Paul on the defensive for the Israelites

Scholars discover that books in the Bible usually display some chiastic structures, an X like construction where the central idea is located at the centre. In written form, texts can be grouped together into ABCC'B'A' or ABCDC'B'A' etc. Within such a structure, the end echoes the beginning. It is a very powerful and useful literary device. There are 16 chapters in the epistle to the Romans. We expect to find Paul's central theme in Romans 8 and 9, if Paul has used such a literary device in this epistle.

In Romans 9-11, Paul quoted extensively from the Old Testament to defend the position of the Israelites. I always suspect that Paul did not have the Gentiles in his mind when he was writing this epistle. His readers have to know the scripture very well in order to be able to follow his argument. Let me summarize.

1. We owe our salvation through the Israelites (Romans 9:1-5).
2. Many Jews did not believe. Does it mean that God's word has failed? No. God had elected a minority (Romans 9:6-13).
3. Was God being unfair? No. God has mercy on those He wills (Romans 9:14-18).
4. Why does God still find faults? We are God's vessels of mercy. Therefore, we are in no position to ask (Romans 9:19-26).
5. Only a remnant will be saved (Romans 9:27-29).
6. Righteousness is achieved through faith (Romans 9:30-33).

Applying the concept of chiastic structure, we would find the central ideas of Romans 9 in sections 3 and 4. God is fair. Let's accept the reality that God would find fault with us.

7. Paul prayed that the Jews would be saved (Romans 10:1-4).
8. Salvation comes from faith which is manifested by calling on the name of the Lord (Romans 10:5-13).
9. The importance of preaching (Romans 10:14-17) Here, we have one of the mostly quoted Romans verses.
   But how are men to call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher?
   And how can men preach unless they are sent? (Romans 10:14-15a)
10. The Israelites have also heard the Good News (Romans 10:18-21).
11. God had not rejected the people whom He elected (Romans 11:1-10).
12. Through the trespasses of the Jews, Gentiles could have a chance to be saved, thus stirring up the jealousy of the Israel (Romans 11:11-12).

In Romans 11, Paul employed an imagery of branches and grafting to show the relationship between the Jews, Gentiles and God. The Church provides them a meeting ground. Perhaps I should leave this for next time.

Dear Lord, I should thank St. Paul for his beautiful articulation of the importance of preaching. I pray for my audience. May Your Spirit open their minds, make them receptive to Your gospel of reconciliation. Amen.

Appendix:

