Home // November 2-6 2009 > Feature - Paul points the way

Make Text Larger Make Text Smaller Email this Article to a Friend Print this Article

Feature - Paul points the way

Published: November 06, 2009

Recently I have been reading Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians. As we reread the Scriptures, they always seem to have a newness and freshness about them that one hasn't noticed before. That has been the case with my recent reading of Paul. The Corinthian Church, founded by Paul, had turned to him for advice on some local issues. His responses to these local issues are relevant to how we should approach contemporary issues today.

For Paul, the power of the Gospel is the driving force of the Christian community. He points out to the Corinthians that they are humble people, yet God chose them to be the bearers of his message. He chose what seems foolish in the world to be his people. It is the same to day. Those who are called to be followers of Jesus are not always the most intelligent, most distinguished, the most outstanding in the eyes of the world. We might have chosen a different group of people, if the choice had been ours. The ways of God are not our ways.

The very thing that seemed to be the weakness of their preaching, that Christ was crucified, is the very source of their power. It is the same today. It is the power of the Gospel, the living it out by the followers of Jesus, that is the instrument of transformation in our society. We should not have a false humility: how can I bring about such a transformation? It is not us, but the power of God working through us. If we live the Gospel, the power of the Gospel will affect the people around us. - Bishop David Walker, Broken Bay News (click below for full article)

http://www.dbb.org.au/news/Pages/LivingtheGospelinourTimes.aspx

 

Response to articles is welcome though it may take up to 24 hours for the posting to appear. Simply follow the prompts to post your comment. No posting of more than 250 words will be published. While critical comment on stories & issues is welcomed, postings that descend to personal attacks on or impugn the integrity of other commentators will be blocked.
If you have any problems please email news@cathnews.com
Email is requested for identification purposes only.

^ Page Top

Delicious

More from this section

  1. Feature - As long as his mother's hand

    My grandson Peter died on Thursday July 26, the Feast of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus. He was sixteen weeks old, a perfect little boy. He was as long as his mother's hand, and died as soon as he was born. I am dating his life, of course, from his conception. - Marist Messenger

  2. Feature - Lifelong devotion and love

    As a young child witnessing bombs dropping around him in his hometown of Prague in Czechoslovakia, Joseph Pertl dreamt of becoming a priest and devoting his life to God and helping others. - Lindy McNamara, The Southern Cross

  3. Feature - New generation neither Catholic "lite" nor Catholic "Taliban"

    This new generation seems ideally positioned to address the lamentable tendency to drive a wedge between the Church's pro-life message and its peace and justice commitments. They can help us find the sane middle between two extremes: What George Weigel correctly calls "Catholicism lite," meaning a form of the faith sold out to secularism; and what I've termed "Taliban Catholicism," meaning an angry expression of Catholicism that knows only how to excoriate and condemn. - John L. Allen Jr, National Catholic Reporter

  4. Feature - Solving the crisis in America's Catholic schools

    Today Catholic schools serve about 2.2 million students, roughly half the 1965 peak year total. There are still nearly 7,250 Catholic schools, but since 1990 over 1,300 have closed and some 300,000 pupils have been displaced. The decline is concentrated in urban communities that now are home mainly to low income, non-Catholic, minority families. - John J. DiIulio Jr, America

  5. Featured Website - Catholic Network of Volunteer Service

    Catholic Network of Volunteer Service is a US based non-profit organisation established in 1963 which has as its mission "to be a bridge between people thinking about volunteering and member programs, over 230 of which offer volunteer opportunities." The site features information for both programs seeking volunteers and those seeking a place to volunteer.

Church Resources provides a range of services for the Church and not-for-profit sector, including aggregating buying power for a wide range of products and services used by health, welfare, aged care, education and parish organisations. More »
Subscribe

Receive CathNews headlines in your inbox daily.

News Feed

Subscribe to the CathNews RSS feed to get the daily edition automatically delivered to you.