Thursday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

It is important often to recall the simplicity of the Christian vocation:   Love God above all things and love your neighbor as yourself.

CHRYSOSTOM:

But now God has made us such that nothing can subdue us. For our hands are bound but not our tongue, since nothing can bind the tongue but cowardice and unbelief. Where these are not, though you fasten chains upon us, the preaching of the gospel is not bound.¹

Any cloud passing over our skies may from time to time make us gloomy. But Paul’s heart had no such storms sweeping over it. Or better, there did sweep over him, and often, many storms, but his day was not darkened. Rather in the midst of the temptations and dangers the light shone out. Thus when bound with his chain he kept exclaiming, “The word of God is not bound.” Thus continually by means of that tongue the Word was sending forth its rays.²

Behold another incentive. I endure these things, he says, not for myself but for the salvation of others. It was in my power to have lived free from danger; to have suffered none of these things, if I had consulted my own interest. On what account then do I suffer these things? For the good of others, that others may obtain eternal life.³

What is the meaning of “If we endure”? If we patiently bear tribulations and persecutions; if we walk the narrow path. The narrow path is unattractive by nature but becomes easy when we choose to follow it, because of our hope for the future.⁴

PELAGIUS:

Do not manipulate Scripture testimonies. This kind of argument does not edify but does damage to one’s hearers, who come to think that a certain sharpness and subtlety of mind is everything. Or: Don’t try to win with words but with deeds.⁵

AUGUSTINE:

In his speech itself he should prefer to please more with the meanings expressed than with the words used to speak them. Nor should he think that anything may be said better than that which is said truthfully. Nor should the teacher serve the words but the words the teacher.⁶

1. HOMILIES ON 2 TIMOTHY 4.  Gorday, P. (Ed.). (2000). Colossians, 1–2 Thessalonians, 1–2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon (p. 244). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
2. HOMILIES ON FIRST CORINTHIANS 13.4.  Gorday, P. (Ed.). (2000). Colossians, 1–2 Thessalonians, 1–2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon (p. 244). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
3. HOMILIES ON 2 TIMOTHY 4.  Gorday, P. (Ed.). (2000). Colossians, 1–2 Thessalonians, 1–2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon (p. 244). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
4. HOMILIES ON JOHN 87.3.  Gorday, P. (Ed.). (2000). Colossians, 1–2 Thessalonians, 1–2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon (p. 246). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
5. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND LETTER TO TIMOTHY.  Gorday, P. (Ed.). (2000). Colossians, 1–2 Thessalonians, 1–2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon (pp. 248–249). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
6. ON CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE 4.28.61.  Gorday, P. (Ed.). (2000). Colossians, 1–2 Thessalonians, 1–2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon (p. 249). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.