1. ἀλλ', Ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα. 
   but "Through Isaac shall your descendants be named." (Romans 9:7b, Genesis 21:12b)
2. Κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ἐλεύσομαι καὶ ἔσται τῇ Σάρρᾳ υἱός. 
   About this time I will return and Sarah shall have a son (Romans 9:9b).
   κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον εἰς ὥρας, καὶ ἕξει υἱὸν Σαρρα ἡ γυνή σου (Genesis 18:10).
3. ὁ μείζων δουλεύσει τῷ ἐλάσσονι, 
   The elder will serve the younger (Romans 9:12b, Genesis 25:23b)
4. τὸν Ἰακὼβ ἠγάπησα, τὸν δὲ Ἠσαῦ ἐμίσησα.
   Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated (Romans 9:13)
   καὶ ἠγάπησα τὸν Ιακωβ, 
   τὸν δὲ Ησαυ ἐμίσησα (Malachi 1:2-3)
5. Ἐλεήσω ὃν ἂν ἐλεῶ, καὶ οἰκτιρήσω ὃν ἂν οἰκτίρω. 
   I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion (Romans 9:15, Exodus 33:19b).
6. ὅτι Εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἐξήγειρά σε ὅπως ἐνδείξ ωμαι ἐν σοὶ τὴν δύναμίν μου, καὶ ὅπως διαγγελῇ τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ. 
   I have raised you up for the very purpose of showing my power in you, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth (Romans 9:17)
   καὶ ἕνεκεν τούτου διετηρήθης, ἵνα ἐνδείξωμαι ἐν σοὶ τὴν ἰσχύν μου, καὶ ὅπως διαγγελῇ τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ. (Exodus 9:16)
7. μὴ ἐρεῖ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι, Τί με ἐποί ησας οὕτως; 
   Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me thus?" (Romans 9:20b)
   μὴ ἐρεῖ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι Οὐ σύ με ἔπλασας; ἢ τὸ ποίημα τῷ ποιήσαντι Οὐ συνετῶς με ἐποίησας; (Isaiah 29:16b)
8. Καλέσω τὸν οὐ λαόν μου λαόν μου καὶ τὴν οὐκ ἠγαπημένην ἠγαπ ημένην .
   Those who were not my people I will call my people, and her who was not beloved I will call my beloved (Romans 9:25)
   καὶ ἐλεήσω τὴν Οὐκ-ἠλεημένην καὶ ἐρῶ τῷ Οὐ-λαῷ-μου Λαός μου εἶ σύ (Hosea 2:25 LXX, 2:23 MT).
9. καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῷ τόπῳ οὗ ἐρρέθη αὐτοῖς, Οὐ λαός μου ὑμεῖς, ἐκεῖ κ ληθήσονται υἱοὶ θεοῦ ζῶντος. 
   And in the very place where it was said to them, `You are not my people, they will be called sons of the living God (Romans 9:26, Hosea 2:1b LXX, 1:0 MT).
10. Ἐὰν ᾖ ὁ ἀριθμὸς τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ ὡς ἡ ἄμμος τῆς θαλάσσης, τὸ ὑπό λειμμα σωθήσεται:
    λόγον γὰρ συντελῶν καὶ συντέμνων ποιήσει κύριος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. 
    Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved;
    for the Lord will execute his sentence upon the earth with rigor and dispatch (Romans 9:27-28).
    καὶ ἐὰν γένηται ὁ λαὸς Ισραηλ ὡς ἡ ἄμμος τῆς θαλάσσης, τὸ κατάλει μμα αὐτῶν σωθήσεται, λόγον γὰρ συντελῶν καὶ συντέμνων ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ,
    ὅτι λόγον συντετμημένον ποιήσει ὁ θεὸς ἐν τῇ οἰκουμένῃ ὅλῃ. (Isaiah 10:22-23).
11. Εἰ μὴ κύριος Σαβαὼθ ἐγκατέλιπεν ἡμῖν σπέρμα, ὡς Σόδομα ἂν ἐγ ενήθημεν καὶ ὡς Γόμορρα ἂν ὡμοιώθημεν. 
    If the Lord of hosts had not left us children, we would have fared like Sodom and been made like Gomorrah (Romans 9:29, Isaiah 1:9).
12. Ἰδοὺ τίθημι ἐν Σιὼν λίθον προσκόμματος καὶ πέτραν σκανδάλου, καὶ ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ' αὐτῷ οὐ καταισχυνθήσεται. 
    Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make them fall; and he who believes in him will not be put to shame(Romans 9:33).
    Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐμβαλῶ εἰς τὰ θεμέλια Σιων λίθον πολυτελῆ ἐκλεκτὸν ἀκρ ογωνιαῖον ἔντιμον εἰς τὰ θεμέλια αὐτῆς, καὶ ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ̓ αὐτῷ οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ. (Isaiah 28:16)
13. Τίς ἀναβήσεται εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν; 
    Who will ascend into heaven? (Romans 10:6b)
    Τίς ἀναβήσεται ἡμῖν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν (Deuteronomy 30:12)
14. Τίς καταβήσεται εἰς τὴν ἄβυσσον; 
    Who will descend into the abyss? (Romans 10:7)
    Τίς διαπεράσει ἡμῖν εἰς τὸ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης [the sea](Deuteronomy 30:13).
15. Ἐγγύς σου τὸ ῥῆμά ἐστιν, ἐν τῷ στόματί σου καὶ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου 
    The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart (Romans 10:8)
    ἔστιν σου ἐγγὺς τὸ ῥῆμα σφόδρα ἐν τῷ στόματί σου καὶ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου (Deuteronomy 30:14).
16. Πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ' αὐτῷ οὐ καταισχυνθήσεται.
    No one who believes in him will be put to shame (Romans 10:11)
    καὶ ὁ πιστεύων ἐπ̓ αὐτῷ οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ.(Isaiah 28:16)
17. Πᾶς γὰρ ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου σωθήσεται. 
    For, "every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13)
    καὶ ἔσται πᾶς, ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου, σωθήσεται, (Joel 3:5 LXX, 2:32 MT)
18. Ὡς ὡραῖοι οἱ πόδες τῶν εὐαγγελιζομένων [τὰ] ἀγαθά. 
    How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news (Romans 10:15b)
    ὡς ὥρα ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων, ὡς πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου ἀκοὴν εἰρήνης, ὡς εὐαγγελιζόμενος ἀγαθά (Isaiah 52:7a)
19. Κύριε, τίς ἐπίστευσεν τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν; 
    Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us? (Romans 10:16b, Isaiah 53:1a)
20. Εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ἐξῆλθεν ὁ φθόγγος αὐτῶν, καὶ εἰς τὰ πέρατα τ ῆς οἰκουμένης τὰ ῥήματα αὐτῶν. 
    Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world (Romans 10:18b, Psalm 18:5a LXX, 19:4 MT)
21. Ἐγὼ παραζηλώσω ὑμᾶς ἐπ' οὐκ ἔθνει, ἐπ' ἔ θνει ἀσυνέτῳ παροργιῶ ὑμᾶς.
    I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry (Romans 10:19b)
    κἀγὼ παραζηλώσω αὐτοὺς ἐπ̓ οὐκ ἔθνει, ἐπ̓ ἔθ νει ἀσυνέτῳ παροργιῶ αὐτούς. (Deuteronomy 32:21b)
22. Εὑρέθην [ἐν] τοῖς ἐμὲ μὴ ζητοῦσιν, ἐμφανὴς ἐγενόμην τοῖς ἐμὲ μὴ ἐπερωτῶσιν. 
    I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me (Romans 10:20b)
    Ἐμφανὴς ἐγενόμην τοῖς ἐμὲ μὴ ζητοῦσιν, εὑρέ θην τοῖς ἐμὲ μὴ ἐπερωτῶσιν (Isaiah 65:1a).
23. Ολην τὴν ἡμέραν ἐξεπέτασα τὰς χεῖράς μου πρὸς λαὸν ἀπειθοῦν τα καὶ ἀντιλέγοντα. 
    All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people (Romans 10:21)
    ἐξεπέτασα τὰς χεῖράς μου ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν πρὸς λαὸν ἀπειθοῦντα κ αὶ ἀντιλέγοντα (Isaiah 65:2a)

The position of Israel in Christianity

Christians blame the Jews for the death of Jesus their Lord. During the first century when Christians were still a minority, the Jews persecuted them, especially the Jewish Christians, because they worshipped a carpenter, a Rabbi from Galilee. When Christianity became a national cult for the Roman Empire, the table began to turn. Christians turned around to persecute the Jews. It is a tragic historical fact. Christians know the teaching of St. Paul. Still, they continued to persecute the Jews.

In the reading today, we read of Paul's defence for the position of the Israelites. Paul himself was a Pharisee, the most rigorous party of the Jews. Party members spent most of their time studying the Torah, the Scripture. They were meticulous in the keeping of the law. Therefore, they would be the last to give up their faith. In fact, Paul was known to be a persecutor of Christians before his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus.
Probably, Paul was torn between his loyalty to Christ and his loyalty to his fellow countrymen. At that time, many Jews were still hostile to the Christians. Paul himself had suffered under their hands many times (2 Corinthians 11:23-25). It would only be nature for Paul not to preach to the Jews. Yet, blood is thicker than water. In his missionary journeys, he always started his preaching to the Jews first. Only after he was rejected would he turn to the Gentiles. In Romans 9, we find how Paul defended their positions.
For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen by race.
They are Israelites, and to them belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises;
to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ. God who is over all be blessed for ever. Amen (Romans 9:3-5).
The Jews used to be the sons of God. They possessed the law, the covenant; the worship and the promises; the sonship and the glory. The most crucial point is that Jesus was born a Jew! From the point of view of a Gentile, I usually would ask why Jesus was not born a Chinese, but a Jew. From the point of view of Paul, he might have asked why the Jews have to suffer so many casualties.

We owe the Jews Jesus. For our sake, Jesus died on the cross to save us. Had the Christians remembered the teaching of Saint Paul in the epistles to the Romans, less Jews would have suffered senseless murders in the name of God!
The Israelites and the Jews were scapegoats. They had been attacked to show that God still loved us despite our rebellions.

