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“In weakness and fear and much trembling…”
Some years ago, I had an opportunity to listen to a well-known Protestant preacher. As he addressed a crowd of two thousand people, his commanding voice and majestic gestures were truly masterful. I was in awe, and, frankly, I was somewhat envious of his ability to deliver his message in such a powerful manner.
I admire those people who have such command of language in public speech. St. Paul, however, does not seem to have been such a skillful public speaker, as hinted in his own writing: “I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom… I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling.” Now I feel much better. Although even the Great Saint Paul, the most influential theologian and evangelist in the history of Christianity, may not have been the greatest orator, that has not stopped him from proclaiming the gospel in every opportunity. He had a message of utmost importance that he had to convey to everyone he met.
He took the mandate of Jesus literally: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations (Mt
29:19).” The three missionary journeys and the final journey to Rome, then the center of the world – well, at least in Europe – took him to faraway places and subjected him to all kinds of adversities – physical abuse and rejection such as stoning, robbery, shipwreck, and imprisonment. But he was convinced that it was worth investing his whole life’s energy.
What is our all-consuming interest these days? What do we live for? Does our life have a purpose? Rick Warren, in his book The Purpose Driven Life, underlines that it’s not about you, rather life is really about living for God, not yourself. Jesus tells us today: “Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”
Glorifying our heavenly Father is what our life is about. There are so many ways to do this. Praying and praising, loving and forgiving one another, taking care of the least among us, developing God-given potential, etc. A human person fully alive is the glory of God, says St. Irenaeus of Lyons in the third century. Are we alive to God and to the full?
It really doesn’t matter whether we are chronically shy or endowed with some physical disabilities. St. Paul may have also stuttered as some would conjecture, yet his condition has not stopped him from proclaiming the gospel. We know some of those people around us. Brodie Wise, a deacon candidate, collected and distributed over 7000 boxes of cereal for our Pantry and others for the year 2022. His exuberant enthusiasm and energy for the needy is truly inspiring. We have many parishioners who quietly and faithfully serve in various areas. They are the backbone of the parish.
Do we know what God has in mind for us? Knowing God’s will and being able to respond to Him with our whole life is what true happiness is all about.
Fr Paul D. Lee