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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