PARTING WORDS FROM SAINT PAUL

JUNE 26, 2009

On Monday of next week the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, and this celebration will bring to a close the Jubilee Year proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI in honor of Saint Paul the Apostle. In these final days of the Pauline Year, I pray that it has been a fruitful time for all the faithful, a time to have drawn fresh inspiration from his dramatic conversion and dynamic apostolic journeys.  During those journeys, he spread the faith and found Christian communities throughout the ancient Mediterranean world. I pray it has also been a time of growth in knowledge of the rich body of his teachings embodied in his letters which comprise a substantial part of the New Testament of the Bible.

At times of farewell it is customary to offer parting words, so as we take leave from the Year of Saint Paul, I would like to allow the Apostle to have the last words, in this sense. Paul never wrote to any of the Christian communities he founded except when he could not be present in person to address the needs and problems specific to their situation. Whenever he wrote, he customarily closed his letters with encouragement and by imparting the advice he most wanted his listeners to remember. This was especially true in the case of the letters he wrote from prison, when he believed he would never see his beloved Christian companions again. He wrote letters from prison to the Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians, and to Philemon.

Let us, then, close the Pauline Year by taking these words to heart as the ones Paul most wanted us to remember.

To the Colossians: “Persevere in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving; at the same time, pray for us, too, that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak of the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison, that I may make it clear, as I must speak. Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you know how you should respond to each one” (4:2-6).

To the Ephesians: “Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shot in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit. To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the holy ones and also for me…” (6:10-19)

To the Philippians:  “Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers, and observe those who thus conduct themselves according to the model you have in us. For many, as I have often told you and now tell you even in tears, conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction. Their God is their stomach; their glory is in their ‘shame’. Their minds are occupied with earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be in you” (3:17-21; 4:4-9).

+Bishop Raymundo J. Peña

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