The history of St. Paul is available but to most it is unknown: the wordsmith that wrote many letters, killed many Christians, and was knocked off his horse. "Is there much more?"
What gives credibility and a kind of brilliance to Paul’s words is that Jesus, the Risen Jesus, appeared to him on more than one occasion. He gives us a direct accounting of the moment in the first letter to the Corinthians. It is an account that has nothing to do with being knocked from a horse as recorded by Luke some fifty years later. But that’s material for another homily! Just know this: "Of all those who saw the risen Lord, Paul is the only one whose words we possess" (Wills, What Paul Meant, p 21).
Today, to broaden our awareness and appreciation of the unique wordsmith, let’s give some thought to the second reading, particularly two verses:
What will separate us from the love of Christ? ... No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who has loved us. (Romans 8: 35 and 37)
A story first, however. When I was a high school principal, hardly a day passed that a student didn’t stop me to proclaim that a particular teacher "really doesn’t like me." So often the teacher would happen to be an instructor whose care and interest was beyond question. Mind you, there were other teachers who could win the students’ recognition without any question. But, as so often happens, the gripe was about a truly professional teacher.
Almost always it was the teacher who ran remedial classes; it was the teacher who would wait after the dismissal bell to help anyone more than ordinarily confused or totally lost; it was the teacher who would spend hours preparing classes. To make the complaint more frivolous, usually it was the teacher would regularly see me to discuss students’ academic welfare, especially where it seemed that there were either personality problems or known difficulties in the student’s home life. So often the student’s lack of trust had arisen because the teacher was trying to form a good student. Only years later would these young turks realize how much genuine love there was in the teacher’s life and work for students.
With that in mind let’s return to Paul’s words. He asks if some of the frustrations, the lack of joy and so forth could separate him and the Romans from the love of Jesus Christ. He provides an answer: No! They cannot if we have a better understanding of Jesus Christ. Paul’s thought here and elsewhere in his letters is that our lives would be so very different were we to be mindful of the love of God that is so much a part of who we are and have been since our conception. This is so much like the care of an excellent teacher.
If we, through daily prayer and association with Jesus, are aware of God’s love for us, contentment and joy would be ours. Whenever tough moments land on our calendars and we feel forced to ask, "Where are you, God?" we can become more aware of his love even in our pain. Paul, in his own way, begs us to hold on to our faith and not to call God to blame for the unpleasantries we face.
There is a layman friend who has given retreats in my previous assignments. His life has been a dedication to working with parish missions. But John Colligan’s (see note below) life has been what many call a disaster. A son, attending Notre Dame University, was murdered while traveling on vacation; two grandchildren have fallen victim to drug abuse; and John himself has had to battle cancer and fortunately became a victor. He sent me an email this week to tell me the latest "good" news. A likely terminal melanoma on his nose that cannot be treated. I asked him how he could bare all of this. He replied in a wonderful note, "nothing will ever cause me not to trust in God’s love for me and Cathy" (his wife).
So, St. Paul, you beg us to know that God’s love sustains us. Pray to God for us that we never let that reality slip from our hearts and minds.
NOTE: Readers from Jesus Divine Word and Our Lady of Victory parishes, where John and Cathy led parish missions, please add John to your prayer list and especially pray to Blessed Kateri Tekakiwtha for John's healing.