Dear Lord, I praise You. It is because You always work miracles. Your servant, Israel, has suffered for the sake of all mankind. May Your mercy be abundant to bridge our divisions. Amen.

Renewal of the Creation

In the discussion of Romans 8 as a commentary on the concept of the Original Sin, I did not spend enough time to analyze Paul's theory on how the sons of God would set the Creation free. Let me recap Paul's view on the relation between the sons of God and the Creation.
First of all, the sons of God would be glorified by God because they were heirs of God.
it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us (Romans 8:16-18).
Paul took this opportunity to inject some moral elements into glory. In the Roman Empire, military successes seemed to be the only way to attain glory. Perhaps a successful political career in the Senate would also bring glory. However, Paul saw that Christians should pursue glory through other means. They should follow the example set up by Jesus our Saviour. Jesus' glory was achieved through crucifixion. Why was Jesus crucified? It was because Jesus upheld the truth and offended many people in authority. Therefore, as the followers of Jesus, Christians should also lead the kind of life taught by Jesus. Inevitably, we would suffer. And suffer we with him so as to attain the glory of resurrection like him.
Secondly, the whole Creation decays under the curse of the Original Sin. But the merciful God has not forsaken this Creation. The day would come when His salvation should appear. As the image and likeness of God, man would be the first to receive this salvation. These would be the sons of God. When they appeared on earth, the Creation is set free.
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God;
for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope;
because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God (Romans 8:19-21).

God gave us the Spirit as a guarantee of our salvation. This Spirit also helps us in our weakness.
Prayer seems to be our weakest link. Therefore, following this line of reasoning, Paul gave us prayer as an example. The Holy Spirit prays in us to God. The Holy Spirit also helps us do things according to God's will.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words.
And he who searches the hearts of men knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God (Romans 8:26-27).
So, let us return to the original question. How do the sons of God set the Creation free?
The answer lies in the next verse.
We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).
Therefore, God will work for the good of those who love Him. The sons of God should not spend too much time in a sinful environment which would only suppress the potential of people in general and Christians in particular. Therefore, God's intervention was needed. St. Paul believes that God is taking the initiative to clean up the environment for the good of His adopted children. So, by the time Christians appeared on earth, they work to renew the Creation. The children of God will be confronted by worldly difficulties because when we uphold the truth, many people would be offended. As long as they stick with the Lord, they are able to accomplish their mission to free the Creation from decays.
For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). 

Dear Lord, You are the True Vine. Do not cut us off Your branches. Amen.

Feast of Ss. Simon & Jude (Year B)

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). 
Therefore, each one of us is an artefact of the workmanship of God. Our life stories are songs. Some songs are plain. Some are passionate. Some are melodic while some melancholic. Some are uplifting as some unfinished. History leaves us little information about St. Simon the Zealot and St. Jude (Thaddaeus). Jesus had chosen them to be the foundation of the Kingdom of God. I am sure they must have gone through a great conversion to have become a powerful instrument of God. Today, the Catholic Church celebrates their feastday.

In the reading today, St. Paul had the following to say in his epistle to the Ephesians.
So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:19-20)
This is the ecclesiology of St. Paul. He employs different images to describe the Church. Here, the Church is the household of God. Later, the Church is the Mystical Body of Christ. Whatever image Paul uses, Jesus is always the cornerstone. The apostles and prophets are the foundation. Paul might have a broader view in mind when he used these terms. In his mind, "apostles" is not limited to the Twelve whom Jesus handpicked to build up the Kingdom of God. Paul was thinking of those sent out to proclaim the good news. Therefore, Barnabas and he himself were also apostles chosen by the Holy Spirit.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." (Acts 13:2)
"Prophets" is another interesting term. According to the Lucan history of the early Church, the Acts of the Apostles, there were in the Church prophets who actually were able to foretell the future. For example, some prophets came down from the Church of Jerusalem to visit the Church in Antioch. Obviously, they should not be understood to be prophets in the sense of the Old Testament. They seemed to be people having a special gift of a direct line with the Holy Spirit. They formed an office.
Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world; and this took place in the days of Claudius (Acts 11:27-28).
There were also prophets and teachers in the Church of Antioch and Barnabas was one of them, though it was not clear whether he was a prophet or a teacher (Acts 13:1).
Paul made it clear that prophets occupied a position in the Church hierarchy.
And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,
to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-12)
So, prophets occupied an important office in the early Church, second only to the apostles. Together with the apostles, they lay the foundation of the Church.

Why are the apostles so important?
Comparing the Apostles' Creed with the Nicene Creed which we recite on Sundays during Mass, we see a gradual clarification of what Christians should believe. This Nicene Creed is accepted by all Christian Churches, Catholic, Orthodox and Protestants. There is a particular clause that recognizes the importance of the apostles to the Church.
(We believe) in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
Our faith is handed down through the apostles and their successors. Christianity has suffered from the onslaught of many heresies and schisms. Following the teachings of the apostles guarantees a belief in the truth, in orthodoxy.
The Catholic Church has her own tradition. The Bible is one of our treasures of revelation. The Church also upholds the importance of human reasons. There is also a teaching office called Magisterium which issues doctrinal and moral directives to Catholics, telling them which is the right thing to believe and the right thing to do. I am still learning.  The course I take in the evening is very enriching.

Dear Lord, I thank You for choosing us, fragile humans instead of powerful angels, to lay the foundation of Your Church. May Ss. Simon & Jude intercede for our needs so that the Church can truthfully proclaim Your gospel to the whole world. Amen.

The Original Sin

Theology is a systematic study of things related to God. The Bible is but one of the authoritative sources of revelation from God. However, in order to make sense of these revelations and explain them to the world, many theological terms not found in the Bible, are invented. "The Blessed Trinity" and "Original Sin" are just two such examples. Without these terms, it is difficult, if not impossible, to discuss, explore and understand Christianity meaningfully.

In meditating the relation between the law and sins in Romans 7, I boldly suggested that Paul was writing a commentary on the Forbidden Fruit. In reading about the Spirit of God in Romans 8, I found a high concentration of the world "creation", six out of a total of seven in the whole epistle. Once again, I would consider Romans 8 a commentary on the Creation story found in the first few chapters of the book of Genesis. Though Paul didn't use the term, he was talking about the Original Sin.

