Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary
(Galatians 1:13-24)
The Black preacher began his sermon by identifying himself. He said, “I’m just a nobody, who came to tell anybody, about somebody, who died to save everybody.” In the first reading today, Paul uses more words but means to say essentially the same thing.
The passage contains Paul’s own account of God’s revelation to him of Jesus Christ. Biblical students note that the story lacks the embellishments of the three accounts of the incident in the Acts of the Apostles. Paul does not give details because his purpose is not primarily to tell his story. Rather, he intends to extol the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Neither does Paul dwell on Peter and the other apostles. They also pale in comparison to the unwarranted gift of grace.
Paul wants to impress upon his readers – which certainly include us along with the Galatians – that nothing which we do or anyone else does – be the person a Presidential candidate or a World Series hero – can be as significant for us as the love of God. Therefore, Paul indicates, it is only right that we stop calculating our own salvation and live completely for Christ. The irony (or mystery if you prefer) is that when we do so, we gain infinitely more than we can by our own efforts.
We might see praying the rosary as an example of what Paul intends here. Meditating on the mysteries of Jesus’ life as we recite the prayers by now as much part of us as the alphabet, we lose ourselves in thought. But our needs are not ignored. Rather, the Almighty takes them up for fulfillment.
Showing posts with label grace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grace. Show all posts
Homilette for Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Memorial of St. Augustine, bishop and doctor of the Church
(I Thessalonians 2)
It has been proposed that the three most important persons in early Christianity were Jesus, Paul, and Augustine. Some might wonder why Jesus’ name is put on this short list that does not include the Blessed Mother or St. Peter. But the proposition concerns the formation of a great religion. Jesus, of course, started it all. Paul propelled the Christian movement forward with his work among the Greeks. And Augustine gave Christianity, in the West at least, a solid theoretical basis.
There are other comparisons to be made between Paul and Augustine beyond being nominated together as all-time great Christians. Both experienced famous conversions. Paul, of course, persecuted Christianity before the Lord encountered him on the way to Damascus and turned his life upside down. Augustine’s conversion was more subtle and more gradual. He had leaned for a long time toward a heretical Christian sect. He also had a child with a woman whom he lived with for fifteen years. Finally, however, he could not deny the coherence of Christian thought and was baptized by the great St. Ambrose of Milan. Another comparison is that both Paul and Augustine worked tirelessly for Christ after their decisions. In the first reading today Paul mentions how he labored for neither money nor praise among the Thessalonians. Augustine’s enormous output of books and sermons eloquently testifies to his arduous work.
Perhaps most importantly both Paul and Augustine can be considered together for their work developing the concept of grace. Paul understood that we humans could not help ourselves but were doomed to sin when God sent His son to save us. Augustine in the intellectual battle with the Pelagians made it clear that salvation is not a little bit God’s offer and a little bit our response. No, even the inspiration to respond to God’s offer is a movement of divine grace in us.
(I Thessalonians 2)
It has been proposed that the three most important persons in early Christianity were Jesus, Paul, and Augustine. Some might wonder why Jesus’ name is put on this short list that does not include the Blessed Mother or St. Peter. But the proposition concerns the formation of a great religion. Jesus, of course, started it all. Paul propelled the Christian movement forward with his work among the Greeks. And Augustine gave Christianity, in the West at least, a solid theoretical basis.
There are other comparisons to be made between Paul and Augustine beyond being nominated together as all-time great Christians. Both experienced famous conversions. Paul, of course, persecuted Christianity before the Lord encountered him on the way to Damascus and turned his life upside down. Augustine’s conversion was more subtle and more gradual. He had leaned for a long time toward a heretical Christian sect. He also had a child with a woman whom he lived with for fifteen years. Finally, however, he could not deny the coherence of Christian thought and was baptized by the great St. Ambrose of Milan. Another comparison is that both Paul and Augustine worked tirelessly for Christ after their decisions. In the first reading today Paul mentions how he labored for neither money nor praise among the Thessalonians. Augustine’s enormous output of books and sermons eloquently testifies to his arduous work.
Perhaps most importantly both Paul and Augustine can be considered together for their work developing the concept of grace. Paul understood that we humans could not help ourselves but were doomed to sin when God sent His son to save us. Augustine in the intellectual battle with the Pelagians made it clear that salvation is not a little bit God’s offer and a little bit our response. No, even the inspiration to respond to God’s offer is a movement of divine grace in us.
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