Listen to the homily here.
Notes:
Notes:
Last week I spoke about God’s rescue of each of us, in our physical lives, and eventually, please God, heaven
And what a perfect passage from St. Paul, one of my favorites and for this homily, let’s walk through this passage
· “Brothers and sisters:”
o Originally to the Corinthians, then to us
· “That I, Paul, might not become too elated,
because of the abundance of the revelations,”
because of the abundance of the revelations,”
o Too prideful, to realize that he has experienced mystical conversations with God
o Remember when he fell on the ground and was blinded after he arrested Christians?
· “a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan,
to beat me, to keep me from being too elated.”
to beat me, to keep me from being too elated.”
o One of my spiritual directors once told me, “Ben, God allows you to have vices to keep you on your knees.”
o St. Paul knew that he was turning between pride and humility
o And what was the thorn?
§ Some theories from scholars is health, like his eyes, or a spiritual challenge, aka evil
· “Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me,”
o A great question that we should always ask that to God…He already know what you are thinking about anyway!
o Have you ever experienced that one? Of course!
· Here is nugget #1: “but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for power is made perfect in weakness.”
for power is made perfect in weakness.”
o The paradox in our spiritual lives, is that the more we realize that we are weak, uncontrolled, sinful, if we surrender ourselves to God, His grace is indeed sufficient for you
· “I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses,in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.”
o Bryan Regan a comedian, “The Me Monster”: I, me, mine, “that ain’t nothing” upping up stories about how better other people are
o Wisdom teeth
o Well, we should point not to ourselves, but to Christ!
· “Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults,
hardships, persecutions, and constraints,
for the sake of Christ;”
hardships, persecutions, and constraints,
for the sake of Christ;”
o Bring it right to the Lord, be a sieve right to God, be offer your suffering to our redeemer
· Nugget #2: “for when I am weak, then I am strong.”
We are to be a servant, an instrument, an earthly vessel, a son or daughter, and when we realize that we are actually weak…then we allow God use us to be strong, for His purpose!
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