First of all, the Spirit of God appears very early in Genesis.
The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God (וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים) was moving over the face of the waters (Genesis 1:2).
As a digression, some Hebrew scholars beg to be different. They point out the possibility that "the Spirit of God" was not a correct translation. It could mean "a strong/huge wind" instead. But such an idea can hardly gain any currency.
The "Spirit" next appears in Genesis 6 where God decided to cut short the life span of man. Before that, man lived more that 900 years before they died.
Then the LORD said, "My spirit shall not abide in man for ever, for he is flesh, but his days shall be a hundred and twenty years." (Genesis 6:3)
This was before Noah, even before man changed from a vegetarian diet to meat-eating in Genesis 9. So, the life-span of man was cut short, not because he ate meat, but because God's Spirit no longer abode in man.
What had happened? We all know the story of the eating of the Forbidden Fruit and of Cain killing Abel.

As a result of the eating of the Forbidden Fruit, sin entered the world and the ground was cursed.
And to Adam he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,'cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
thorns and thistles it shall bring forth to you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.
In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return." (Genesis 3:17-19)
Why was Adam, the offender, not cursed? Rather, the ground was cursed instead. Probably it was because Adam was the first copy of the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26). But very soon, it was man's turn to be cursed.
As Abel's blood was shed and received by the ground, Cain was cursed. Man was cursed for the first time.
And the LORD said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.
And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.
When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength; you shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth." (Genesis 4:10-12)
Sin began to spread. What happened to the Spirit of God in such a sinful environment? Genesis tells us that the Spirit of God simply left the stage because man is flesh (Genesis 6:3). Does the word "flesh" ring a bell? Yes Romans 7 & 8. The word "flesh" appears 21 times in Romans. Romans 8 alone accounts for 13 occurrences! The following quotation explains Genesis 6:3 very well.
for if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live.
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God (Romans 8:13-14).

Adam and his sons made the ground cursed. The whole creation has since been contaminated by sins. Everybody suffers. The whole creation suffers. This is the concept of the "Original Sin". How can man get out of this helpless situation? Paul has the following suggestion.
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God;
for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope;
because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now;
and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies(Romans 8:19-23).
The sons/children of God will set the creation free. How? Let's talk about it tomorrow.

Dear Lord, May Your Spirit come to refresh the whole creation. Amen.

Spirit of God

Beginning in Romans 8, Paul discusses "spirit". For seven long chapters, Paul discusses the merits and demerits of the law. Now, near the middle of this epistle, he began to deal with the topic of "spirit".
Paul was trained a Pharisee and knew thoroughly the law of Moses. Though he was able to point out the inadequacies of the law, he also defended it with much persuasion. For example,
Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law (Romans 3:31).
What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet, if it had not been for the law, I should not have known sin. I should not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet." (Romans 7:7)
Did that which is good (the law, the commandment), then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, working death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure (Romans 7:13).
From Paul's point of view, law then seemed to be a "necessary evil". If the law is inadequate, does "faith" offer us a better option? So, Paul turns to "spirit".

Paul imperceptibly shifts the discussion from the law to the spirit. Near the end of Romans 7, he introduced the idea of the law of God in contrast to the law of sin. The law of God works in the mind but the law of the sin works in the members / flesh (Romans 7:22-25).
Then, he began to talk about the spirit of God, suggesting that it is closely related to the law of God.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2).
Paul continues to draw contrasts between the Spirit and the flesh.
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace (Romans 8:5-6).
The line is clearly drawn between life and death. In order to live, we must be on the side of the Spirit, not of the flesh. Why should we be on the side of the Spirit? What has the Spirit to do with life?
For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, indeed it cannot;
and those who are in the flesh cannot please God (Romans 8:7-8).
Therefore, the Spirit of God is not the same as God's law, but it helps us submit to God's law. Paul the Pharisee thinks that submission to God's law pleases God. If we set our minds on the flesh, the Spirit of God cannot dwell in us. Without this Spirit, death is certain. Why? Paul continues but introduces yet one more concept --- the Spirit of Christ.
Any one who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him (Romans 8:9b).
Now, we have one more concept ---- the Spirit of Christ. Is it the same as the Spirit of God?
For us, the dogma of the Blessed Trinity is well established. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Therefore, the Spirit of Christ is the same as the Spirit of God. For Paul, he might be vaguely aware of the mystery of the Blessed Trinity and thus was not able to articulate it correctly. He might still keep Christ and God distinct.
But if Christ is in you, although your bodies are dead because of sin, your spirits are alive because of righteousness.
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit which dwells in you (Romans 8:10-11).
Therefore, it is through the Spirit that God transmits His life to us. So, we must stay in the Spirit. It makes sense to us who know the dogma of the Blessed Trinity. We have taken things for granted and might not appreciate why Paul took all the troubles to prove such an obvious truth.

Dear Lord, grant us Your Spirit. Let us live in Your peace. Amen.

Thirtieth Sunday (Year B)

Fr. Martin Ip celebrated the 11 a.m. mass with us this morning. He began with the story of a tour guide who complained that the worst tourists were those who went ahead or who fell much behind of the pack. The former group created a lot of safety headaches for him while the latter dragged the pack. In the end, the pack had to rush in order to follow the schedule.
Fr. Martin asked us to imagine Jesus as the guide on our journey to heaven. What kind of tourists are we? Are we the impatient ones who always go a step ahead of Jesus? Are we the troubled ones who don't want to move ahead?

Fr. Martin continued to share the story of another young man who was not academically gifted. This young man did not finish Form 5. After spending a few years of listless life, he decided to return to school so as to sit for the CEE exam and got a decent job. His English proficiency was low. After two months of studies, he shared with his friends that he wanted to give up. He did not see what progress he had made in these two months. Among his friends was Fr. Martin. Fr. Martin encouraged him and told him he had not given God enough time to work in him. The other friends also encouraged him and swore that they would sit for CEE together. Friendship is priceless.

Most of us are like the blind and desperate Bartimeaus (Mark 10:46-52). He grew impatient and cried out more to catch the attention of Jesus to heal his blindness. It was understandable. But too often, we do not allow the word of God and His grace to sink deeply enough in our chest.
I am an impatient man. I should learn from this piece of advice. I have been desperately seeking a clear sign from God to affirm my call. Probably God has already left enough signs for me. Yet, I am too subjective and have imposed some unwritten demands on the way God shows His sign. Today, God had showered me with a lot of signs.

