“I prefer a humble sinner to a proud Pharisee, because with the former I can walk my ways. That is why I allow humiliations and, at times, withdraw my tangible grace” (Interior Word).
Showing all posts by Elija
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.
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.
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.
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.
THE LIFE OF GOD IN US
“Remain in me, so that my life may flow through you” (Inner Word).
This phrase is very similar to the words we know from the Gospel of St John: “Abide in me, and I in you” (Jn 15:4). The Lord invites us to give Him our whole heart and to watch over it so that it never strays from Him. Read More
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.
THE STRONGER ONE HAS COME
‘Someone stronger must come and break the chains’ (Inner Word).
Sinful humanity is bound by chains with which Satan has bound it. He seeks to separate men from salvation in order to indirectly hurt God, who loves them so much. The chains are of various kinds. Read More
LETTER TO THE ROMANS: The inevitable battle
At the beginning of the sixth chapter of the Letter to the Romans, Saint Paul explains that, through baptism, we share in the death and resurrection of Christ and that, from that moment on, we must walk a new life. This new life requires an effort on our part to detach ourselves from our old, sinful and vain life. Thus writes the Apostle:
“So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. Do not yield your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but yield yourselves to God as men who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments of righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” (Rom 6:11-14).