THE POWER OF GOD

"Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me", says the Holy Apostle--because "The power of God is made perfect in weakness."  Now if you are like me, you may be wondering: if this is so, why do I so seldom feel the power of God at work in my life?  For I am, indeed, most painfully aware of my weakness and my failure to live according to the lofty standards set by our Lord.

But the key to this dilemma no doubt lies in what I have just said: I am painfully aware.  So why the pain?....It is because my apparent humility is really a subtle form of pride.  Perhaps the power of God in not made perfect in my life because I do not truly acknowledge my weakness.  Or rather, I do not gracefully accept it, casting my sinful soul onto the mercy of God.  Due to my overweening pride, I feel I should indeed be perfect--even apart from the grace of God.

St. Paul, on the other hand, gloried in his infirmities.  Three times he entreated the Lord to remove the thorn from his side, but our Lord did not answer his prayer.  Instead, he proclaimed that "My power is made perfect in weakness."  The Holy Apostle declared that he was the greatest of sinners and the least of the Apostles, because he had persecuted the Church of God.  Yet by the grace of God, he declared, "I am what I am."  And so, if the Holy Apostle confessed his total reliance of the grace of God--should we not all strive to emulate his holy example? 

THE PREACHING OF THE CROSS

"For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God."  Foolish indeed is the preaching of the Cross to those who believe in Disneyworld and the power of malls: those who believe that happiness is our highest goal in life, who put their trust in things that money can buy, who believe that suffering is a great evil that must be eliminated at any cost. 

But for those of us who believe, the Cross which we bear on our shoulders is the means to salvation, the only path by which we shall be delivered from the power of sin, death and the Devil.  Let us rejoice, therefore, and be exceeding glad, for by the power of the Cross our enemies are vanquished and we are granted abundant life in God's heavenly Kingdom. 

And so, as our Lord assures us, "Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross, and follow Me."  And again (as the Lord relates in the Parable of the Talents) "For everyone that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance : but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath."

This is contrary, of course, to the modern political idea of "income redistribution," according to which those who have are compelled to give to those who have not, lest "the rich get richer and the poor get poorer."  Of course, Jesus wasn't preaching politics... nor am I.  But the truth is (in the spiritual sense) those who through fear or laziness or foolish complacency do nothing to increase the talent God has given them--that is, whatever gifts and abilities God has bestowed upon us, however small and insignificant they may seem--shall surely be judged unworthy to share in the joy of God's eternal Kingdom.