In the afternoon, Deacon Tsang accompanied me to the monthly meeting of the deacons, candidates and aspirants in St. Jude parish in North Point. I met many people. First of all, before entering the church, I met Mr. Au, the principal of Raimondi College. Two years ago, he mentioned that he was taking theology courses in the Holy Spirit Seminary. Of course, he was a permanent deacon candidate. In the meeting room, I recognized several familiar faces. They are currently studying the Religious Science degree course in the Seminary. Suddenly, a lady showed up before me, asking me if I recognized her. Of course I remembered her face, but I could not recall her name. She is Chan Fung Ping, the wife of an aspirant and she helped me recall some faded memories. I was her catechumen instructor! A short while after the meeting started, another familiar figure appeared. He was Siu Wai Leung, a legionary in the Holy Family Parish. I am no longer a stranger in this new place.
After more than a decade of development, the Diocese has now 11 permanent deacons, 8 candidates and 9 aspirants. More people are applying. It has grown into a pretty strong group from a total of only 4, 2 deacons and their wives. We need to be patient because God works along a different time-frame. We need to allow more time for the word and grace of God to sink deeply enough into our souls to work miracles, to open our eyes and to empower our limbs.

Dear Lord, teach me to be more patient. There is a time for everything. Let me learn this wisdom. Amen.

A hectic day

Saturday began with the Morning Prayer cum breakfast in the McDonald's. This morning, Shung Tak continued to entertain more than 100 primary six students in the region, training them for the 61^st Speech Festival. This was the work of the Publicity and Promotion Committee headed by Emily Ma. She stepped down from the post of English panel head and wanted to focus more on the things she liked doing. However, she could not do it without the support from the other English teachers. Unfortunately, the timing was bad, in the sense that there had been other functions going on. So, the English teachers involved had to come back to Shung Tak for 13 consecutive days without a break! The marking load of the language teachers is heavy, but being an English teacher in Shung Tak is far more demanding. We are working with a high-tension cable without knowing it. A new English teacher, who had taught in another school for many years, resigned after 10 days. John Wong came to substitute. He also felt the stress. He promises to stay until the end of October.

The standard of the primary six students varied. Some were experienced and did very well. Others suffered from stage fright and forgot their lines. These poor little souls needed more practices in front of the whole class in order to overcome their nervousness. One of these little girls happened to be the daughter of Helen who is also an old student of Shung Tak. She is Teresa Chung and she did quite well. Since this was a promotion function, I put on my tie. Probably I had scared some of these little souls. Well, life is tough, girls! I put detailed remarks on a marking scheme which was given back to each participant. So, my group finished last. When I returned to the staff room, an old student Cherry came back to take photos with her teachers in her graduation gown. Shung Tak students have this tradition. Congratulations! Cherry.

The Introduction to Theology lesson this afternoon was very enjoyable. Fr. Stephen Wong explained the transcendental model of Lonergan to us. Traditional scholastic metaphysics takes the existence of being for granted. From the existence of being, it develops other branches of knowledge. Neo-Thomism asks two further questions. How do we know that our knowledge corresponds to reality? Take one more step back. How do we acquire knowledge? So, Fr. Lonergan developed a theory of cognitive knowledge to answer the first question.
After explaining the 4-layer model, Fr. Wong invited us to refute the model. He was trying to show that in order to refute this model, we are actually using this model. Most of us actively put forth our opinions. The quality of this class of classmates is very good. Though transportation takes up nearly 5 hours a day for three days, it is worthwhile.

After the lesson, I rushed to Regal Kowloon Hotel to take part in a Graduation Silver Jubilee Reunion dinner. A good number of old colleagues turned up, including Messrs Henry Lau, "Taipan" Chiu, Shum Mou Kei, Peter Chiu, Ho Ching Hin, Peter Lee, Peter Cheung, YY Kan, Victor Lo, Tong Wun Shing (Vice-Principal) and Peggy Lee. In his opening speech, the headboy also mentioned Chan Chao Mo (the PE teacher) who has recently been transferred from ICU to the general ward. May God bless him. Many students came up to introduce themselves to me. I could immediately recognize their faces and shamefully only remember a few of their names. I was particularly elated when some of my Legionaries showed up. This batch of students were also the guinea pigs of Computer Studies which was introduced in 1982. Those were good old days when my students and I learned computer together. John Kam, who passed away in April, was fondly remembered. During dinner time, our discussion centred on the merits and demerits of La Salle switching to Direct Subsidy. The whole table unanimously agreed that La Salle should not. The headboy summed up very well. La Salle had a mission of providing an opportunity for children from lower-income families to receive quality education. This is a noble mission and should be accomplished at all costs.

Dear Lord, I love these boys. I thank You for putting me in La Salle to receive my education. May I be a handy instrument of Yours, serving You and Your Church. Amen.

I do what I do not want

Paul has a very strange understanding of the relationship between the law and sins. Perhaps it was a Jewish way of thinking in general. Let me illustrate what I meant.
There are two Creation stories in Genesis. Genesis 1 is very scientific and evolutionary. We can identify parallel evolutionary stages in science and in the six days of Creation. On the sixth day, God created man, which is the apex of creation (Genesis 1:26). The perspective of this narrative is from the outside.
Genesis 2 is anti-evolutionary. Man was created first and other animals were created to keep him company. However, the creation story of Genesis 2 is psychological.  Man was not the apex, but the centre of Creation. He was unique but lonely. But gradually, he was aware of the existence of other animals and beings. In the end, he discovered woman. The perspective of this narrative is from the inside. Perhaps Paul was following this psychological perspective to discuss the relationship between the law and sins.

In discussing the law, Paul chose the law forbidding covetousness. Why didn't Paul choose murder or adultery?
What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet, if it had not been for the law, I should not have known sin. I should not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet." (Romans 7:7)
Paul seems to be putting the blame on the law. Had there been no law, Paul would not have known sin. At the back of Paul's mind, he probably had the forbidden fruit, the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The law is worse than the forbidden fruit because the fruit makes us know both good and evil, while the law, only evil.
We always say that laws are made to set the limits, the boundaries beyond which man must not go. We also say that a good man has no need of laws because he will never breach the laws. Truly enough.
But Paul took another approach. Paul said that through the law, we are aware of covetousness. Paul seemed to think that covetousness was the source of all other evils. That was probably why he chose to discuss covetousness, not murder nor adultery.
You may argue that knowing is not the same as acting. This separation might be a modern way of thought. But here, Paul equated knowing with acting. Once more, this is a Jewish way of thinking. In Hebrew, to know a person hints at having sex with the person (Genesis 4:1, Luke 1:34). Therefore, knowing evil is enough to act evil.
But sin, finding opportunity in the commandment, wrought in me all kinds of covetousness. Apart from the law sin lies dead.
I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died (Romans 7:8-9)
Literally, it sounds pretty mysterious. How did sin find opportunity in the law? How did the law revive sin? However, Paul seemed to be writing a commentary on the story of the forbidden fruit which was, for Paul, a symbol of the law. Eating the fruit made man know evil. So did the writing of the law. From this (knowledge) platform of law, Paul jumped to another platform.

