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From: 2 Corinthians 4:7-15
The Trials He Has Experienced
He Is Sustained By Hope in Heaven
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Commentary:
7-12. In contrast to the greatness of the Gospel—the “treasure” entrusted to them
by God—St. Paul emphasizes the limitations of its ministers: they are “earthen
vessels” (v. 7). To illustrate this he describes the afflictions and persecution to
which he finds himself subjected and in which God’s grace always comes to his
aid.
In some way these sufferings of the Apostles and of all Christians reproduce in
their lives the sufferings of Christ in his passion and death. In his case his suf-
fering opened the way to his glorification after the Resurrection; similarly his
servants, even in this life, are experiencing an anticipation of the life they will at-
tain in heaven; this helps them overcome every kind of affliction.
7. St. Paul again stresses that the effectiveness of all his apostolic activity comes
from God (cf., e.g., 1 Cor 1:26-31; 2 Cor 3:5); he it is who places his treasures in
poor earthenware vessels. The image the Apostle uses—which is reminiscent of
the clay which God used to make Adam (cf. Gen 2:7)—helps Christians realize
that through grace they bear in their souls a wonderful treasure, God himself; like
earthen vessels they are very fragile and they need to be put together again in the
sacrament of Confession. As a gloss on these ideas St Escriva taught that
Christians by bearing God in their souls are enabled to live at one and the same
time “in heaven and on earth, divinized: but knowing that we are of the world and
made of clay, with the frailty that is typical of clay—an earthenware pot which our
Lord has deigned to use in his service. And whenever it has got broken, we have
gone and riveted the bits together again, like the prodigal son: ‘I have sinned
against heaven and against you...’” (quoted in Bernal, “Monsignor Escriva de
Balaguer”).
8-9. The Apostle’s words assure the Christian that he or she can always count
on God’s help: no matter what trials they have to undergo, victory can be attained
with the grace of God as happened in St. Paul’s case. “God is faithful, and he will
not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with temptation will also provide
you the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Cor 10:13). Moreover,
St. Paul’s example reminds us that more or less severe suffering and tribulation
will be a normal thing in the lives of Christ’s followers; theirs will never be a comfor-
table, trouble-free life. “If it is your ambition to win the esteem of men, if your
desire is to be well-regarded and seek only a life of ease, you have gone astray
[...]. In the city of the saints, entrance is given and rest and eternal rule with the
King, only to those who have made their way along the rough, narrow way of
tribulation” (Pseudo-Macarius, “Homilies”, XII, 5).
10-11. As happened in St. Paul’s case, in their daily lives Christians must relive
the sufferings of Christ through self-denial and penance: this is part of following
Christ and imitating him. “The Christian vocation is one of sacrifice, penance,
expiation. We must make reparation for our sins—for the many times we turned
our face aside so as to avoid the gaze of God—and all the sins of mankind. We
must try to imitate Christ, ‘always carrying in the body the death of Christ’, his
abnegation, his suffering on the cross, ‘so that the life of Jesus may be manifes-
ted in our bodies’ (2 Cor 4:10). Our way is one of immolation and, in this denial,
we find “gaudium cum pace”, both joy and peace” (St. J. Escriva, “Christ Is
Passing By”, 9).
Self-denial, mortification, does not have to be something overt; it should be prac-
ticed in the ordinary circumstances of life—for example, by being punctual for
appointments, carefully fulfilling one’s duties, treating everyone with as much
charity as possible, accepting little setbacks in a good-humored way (cf. St. J.
Escriva, “Friends of God”, 138).
10. “The death of Jesus”: more exactly, the “dying” of Christ: the Greek word
refers to the situation of someone who is dying.
12. In the Apostles, and also in other Christians, the paradox of Jesus’ life is veri-
fied: his death is the cause of life for all men. “Unless a grain of wheat falls into
the earth and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (Jn 12:24).
Afflictions and tribulations, physical and moral pain, daily self-denial and penance,
cause Christ’s disciple to die to himself and, if united to the sufferings of his Mas-
ter, they become a source of life for others through the communion of saints.
13-18. The Apostle explains where he gets the strength to bear all the tribulations
of life—from his hope in the resurrection and his expectation of being in heaven
with those to whom he is writing (v. 14). There is nothing selfish about this desire
for heaven: it helps us to stay true to the faith and it enables us to see all the
sufferings of this life as something transitory and slight (v. 17), a necessary step
to heaven and a way to obtain incomparably greater happiness. “If we wish to
enjoy the pleasures of eternity,” St. Alphonsus reminds us, “we must deprive our-
selves of the pleasures of time. ‘Whoever would save his life will lose it’ (Mt 16:25)
[...]. If we wish to be saved, we must all be martyrs, either by the tyrant’s sword
or through our own mortification. Let us have this conviction—that everything we
suffer is nothing compared with the eternal glory that awaits us. ‘I consider the
sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be
revealed to us’ (Rom 8:18). These momentary afflictions will bring us eternal hap-
piness (cf. 2 Cor 4:17)” (”Treasury of Preaching Material”, II, 9).
13. The Apostle’s faith leads him to keep on preaching, despite all the difficulties
this may involve. There is nothing else he can do: he is convinced that his faith
is what can save the world and he cannot but strive to spread it. If he acted
otherwise it would mean his faith was asleep and he did not truly love others.
“When you find that something has done you good,” St. Gregory the Great ex-
plains, “try to bring it to the attention of others. You should, therefore, desire
others to join you on the ways of the Lord. If you are going to the forum or the
baths, and you meet someone who is not doing anything, you invite him to go
along with you. Apply this earthly custom to the spiritual sphere, and as you
make your way to God, do not do so alone” (”In Evangelia Homiliae”, 6, 6).
14. What inspires St. Paul’s apostolic activity and enables him to bear all the
difficulties it involves, is his firm belief in resurrection in glory, the basis and cause
of which is Christ’s resurrection. He also has the hope of sharing this happiness
in heaven, in the presence of God, with all the faithful for whose salvation he is
working on earth.
15. After reminding the Corinthians that all the sufferings he has been speaking
about he has borne for their sake (cf. 4:5), St. Paul tells them what motivates him
most—the greater glory of God, to whom the faithful should turn in deep gratitude
(cf. 1:11; 9:12). This should be man’s primary attitude to God—one of profound
adoration and thanksgiving for all his benefits, as we are daily reminded in the
Preface of the Mass.
“If life’s purpose were not to give glory to God, how contemptible, how hateful it
would be” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 783).
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.