As we continue our study of the life of St. Paul and the effect he has had upon the world, even to this day, we realize how God’s plans can unfold and how He can use even one voice to bring about his plan of salvation reaching to the ends of the earth.

Throughout the centuries that preceded the coming of Jesus Christ, God prepared a people, a chosen race, the Jews to be the people from which the Messiah would come.

However God’s plan was not restricted to simply saving this nation, but His plan was that all mankind would be restored to union with God and the promise of new life in Christ was meant for all. It again shows us the profound wisdom of God that He would choose a man from the chosen race. A man who was the strictest of Jews, faithful to the letter of the law that ruled every aspect of his life. God would break through this narrow view of life and use Paul to be the one who would bring the Good news to the Gentile people.

It is hard for us to even begin to understand the mindset of the Jews when it came to the Gentile nations. Remember they were steeped in paganism and worshipped a multitude of gods. How could God possibly save these people! Surely throughout the Old Testament we read of God’s repeated instructions

In Philippians 4:4 St. Paul tells us to "Rejoice in the Lord always". In Colossians 1:24 "I rejoice now in the sufferings I bear for your sake". In 1 Thessalonians 5:16. "Rejoice always. Pray constantly. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus". These are but a few verses where St Paul instructs us to literally embrace the cross through our trials and learn to offer a sacrifice of praise to our God.

This exhortation to embrace the cross in our lives seems to many to be complete absurdity. Why would anyone rejoice in suffering, surely this is masochistic?

In 1 Corinthians 1:18-19 Paul writes. "The message of the cross is complete absurdity to those who are headed for ruin, but to us who are experiencing salvation it is the power of God."

The cross is a stumbling block to many. 1 Corinthians 1:23 "But we preach Christ crucified-a stumbling block to Jews and an absurdity to Gentiles."

Paul goes onto say in 1 Corinthians 2:2 "I determined that while I was with you I would speak of nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified."

Paul sees the graces that are available to us as we embrace the cross. In Col. 1:24 "Even now I find my joy in the suffering I endure for you. In my own flesh I fill up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ for the sake of his body, the church."

Is anything lacking in the suffering that Christ endured for you and me? No, nothing is lacking. What Paul is saying is that Christ invites us to share in his suffering by embracing our cross so that we can participate in the work of redemption. He is asking us to assist in the salvation of the world! What an amazing request from Jesus. He the creator of the universe, the second person of the Holy Trinity. God become incarnate, invites us to share in his work of salvation. What a privilege, so why do we waste the trials we will certainly experience in our lives. There are many little difficulties we experience daily and we can join them to Christ's sufferings especially for those loved ones who have drifted away from the faith. In this way God's graces are released to turn souls back to God in repentance and to once again embrace Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

We often tend to focus entirely upon sickness as the only form of suffering, but this is a false understanding. Certainly when sickness comes we can ask God to help us to bear this trial and use it for his glory, but that does not mean that we should not seek medical help and ask God to heal us. A reading of the Gospels shows us the compassion Christ had for the sick in that wherever he went he healed the sick. He told us to do likewise. That is why we pray for the sick and often God chooses to answer our prayers by healing the afflicted.

Most often the sufferings we bear originate from outside of us in that we can experience rejection or even persecution for our faith in Jesus. A reading of 2 Corinthians:11:24-27 will help us to see what St. Paul endured for the sake of the Gospel. He lists the times he was beaten, scourged, whipped, stoned, shipwrecked, knew cold, hunger, exhaustion all so that he could reach as many as possible with the Good news of Jesus Christ.

So beloved let us learn from St. Paul through this year, who implored us to imitate him as he imitated Christ. 1 Cor. 11:1.

Then we too will see the victory of the cross in our lives and look forward in blessed hope to the prize which God calls us to, "Life on high in Christ Jesus" (Phil.3:14)

Peter Thompson.

St. Paul, pray for us.