On this platform, the law takes on a different meaning or rather, Paul focused on a different aspect of the law. The law is binding, like gravity. You must keep it, follow it. If you don't, the law will force you. On this platform, Paul made a very simple observation of his daily experience. From there, he contrasted the law of God and the law of sin (Romans 7:22-23).
I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate (Romans 7:15).
For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.
Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me (Romans 7:19-20).
For I delight in the law of God, in my inmost self,
but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin which dwells in my members (Romans 7:22-23).
Of course, we can easily explain that this is the consequence of the Original Sin. We do not live in harmony. We are at war with ourselves, with others, with the world at large and with God. This is our daily experience. Plain and simple.
The epistle to the Romans is not easy to read indeed.

Dear Lord, without Your grace, we are at war with ourselves. I pray that You grant us the peace which we desperately need. Amen.

Slaves of God

The term "slavery" immediately conjures up an image of brutality to Negroes in our mind. Once, African natives were hunted down, gathered in herds, shipped to the civilized world and sold in the market. Once, keeping slaves was a normal way of domestic life. Nowadays, we find it offensive. However, we still find "slavery" vocabulary in the Bible. We read of St. Paul teaching slaves to obey their masters like obeying Jesus Christ (Ephesians 6:5). Today, we read of Christians becoming slaves of God (Romans 6:22).

If we put ourselves in Biblical time, we might find slavery acceptable. In those days, there was less division of labour. Therefore, either you were self-employed or you were slaves serving your master, your employer. Therefore, translating it into modern equivalent, a "slave" was an "employee". Of course, the terms of employment were harsher than those of free labourers. But think about it, the master (employer) provided housing, boarding and job security which free labourers would never enjoy. So after all, being a slave in Biblical time was not at all a bad option.

Paul was using different metaphors to argue for the superiority of grace over sins. He is now arguing in economic terms, in employment terms. Here are two bosses: sins and God. Would you want to be an employee of sins or an employee of God? Let's see who offers better terms.
But then what return did you get from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is death.
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:21-23).
So, here we have the frequently quoted verse of "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23a).
Has anyone asked what logic Paul had employed to make this claim? Why is death the wages? Are not all men mortal? Death is an end common to all, not just to sinners.
However, in Paul's mind, I am sure he wanted us to quote "the free gift of God is eternal life". It is a free gift of God in the sense that we have not earned it. We have done nothing to merit it. We obtain it only because of the mercy and generosity on God's part.
By the way, I wonder what status Satan had in the theology of Paul. Paul mentioned "Satan" 10 times in all his epistles. In this epistle to the Romans, he mentioned Satan only once near the end. In his theological exposition in the Romans, Paul contrasted God with sin, avoiding the use of Satan. Why?

Nowadays, we see adultery and extra-marital affairs in ethical terms. However, in ancient time, adultery was considered a crime against property. It was an economic crime because wives were the property of husbands. Marriage was an economic transaction because money changed hands. I mean no offence to female readers. You bought a woman with a dowry. She was expected to bear you inheritors. If you found her not a virgin, you sent her back to her father and demanded compensation. Romantic love was unheard of.
Since marriage was an economic transaction, we may understand better why after using the metaphor of employment, Paul chose marriage as another metaphor to discuss grace and sins.
Do you not know, brethren -- for I am speaking to those who know the law -- that the law is binding on a person only during his life?
Thus a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives; but if her husband dies she is discharged from the law concerning the husband(Romans 7:1-2).
After the death of the husband, the woman was free to marry another man again. If she was still in her child-bearing age, she might give birth to a few children for her new husband.
Paul made use of this image, telling his readers that they had already died to the law. Reciprocally, the law was dead for Christians. That is why they became free to belong to another husband --- Jesus. Warning for male readers. Don't push this image too far. The Catholic Church is against same-sex marriage! Keep in mind that Paul was thinking in economic terms!

Dear Lord, no matter how many bosses I have served, they are only intermediaries. You alone are my boss. I am Your slave. Amen.

Die to sin

Yesterday, I mentioned that Paul brought himself into trouble by making a statement which seemed to encourage people to sin. He intended to demonstrate the superiority of Jesus over Adam, faith over the law and grace over sins. But his statement would risk being abused. This is the offending statement.
where sin increased, grace abounded all the more
οὗ δὲ ἐπλεόνασεν ἡ ἁμαρτία, ὑπερεπερίσσευσεν ἡ χάρις (Romans 5:20b).
Therefore, Paul took the initiative to ask the following rhetorical question.
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? (Romans 6:1)
Shall we sin more so as to draw out more grace from God? How would you deal with it?

Paul introduces a new concept to handle it --- "We have died to sin ἀπεθάνομεν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ. " (Romans 6:2)
The word "sin τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ" is a noun in dative form. Therefore, it is translated into "to sin". In the whole epistle to the Romans, Paul uses "died to" three times. Twice he uses it with "sin" (Romans 6:2, 10) and once with "the law" (Romans 7:4). What does it mean?
I suppose Paul meant to cut off all connections with sins (with the law). But why would Paul be interested in death and used this image, this expression? Earlier on, he had demonstrated the superiority of grace over sins, life over death. Why did he conjure up this death image in his reasoning?
I suppose this is a forceful refutation of the power of death. Christ has conquered death on the cosmological level. Paul has conquered death on his psychological level and makes use of death to turn the table around. Death is at his service!
Paul began an analogy between our conversion and the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3-4).
Baptism is a symbol pregnant with meanings. Submerging in water is given the meaning of death and burial of the old and sinful self; emerging from water resurrection of a new and clean self. Then Paul imperceptibly brought in another death symbol --- the crucifixion. Jesus died on the cross and came back to life. Putting our faith in Jesus, we crucify our old and sinful self to death. If God raised Jesus from death, our faith in Jesus would enable us to share the resurrection of Jesus.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his (Romans 6:5).

