Monday, June 8, 2015

6/9/2015 - Tuesday of the 10th week in Ordinary Time – 2 Corinthians 1:18-22

      We hear from Paul’s 2nd letter to the Corinthians this week in our first readings.  Paul founded the Christian community in Corinth and then moved on to Ephesus.  He wrote letters back to the Corinthians to encourage them and to give them advice.  We get the impression, however, that things are not always wonderful between Paul and the Corinthians.  Paul seems to be on the defensive today, doesn’t he, defending the accusations of him being two-face, a “yes” person and a “no” person at the same time.  I recently saw an internet post by a Methodist pastor, saying that he always asks his congregation to pray for him and his staff.  It is important to pray for our leaders, to wish them well, to pray that they succeed and can lead us with integrity and humility.  It seems like we in the modern world like to bring down our leaders, don’t we, to relish in seeing those who were successful fail. It’s easy to criticize someone for his efforts, to tear down the kingdom rather than to build it up.  We might ask ourselves how we can be men and women of integrity as we live out the Gospel in our lives.   And most importantly, I try to ask myself: Are my actions trying to build up God’s kingdom, or are they trying to tear it down?

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