LETTER TO THE ROMANS (Rom 13:1-7): “The true fulfillment of the Law”  

Rom 13:1-7

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of him who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain; he is the servant of God to execute his wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be subject, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay all of them their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

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LETTER TO THE ROMANS (Rom 12:1-8): “Instructions for the community”  

Rom 12:1-8

I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I bid every one among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith which God has assigned him. For as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; he who teaches, in his teaching; he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who contributes, in liberality; he who gives aid, with zeal; he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

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LETTER TO THE ROMANS (Rom 10:15-21): “Israel in God’s plan”    

Rom 10:15-21

How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news!” But they have not all heeded the gospel; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ. But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have; for “Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.” Again I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, “I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry.” Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, “I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.” But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.” Read More

MY PLANS ARE FULFILLED

“My plans are fulfilled, opportunely or inopportunely, even through missteps and darkness. No one can stop them; nothing can obscure God’s path” (Inner Word).

Our Father uses all circumstances to carry out His plan of salvation. Due to the resistance of the devil and the foolishness and weakness of man, it is true that God’s will often cannot be fulfilled directly according to His original intention. However, in His providence, our Father knows how to take this into consideration. Without abandoning his goal or changing it in principle, He pursues it through missteps and darkness.

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LETTER TO THE ROMANS (Rom 9:1-5): “Paul’s zeal for the people of Israel”  

Rom 9:1-5

I am speaking the truth in Christ, I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen by race. They are Israelites, and to them belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed for ever. Amen.

These words offer us a profound insight into the heart of the Apostle. He suffers for the people from whom he himself comes. It is a very intense spiritual suffering. Paul himself received the grace of conversion and knows very well what God did for him by opening the door to Christ. We know that he was called as an apostle to the ministry of preaching and that he worked tirelessly to bring the Gospel everywhere, but always first to the Jews. However, when he perceived the obstinacy of his own people, who were increasingly persecuting him and trying to hinder the mission entrusted to him, he turned to the Gentiles.

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INNER FREEDOM

‘Even if others want to deprive you of your external freedom, no one can ever take away your inner freedom’ (Inner Word).

These words should serve as comfort when our faith is under pressure or even suffers specific persecution. Many Christians have already experienced this situation, and many will still have to live through it. ‘The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it’ says the Gospel according to St John (Jn 1:5). And the darkness not only refused to receive the light, but often fought against it with active hostility.

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LETTER TO THE ROMANS (Rom 8:14-17): “The Spirit bears witness that we are children of God”  

Rom 8:14-17

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

St. Paul reminds the Christians of Rome of the great grace that is at work in them through faith. They are children of God, and it is the Spirit Himself who bears witness to this, He who has become their guide. He assures them of their divine filiation and makes them recognise that they have a most loving Father.

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