Introduction to 2 Corinthians
Here you have two
letters written by Paul of Tarsus. He's one of the superstars of the early
church and the guy people think is responsible for almost a third of the
writing in the New Testament. If Jesus is taking home the statute for Best
Biblical Hero, then Paul definitely has a lock in the Best Supporting category.
The guy is A-list all the way. These two letters are just a couple of little
theological blockbusters he wrote to the Christian church he founded in
Corinth. 1 Corinthians is kind of like A New Hope
or The
Fellowship of the Ring. It's the
first amazing installment in a can't-wait-to-see-how-it-ends series. This first
letter's got everything a hit movie does: sex, love, marriage, divorce,
conflict, betrayal, anger, and even an occasional discussion of penises. Don't
worry, the rating is still G. So, if that was Paul's first box office hit, then
2 Corinthians is like the sequel that's even bigger and better than the
original. Corinth: now with higher stakes, more expensive special effects, and
bigger explosions (of apostolic anger)! This book also has a little bonus
footage in it, because most scholars think that 2 Corinthians is actually two letters
combined into one. It's what would happen if someone took Breaking
Dawn: Part 1 and Part 2 and
edited them into one movie. Corinthians would have fewer longing vampire
glances, though. The best part about both of these is that you don't have to
wait years between letters to see how it ends. Want to know what happened after
that cliffhanger at the end of 1 Corinthians? Just flip the page and find out
(spoiler alert: things do not go well). It's kind of like how we'd feel if
Peter Jackson had made The Hobbit into
one movie instead of three. (Which let's be honest, he should have: the book isn't that long, dude.) So, break out the popcorn, put
on your 3-D glasses, and crack open your Bibles to the letters to the
Corinthians. On second thought, maybe ditch the 3-D glasses. That might just
make you dizzy.
Why Should I Care?
"Don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me
when I'm angry." Quoting the Hulk (Bruce Banner), but we're also
paraphrasing St. Paul the Apostle. What? Didn't think saints ever got mad? Well
then, just take a peek at 1 and 2 Corinthians to have your world rocked. He may
be a follower of Jesus, but Paul has feelings, too, you know. In these letters,
they're mainly anger, jealousy, and frustration. All that good stuff. See, even
though he founded the church in Corinth, Paul can't quite keep things under
control there. Not only are the Corinthians rebelling left and right, but people
keep coming into town telling everyone that Paul is actually a giant green
monster that can't be trusted in civilized society. Paul calls these guys the
false apostles and, for him, they're worse than a radioactive lab experiment
gone wrong. But if the Hulk's super power is unstoppable strength, Paul's is
sarcasm-laced letters and near-death experiences. While the false apostles
spend most of their time bragging about how amazingly holy and
spiritually-gifted they are, Paul puts pen to paper to record all his failures.
He writes in his letters about being beaten, chained, tortured, imprisoned,
starved, and almost beheaded. See, Paul thinks strength is actually found in
weakness. We'd say Christianity has found its anti-hero. So, if you're looking
for a guy from the Bible you can relate to—someone who occasionally gets mad
and lashes out in letter form (as opposed to stomping buildings)—then, Paul is
your biblical superhero. But remember, if make him angry with your unbelieving
ways—PAUL SMASH!
JULY 25 Wednesday
FEAST OF ST. JAMES-ST CHRISTOPHER
2 Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 11
Therefore, since we know the fear
of the Lord, we try to persuade others; but we are clearly apparent to God, and
I hope we are also apparent to your consciousness.
Paul
here is talking about the judgment seat of Christ. All will be judged on what
they accomplished or failed to accomplish while sojourned here in flesh on
earth. Imagine if at your judgment you discovered that you were using inches
and feet as a measuring tool when all the time God was using the metric system.
(The metric system has been legal in the US since 1866. However, we still don’t
understand it.) According to John Maxwell we may be received into the kingdom,
but our rewards could be different.
1) We are indeed saved by the merits of Christ; but
our reward will be based on our service. 2) We are given freely God’s grace;
but our reward will be given in proportion to our work. 3) We receive the
Kingdom because the Holy Eucharist forms us to the image of Christ; but our
reward is based on our life as a servant of Christ. 4) Christ’s blood poured
out for us and our baptism gives us a birthright, but our reward is based on
our obedience to the eternal spirit. 5) Our faith makes us secure, but our
reward is in being faithful to Him, which is still pending.
Here
is a question to ponder on. Are you a cash cow[2]
for the Lord or the world?
