Word to the Wise
Friday, September 5, 2025 - Friday in the 22th Week in Ordinary Time
[Col 1:15-20 and Luke 5:33-39]Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. [Colossians]
SEPTEMBER 5 ST. TERESA OF CALCUTTA ("Mother Teresa")
The Letter to the Colossians was written to a community that St. Paul had never visited, but which was founded by one of his disciples, probably Epaphras. The Colossians were apparently adding to the gospel message ideas and practices from other cultures and religions, including Judaism to their faith. The words from today's first scripture are a proclamation of the centrality of Christ in the gospel message. The scope of the "hymn" is universal, much like that of the Prologue to the Gospel According to John. Our ideas of Jesus are stretched to help us understand that all of creation finds its origins in him. He is not simply a divine figure who became human - as important as the incarnation is. He is the center of the universe! This is not a denial of our trinitarian faith in God but rather a focus on Jesus as the manifestation of God in time and history even if, as God, he is before all time and history.
The human manifestation of Jesus may be easier to work with and preach because it is more "immediate" to us. His life, death and resurrection are central to our faith. But Jesus is "bigger" than the way we are accustomed to think, perhaps because the bigger picture is harder to imagine when looking at the crucifix on the wall. But the "cosmos" is real and Jesus is at the center of it. Stretching our minds to include this may take some effort but it is well worth it! AMEN