians has been translated in such a way as to make it seem as if Christ's own suffering was insufficient and Paul had to make up for it. Rather, Paul is trying to fulfill in himself the sufferings of Christ on behalf of us all. We are all the Body of Christ, but Paul felt he had been given a "stewardship" to fulfill - a message to proclaim.
The Letter to the Colossians, like that of Ephesians, takes the life, death and resurrection of Jesus from historical events to a higher level of meaning - a kind of "cosmic" significance for the whole world. Jesus was not simply the savior of the people in Israel, but of all people.
If we need to know in particular what Paul suffered, his Second Letter to the Corinthians gives us a couple of lists! (6:1-10 and 11:23-29). He must have been a very hardy character. Most of us will not have to go through what he went through, but we all suffer in some way and can use that experience to help others who are struggling. Our tendency is to think that each of us is alone in our trials. When we find someone who understands, we realize that we have support and encouragement. This is the real meaning of Paul's statement. His own life is meant to encourage others to understand Christ's life that is within them, their "hope for glory." AMEN