Way
of St. James[1]
Hikers travel the trail across the Castilian plateau. It’s a long walk to Santiago de Compostela on the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James), but the Christian faithful have made the pilgrimage since the bones of St. James the Apostle were unearthed here in the 9th century, spreading the cultural rebirth of Europe. The apparition of St. James was said to aid Christian armies in battles with the Moors, so Spaniards adopted Santiago Matamoros (aka St. James, the Moor-slayer) as their patron saint. Modern hikers follow in the footsteps of El Cid, Louis VII of France, and St. Francis of Assisi to this pilgrimage destination that’s on a par with Rome and Jerusalem. Whether their motives are spiritual or not, the experience of the walk lingers. Most travelers follow a variant of the French Route, which begins in the Basque village of Roncesvalles, in the Pyrenees at the French-Spanish border, and trek 500 miles through the Rioja wine country (see here) and the former kingdoms of northern Spain. Hostels, inns, and restaurants along the entire stretch cater to the pilgrims. Those who lack time or stamina for the 4-plus-week journey by foot walk only the final 62 miles, through rugged but green inland Galicia. At Monte de Gozo, 2 miles from Santiago de Compostela, tired but elated travelers typically get their first glimpse of the twin towers of Santiago’s cathedral. Construction of the majestic Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela began in 1078, on the site of a 9th-century basilica destroyed by the Moors, and Maestro Mateo’s original designs rank among Europe’s finest Romanesque art. The cathedral’s elaborate, two-towered Baroque façade, added in the 18th century, protects the now restored original Porta de Gloria from weathering. The impact of the cavernous interior—as simple as the façade is ornate—is heightened by the golden-cloaked, bejeweled statue of St. James above the main altar, embraced by arriving pilgrims. The cathedral shares the vast Plaza del Obradoiro (“work of gold”) with the Hotel Reyes Católicos (Catholic Kings), built by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel in 1499 as a hospice for pilgrims. Now one of the most renowned paradors in Spain, it has rooms overlooking the square and the cathedral and many more overlooking four courtyard cloisters. Only a short walk away, the Palacio del Carmen has transformed an 18th-century convent into comfortable if less majestic lodging. Where: Santiago de Compostela is 375 miles/603 km northwest of Madrid. The most popular route of the Camino de Santiago starts in Roncesvalle and runs 500 miles/800 km across the northern regions of Spain, from east to west. How: U.S.-based Saranjan, Inc., offers 1- to 2-week tours by minibus, on foot, or on bicycle. Tel 800-858-9594 or 206-720-0623; www.saranjan.com. Cost: 8-day hiking/biking tours from $3,150; all-inclusive. Originate in León. Hotel Reyes Católicos: Tel 34/981582200; www.parador.es; in the U.S., Palace Tours, 800-724-5120; www.palacetours.com. Cost: from $105 (off-peak), from $225 (peak). Palacio del Carmen: Tel 34/981-552444; www.palaciodelcarmen.com. Cost: from $100 (off-peak), from $115 (peak). Best times: late Feb or early Mar for Antroido (carnival); last 2 weeks of Jul for succession of fiestas; Jul 25 for feast day of Santiago, celebrated with fireworks, music, and processions.
JAMES, by birth a Galilean, a son
of Zebedee and Salome, was brother to St. John the apostle, with whom he was
called by Jesus to follow Him. He was present at the transfiguration on Mount
Tabor, at the raising of the daughter of Jairus from the dead, and other like
miracles, and at the bloody sweat in the Garden. After the sending of the Holy
Ghost he preached the doctrines of Jesus in Judea, Samaria, and in Jerusalem,
where Herod caused him to be beheaded in the year 44. His body was brought to
Compostella, in Spain, where it is venerated by vast numbers of the faithful,
who make pilgrimages to his grave. St. James was the first of the apostles who
shed his blood for Christ.
