Monday, June 12, 2023

Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

(II Corinthians 1:1-7; Matthew 5:1-12)

In the first reading today the word encourage or one of its derivatives occurs ten times.  In other translations consolation or comfort is used to translate the Greek.  Clearly Paul intends to offer support to the Christian community in Corinth for the suffering it is enduring.  The cause of that suffering is presumed and not revealed in the letter.

Paul emphasizes the social unity of Christians.  Enfolded into the Body of Christ, Christians can experience the comfort of his resurrection as they experience the pain of his death.  Paul recognizes this interplay at work in his own relationship with Christ.  In a parallel way he wants the Corinthians to know that they should feel the encouragement he has received from Christ.

We never have to suffer alone.  Both Christ and fellow Christians are ready to share our burden.  Rather than keeping our sorrows to ourselves, we can talk about them in conversation or prayer.  Just doing this mitigates much of the pain.


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