23rd Week in Ordinary Time Put on the new self. (Colossians 3:10) If the Apostle Paul ever needed a second job, he could have easily found a position writing technical manuals. He could be clear and concise when he needed to, and he never minced his words. Just as a manual tells you how to use a particular appliance or gadget, Paul tells us clearly how to take hold of the new life that Jesus has won for us. It’s as simple as 2+2=4. Look to heaven, put off the “old self,” and put on the “new self.” He even gives real-life examples of what the old self looks like so that we can identify it and deal with it. It’s just like the illustrations in a user’s manual! If Paul is so clear, why are we so muddled? Why do we find it hard to put into practice what he lays out in such step-by-step detail? We want to do good. We want to overcome our old lives. But we don’t always get very far. One answer is that it takes time. We can’t afford to think our sin and all temptation will go away overnight. That’s why God has given us the gift of Confession, as well as the spiritual nourishment of the Eucharist. We need all the mercy we can get. And we sorely need the strength, comfort, and grace that come from receiving Jesus in his Body and Blood! But there is another answer. Paul was so clear because he spoke out of his own experience. His clarity did not come only from deep theology or intellectual inquiry. It was also forged in his own spiritual battle. If we follow Paul’s lead and take up the battle ourselves, we will be transformed over time. We will discover the power of the Holy Spirit encouraging us, strengthening us, cheering us on, and convincing us more and more of God’s love for us. That will make us clear about the gospel as well, ready to share it with everyone we meet. “Lord, I yield to you today. I want to follow the example of all your saints and enter into the spiritual battle. So come, Holy Spirit, and clothe me in the armor of God. I so want to become like Jesus!” Psalm 145:2-3, 10-13; Luke 6:20-26
Posted on: Wed, 11 Sep 2013 12:06:56 +0000
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