Hikers travel the trail across the Castilian plateau. It’s a long walk to Santiago de Compostela on the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James), but the Christian faithful have made the pilgrimage since the bones of St. James the Apostle were unearthed here in the 9th century, spreading the cultural rebirth of Europe. The apparition of St. James was said to aid Christian armies in battles with the Moors, so Spaniards adopted Santiago Matamoros (aka St. James, the Moor-slayer) as their patron saint. Modern hikers follow in the footsteps of El Cid, Louis VII of France, and St. Francis of Assisi to this pilgrimage destination that’s on a par with Rome and Jerusalem. Whether their motives are spiritual or not, the experience of the walk lingers. Most travelers follow a variant of the French Route, which begins in the Basque village of Roncesvalles, in the Pyrenees at the French-Spanish border, and trek 500 miles through the Rioja wine country (see here) and the former kingdoms of northern Spain. Hostels, inns, and restaurants along the entire stretch cater to the pilgrims. Those who lack time or stamina for the 4-plus-week journey by foot walk only the final 62 miles, through rugged but green inland Galicia. At Monte de Gozo, 2 miles from Santiago de Compostela, tired but elated travelers typically get their first glimpse of the twin towers of Santiago’s cathedral. Construction of the majestic Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela began in 1078, on the site of a 9th-century basilica destroyed by the Moors, and Maestro Mateo’s original designs rank among Europe’s finest Romanesque art. The cathedral’s elaborate, two-towered Baroque façade, added in the 18th century, protects the now restored original Porta de Gloria from weathering. The impact of the cavernous interior—as simple as the façade is ornate—is heightened by the golden-cloaked, bejeweled statue of St. James above the main altar, embraced by arriving pilgrims. The cathedral shares the vast Plaza del Obradoiro (“work of gold”) with the Hotel Reyes Católicos (Catholic Kings), built by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel in 1499 as a hospice for pilgrims. Now one of the most renowned paradors in Spain, it has rooms overlooking the square and the cathedral and many more overlooking four courtyard cloisters. Only a short walk away, the Palacio del Carmen has transformed an 18th-century convent into comfortable if less majestic lodging. Where: Santiago de Compostela is 375 miles/603 km northwest of Madrid. The most popular route of the Camino de Santiago starts in Roncesvalle and runs 500 miles/800 km across the northern regions of Spain, from east to west. How: U.S.-based Saranjan, Inc., offers 1- to 2-week tours by minibus, on foot, or on bicycle. Tel 800-858-9594 or 206-720-0623; www.saranjan.com. Cost: 8-day hiking/biking tours from $3,150; all-inclusive. Originate in León. Hotel Reyes Católicos: Tel 34/981582200; www.parador.es; in the U.S., Palace Tours, 800-724-5120; www.palacetours.com. Cost: from $105 (off-peak), from $225 (peak). Palacio del Carmen: Tel 34/981-552444; www.palaciodelcarmen.com. Cost: from $100 (off-peak), from $115 (peak). Best times: late Feb or early Mar for Antroido (carnival); last 2 weeks of Jul for succession of fiestas; Jul 25 for feast day of Santiago, celebrated with fireworks, music, and processions.
The 12th and 13th centuries are considered to have been the golden age of the pilgrimage to Santiago. Subsequently the years of the Renaissance and Reformation in Europe led to a decrease in the number of pilgrims. However, pilgrims still made their way to Santiago throughout the centuries. In 1884, following academic and medical research, Pope Leon XIII issued the Bull, Deus Omnipotens, which proclaimed that the relics in Santiago were those of St. James. This is recognized as the start of the modern development of the pilgrimage. It was thought that in the 20th Century the growth of mechanized means of transport such as cars and airplanes might lead to a reduction in the number of pilgrims travelling to Santiago on foot or on horseback. This was not to be the case and in the last 30 years in particular there has been a huge growth in interest and in the number of pilgrims travelling on foot, on horseback or by bicycle. Pilgrims were encouraged by the visits by Pope John Paul II in 1982 and in 1989 when World Youth Day was held in Santiago. The number of pilgrims continues to grow. In 1985 1,245 pilgrims arrived in Santiago. In the 2010 Holy Year 272,703 pilgrims qualified for the Compostela.
Things to
Do[5]
·
Learn
more about St. James.
·
It
is traditional in Spain to make a yearly pilgrimage to St. James of Compostela
on July 24. Read
more about this custom. From Catholic Culture's Library: Pilgrimage
To The Stars and Cycling
through time on the Camino de Santiago.
·
Read
about Santiago de Compostela, the third largest shrine in
all of Christendom.
·
Learn
more about the pilgrimage to St. James.
·
Santiago
de Compostela, the capital of Galicia and final destination of the famous
pilgimage way is certainly among Spain's most beautiful cities. You can take a
virtual tour and learn all about this area of the world here.
·
Watch
this Spanish news
broadcast of the faithful bringing flowers for Our Lady of the
Pillar on October 12 during the celebration of the feast at the cathedral,
notice the open devotion and enthusiam offered to Our Lady. Tradition says that
Mary appeared to St. James before her Assumption. Read more about the apparition here.