Sin is highly addictive. Sin enslaves us. Therefore, in the beginning, death was the only antidote to combat sin. Adam must die in order to stop the spread of sins all over the world. This antidote is very negative. The ingenuity in Paul makes him see something positive in death.
For he who has died is freed from sin (Romans 6:7).
You may wonder what the use is. You are already dead. What is the use to be freed from sin? This freedom from sin is useful only if there is life after death. Unless you are able to come back to life after death, you will not be able to enjoy this freedom from sin. This is exactly what baptism brings us.
But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.
For we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.
The death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.
So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:8-11).

Dear Lord, St. Paul has done a very wonderful exposition to exhort us to lead a new life in Christ, free from the law, free from sin and free from death. Help us follow his advice and obtain salvation. Amen.

"Much more" --- some textual considerations

The professors in the Biblical Institute taught us that in the Hebrew language, there are no comparative adjectives. Such a concept is expressed by putting two opposite adjectives together. The earliest Christians were mostly Jews. Inevitably, some New Testament authors wrote in Hebraic expressions, very much like my students who think in Chinese but write in English. For example, the harsh wordings of Luke are thought to be more original than Matthew's.
If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:26).
He who loves father or mother more than me (ὑπὲρ ἐμὲ) is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me(Matthew 10:37).
Probably, Luke tried to be faithful to the words of Jesus and dared not change them whereas Matthew felt the need to adapt Jesus' wordings to his community. This is a thorny issue and cannot be settled easily. For example, the Greek proficiency of the authors concerned would not be ignored. St. Paul was a case in point. Yesterday, we met a comparative expression "much more (πολλῷ μᾶλλον)" which appears 12 times in New Testament (Matthew 6:30; Mark 10:48; Luke 18:39; Romans 5:9-10, 15, 17; 1 Corinthians 12:22; 2 Corinthians 3:9, 11; Philippians 1:23, 2:12). Nine of the twelve come from Paul and the Romans has 4! All 4 are found in Romans 5. Therefore, this expression must be one of the favourite rhetoric devices of Paul. He used it to bring about certain literary effect.

Let us take a look at the 4 verses in Romans 5.
Since, therefore, we are now justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life(Romans 5:9-10).
But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many (Romans 5:15).
If, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17).
Immediately, we can see that Paul was contrasting two items in each verse: Jesus' blood vs. Jesus (5:9), the death of Jesus vs. the life of Jesus (5:10), Adam's trespass vs. Jesus' grace and free gift (5:15), the reign of death vs. the reign of life (5:17). Paul was trying to demonstrate the superiority of the latter over the former. Therefore, it is not a question of 50% salvation like what I wrote yesterday.
Rather, it is the superiority of life over death, grace over sins and salvation over reconciliation. Reconciliation / justification is only the preliminary step. Once we were sinners under the reign and control of death. Through faith, we were reconciled to God. We were justified before Him. Then we marched forwards. We will lead a life of grace in God. How is it possible? It is possible because Jesus is superior to Adam.
Unwittingly, Paul steps into trouble!
where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,
so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 5:20b-21).
Logically, it would lead to the conclusion that we should sin more in order to bring about more grace (Romans 6:1)!
I will continue the reading tomorrow to see how Paul deals with this issue.

Dear Lord, I continue to sin after baptism. This is very troublesome. Enlighten me to see what Paul sees so that I may truly lead a life of grace. Amen.

Can we be half-saved?

Before we come to this funny question, let's recap where we are.
Paul took a different approach to prove that we are justified through faith and not through law. He made use of the case of Abraham. Abraham was nearly five centuries before the Exodus, before the establishment of the Sinai Covenant. In short, Abraham did not have any law to follow. God reckoned Abraham righteous because of his faith in Him (Romans 4:3). In Paul's words, Abraham was nearly 100 and his body was "as good as dead" and still believed that God would honour His promise of giving him children and land to inherit.
He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old, or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb.
No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God,
fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised (Romans 4:19-21).
This argument is different from the one taken in the Galatians where Paul appealed to the readers' experience of the Holy Spirit. Paul was not inconsistent. Instead, we should admire his creativity. He was able to think up different ways to prove the core of his theology --- justification by faith.


Of course Paul's major concern was the Christians living in Rome which has always been a great city. Many peoples of different nationalities rubbed shoulders in this capital of the Roman Empire. I am sure there were many Jewish Christians as well. So far, the way Paul presented his argument seemed to bear a Jewish readership in mind. The Church in Rome must have, under her roof, many Jewish Christians. Therefore, the lengthy discussion of the example of Abraham was directed towards them. Abraham was justified by faith. So were they.
But the words, "it was reckoned to him," were written not for his sake alone,
but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him that raised from the dead Jesus our Lord (Romans 4:23-24). 


What was the practical application of having faith in Jesus? To rejoice in his glory and to rejoice in our sufferings.
we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God.
More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings (Romans 5:2b-3a)
Here, Paul wrote some beautiful, memorable verses.
knowing that suffering produces endurance,
and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us (Romans 5:3b-5).
Here, the Romans converges with the Galatians. Both epistles acknowledge the role of the Holy Spirit.


From our justification by faith, Paul brought in the concept of suffering for the Lord. No! It was rather the Lord suffered for us. What was more, our Lord suffered for us while we were still sinners. Here are some most quoted Pauline verses. They appeal to our common sense. Deep theological ideas can be understood and expressed in common sense languages.
Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man -- though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die.
But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:7-8).
However, funny things follow.
Since, therefore, we are now justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life(Romans 5:9-10).
Salvation has always been an either-or, black and white concept to me. You are either saved nor not saved at all. How can we have the concept of more salvation or much more salvation? Are we not completely saved by Jesus? Can he save me 50%, plus or minus 10%? What did Paul mean by these verses? I hope somebody may enlighten me on this point.


Dear Lord, You inflict on us sufferings in order to train us and bring out the good in us. May these sufferings bring us endurance, character and hope. Amen. 


Appendix:
εἰδότες ὅτι ἡ θλῖψις ὑπομονὴν κατεργάζεται,
ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ δοκιμήν, ἡ δὲ δοκιμὴ ἐλπίδα
ἡ δὲ ἐλπὶς οὐ καταισχύνει, ὅτι ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ ἐκκέχυται ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν διὰ πνεύματος ἁγίου τοῦ δοθέντος ἡμῖν (Romans 5:3b-5).

