CURSED, WE ANSWER WITH A BLESSING

PRAYER MOMENT                      

Saturday 6 September 2014.

CURSED, WE ANSWER WITH A BLESSING

Pause. Be still in God’s presence.

Reading: “When we are cursed we answer with a blessing; when we are hounded, we put up with it; we are insulted and we answer politely.” (I Cor4:6-15)

Reflection. Paul is teaching his new Corinthian community what it is to belong to Christ. He says, in effect, that living in conformity with Jesus means living as he did. Jesus was hounded, persecuted and insulted and how did he respond? If the Corinthians are really to be ‘like Christ’ in his sufferings and so enter his glory they have to at least desire to imitate him. When was the last time I was insulted, misunderstood or put dpwn? It is a test of my sincerity when I say I am a Christian. Do I fight back? Defend myself? Or do I try to absorb the insults without bitterness and indeed with a prayer in my heart for the person concerned? Pedro Arrupe, General Superior of the Jesuits in the nineteen sixties and seventies, was imprisoned by the Japanese on suspicion of being a spy in solitary confinement without trial for a month. When he came out he astonished his captors by going round thanking them.

Prayer. Lord Jesus, teach us to have you mind and heart. Teach us to be patient when we feel hurt. Amen.

David Harold-Barry SJ