·
Plan
your own pilgrimage to a nearby shrine. Pope John Paul II said, "To go in
a spirit of prayer from one place to another, from one city to another, in the
area marked especially by God's intervention, helps us not only to live our
life as a journey, but also gives us a vivid sense of a God who has gone before
us and leads us on, who himself set out on man's path, a God who does not look
down on us from on high, but who became our traveling companion." Read
this letter and try to incorporate its spirit into your pilgrimage.
St. Christopher's feast day is still July 25, and the proper of the Mass in his honor is found in the 1962 edition of the Roman Missal still authorized for the Tridentine Mass. The confusion over whether St. Christopher is still a saint arose when Pope Paul VI revised the Liturgical Calendar, which includes the feast days of saints that are commemorated at Mass. Due to the proliferation of the number of feast days over the centuries, the Second Vatican Council in its "Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy" proposed, "Lest the feasts of the saints should take precedence over the feasts which commemorate the very mysteries of salvation, many of them should be left to be celebrated by a particular Church, or nation, or family of religious. Only those should be extended to the universal Church which commemorate saints who are truly of universal importance" (No. 111). With this in mind, a special commission — Consilium — examined the calendar and removed those saints whose historical base was more grounded on tradition than provable fact, changed the feast days to coincide with the anniversary of a saint's death or martyrdom whenever possible, and added saints that were recently canonized and had universal Church appeal. Moreover, local conferences of bishops could add to the universal calendar those saints important to the faithful in their own country. In no way did the Church "de-canonize" St. Christopher or anyone else, despite the lack of historical evidence surrounding their lives. St. Christopher is still worthy of our devotion and prayers, and each of us should be mindful that he too is called to be a "bearer of Christ."
Daily Prayer to Saint Ann
O glorious St. Ann, you are filled with compassion for those
who invoke you and with love for those who suffer! Heavily burdened with the
weight of my troubles, I cast myself at your feet and humbly beg of you to take
the present intention which I recommend to you in your special care.
Please recommend it to your daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and place it before the throne of Jesus, so that He may bring it to a happy issue. Continue to intercede for me until my request is granted. But, above all, obtain for me the grace one day to see my God face to face, and with you and Mary and all the saints to praise and bless Him for all eternity. Amen.
Please recommend it to your daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and place it before the throne of Jesus, so that He may bring it to a happy issue. Continue to intercede for me until my request is granted. But, above all, obtain for me the grace one day to see my God face to face, and with you and Mary and all the saints to praise and bless Him for all eternity. Amen.
Our Father, . . . Hail
Mary . . .
O Jesus, Holy Mary, St.
Ann, help me now and at the hour of my death. Good St. Ann, intercede for me.
NINTH DAY
Good St. Ann, I have
reached the end of this novena in your honor. I have asked and ask again. Good
mother let not your kind ear grow weary of my prayers, though I repeat them so
often.
Bounteous Lady implore
for me from divine Providence all the help I need through life. May your
generous hand bestow on me the material means to satisfy my own needs and to
alleviate the plight of the poor.
Good St. Ann, fortify
me by the sacraments of the Church at the hour of my death. Admit me into the
company of the blessed in the kingdom of heaven, where I may praise and thank
the adorable Trinity, your grandson Christ Jesus, your glorious daughter Mary,
and yourself, dear St. Ann, through endless ages.
"Read
these counsels slowly. Pause to meditate on these thoughts. They are things
that I whisper in your ear-confiding them-as a friend, as a brother, as a
father. And they are being heard by God. I won't tell you anything new. I will
only stir your memory, so that some thought will arise and strike you; and so
you will better your life and set out along ways of prayer and of Love. And in
the end you will be a more worthy soul."
29. Selfish.
Always looking after yourself You seem incapable of feeling the fraternity of
Christ. In those around you, you do not see brothers: you see stepping stones. I
can foresee your complete failure. And when you have fallen, you will want
others to treat you with the charity you are not willing to show towards them
·
Please
pray for me and this ministry
·
Please
Pray for Senator
McCain and our country; asking Our Lady of Beauraing to
intercede.
[1]Schultz, Patricia. 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: Revised Second Edition (pp. 265-266)
[1] John Maxwell, The Maxwell Leadership
Bible.
[2]Cash cow is business jargon for a business venture
that generates a steady return of profits that far exceed the outlay of cash required to acquire or start it.
[3]
Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.
[8]http://www.escrivaworks.org/book/the_way-point-1.htm
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