2 Corinthians 2: Painful Circumstances
Thursday, October 3, 2019
Some of us avoid pain; some of us hesitate to inflict pain on another. Others of us use pain as a weapon against anyone who gets in our way or even ourselves. Today we read from Paul’s second letter to the people of Corinth and quite close to the opening, he addresses his audience to speak of painful circumstances. Scholars speculate that either Paul had heard of an aggravating matter that needed to be addressed or that Paul had been rejected by some of the Corinthians. In either case we are left with the aftermath and on-going effects of suffering. The group suffers as a result of an action by a member or members of their community. What one endures, we all endure. This is the world of Jesus into which we wish to enter.
Paul suggests forgiveness as the central and most important tool that we might use to extricate ourselves from painful circumstances. It is this same forgiveness that brings us the peace of Christ and assuages anxiety as we live out the after effects of painful circumstances. As I read Paul’s words, I am reminded of the concise but excellent homily we heard this morning from Bishop Newman as he commented on the first reading at Mass from the first letter of Peter. He said that these words are some of his favorite: You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. We are special, we are the brother and sisters of the prince of light, Christ, we are united with others God has chosen, and we are to proclaim God’s goodness to all. As God’s chosen, royal people we will encounter painful circumstances and we will need to forgive the trespasses of others, and we will even have to forgive ourselves for our own lapses in kingdom building.
Peter tells us: Once you were no people but now you are God’s people . . . (1 Peter 2)
Paul repeats to us: God loves us so much that he created us and calls us out of darkness into the light so we must forgive as God forgives.
Peter writes to us: You had not received mercy but now you have received mercy . . . (1 Peter 2)
Paul reminds us: God loves us so much that he forgives us endlessly, wanting us to forgive ourselves and one another . . . so that we might resolve all painful circumstances as we come together in Christ.
A re-post from September 13, 2012.
For more on how to forgive and what real forgiveness looks like, click on the image above or go to: http://www.birthpangs.org/articles/biblical/forgiveness1.html
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