Mission Sunday (Year B)

Isaiah once said that God's thoughts were not our thoughts. How true he was!
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Truly, it is not easy to know the thoughts of God. For example, why did Jesus return to heaven? Why didn't he stay with us? Then, life would be much easier for all Christians. There would not be so many disputes and so much bloodshed. There would be wars no more and all the people would believe in one religion, fulfilling his wish at the Last Supper.
And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd (John 10:16).
Paul even claimed that God wanted all men to be saved.
who (God) desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4).
Yet, Jesus was not going to do this himself. Instead, he left us behind, telling us to preach the gospel to the whole creation.
And he said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation (Mark 16:15).

In our younger days, we were told that there was heaven and hell. Good men went to heaven and the bad guys hell. This is a welcoming piece of truth because it satisfies our sense of justice. What is more, we can imagine God sending those we hate to hell. We surely enjoy thinking up all sorts of tortures to punish them: fire, worms, boiling oil, hooks, knives etc. Perhaps we have been too childish to think along such a line. Paul told us that God wanted all men to be saved. Which means we will be living together with those we hate in heaven. Oh, my God! You can't be more serious. What are You thinking now? Your thoughts are truly not our thoughts! Paul must have made a mistake here.

This morning, I had to return to school to attend the PTA annual general meeting. I couldn't go to mass in the morning and therefore I joined the mass in the evening at 8 p.m. Fr. Patrick Sun celebrated the mass. There were not many people. He delivered his homily in his characteristic humility, no drama, no high sounding words. He simply reminded us that in baptism, we shared the threefold office of Jesus: king, priest and prophet. Christians are inborn with a mission to preach the gospel. Near the end of the homily, he read a passage from the latest papal encyclical, Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth).

One aspect of the contemporary technological mindset is the tendency to consider the problems and emotions of the interior life from a purely psychological point of view, even to the point of neurological reductionism. In this way man's interiority is emptied of its meaning and gradually our awareness of the human soul's ontological depths, as probed by the saints, is lost. The question of development is closely bound up with our understanding of the human soul, insofar as we often reduce the self to the psyche and confuse the soul's health with emotional well-being. These over-simplifications stem from a profound failure to understand the spiritual life, and they obscure the fact that the development of individuals and peoples depends partly on the resolution of problems of a spiritual nature. Development must include not just material growth but also spiritual growth, since the human person is a “unity of body and soul”
(Caritas in Veritate 76).

Truly, we tend to over-simplify our thinking. When we deal with our problems, we think in terms of money and raising enough funds is equated with solving the problem at hand. We simplify our world and divide people into two groups. We sit down to wait passively for the breaking in of the Kingdom of God. No. If we continue with this habit of thinking, we will never catch up with the thoughts of God.

Dear Lord, give us enough strength so that we will not be lazy in our thoughts, inert in our actions. May our hearts glow with passion for Your Kingdom so that in the end, all of us will be saved. Amen.

God's promise

After three chapters of exposition and many quotations from the Septuagint, Paul returns to "the promise of God" which he first mentions in Romans 1.
ὃ προεπηγγείλατο διὰ τῶν προφητῶν αὐτοῦ ἐν γραφαῖς ἁγίαις,
which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures (Romans 1:2).
Here, this "promise" was the gospel of the Lord. That is, through the passion and resurrection of Jesus, God and sinners have reconciled.
Today, in Romans 4, Paul discusses the nature of God's promise to Abraham.

Οὐ γὰρ διὰ νόμου ἡ ἐπαγγελία τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἢ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ, τὸ κληρονόμον αὐτὸν εἶναι κόσμου, ἀλλὰ διὰ δικαιοσύνης πίστεως
The promise to Abraham and his descendants, that they should inherit the world, did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith (Romans 4:13).
God made a promise to Abraham. According to the interpretation of Paul, this promise came through the righteousness of faith and not from the law. Paul worked hard to prove that righteousness did not come as a result of keeping all the laws because it was impossible to keep all the laws. Rather, righteousness came from faith. This is a key feature of the theology of Paul --- justification by faith.
In his epistle to the Galatians, which was written earlier, Paul discussed the same question. Are we justified by faith or by the works of the law? He made his position clear that we are justified by faith. How could he be so sure about this? It was because of the Holy Spirit Christians received at their baptism.
Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?
Are you so foolish? Having begun with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? (Galatians 3:2-3)
Paul reasoned that before Christians were baptised, they had done nothing that deserved this wonderful gift from God. The Holy Spirit was given them not because of their good works. It was a matter of God's grace and on our part, our faith in God.
Of course, God can give the Holy Spirit to us for many other reasons. Perhaps our father has found favour in God's sight, or for some reasons, God has chosen us to accomplish a certain mission and therefore He empowers us with His Spirit. Such incidents have happened in the Old Testament where the recipients of the Holy Spirit might not even have declared their faith in God. In the New Testament, especially for Paul, he explained God's gift solely in terms of our faith in Jesus Christ.
Here in the epistle to the Romans, Paul saw Abraham as the father of all who believed.
He received circumcision as a sign or seal of the righteousness which he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised and who thus have righteousness reckoned to them (Romans 4:11).
That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants -- not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham, for he is the father of us all (Romans 4:16).
In Abraham's time, the Torah was not yet given. There was no law to keep and thus no such thing as gaining favour through the works of law. But there was still the custom of circumcision. In order to overthrow the works of the law, Paul argued that Abraham believed in God before circumcision. He had been justified because of his faith, not because of his circumcision. Circumcision came later. It is only a sign of God's covenant with Abraham because of his faith. Therefore, Abraham was a model, an example for Christians. So, once more, Paul proved that justification comes from faith, not the works of law.
Paul had argued very well. In the epistle to the Galatians, Paul made use of the believers' experience of the Holy Spirit. In the epistle to the Romans, Paul argued from the historical Abraham. However, I am afraid Paul has not done his job of abolishing the works of law completely. He had argued the priority of faith over circumcision, but he had not yet argued the same over the keeping of the Sabbath. Paul still kept the Sabbath. So have Christians ever since. Paul could not completely cut his root off Judaism. So don't Christians.

Dear Lord, You have been very generous in granting us Your grace. Allow us to explore better ways to actualize Your promise in this modern world. Amen.

Appendix:
ὅτι πατέρα πολλῶν ἐθνῶν τέθεικά σε
I have made you the father of many nations (Romans 4:17, Genesis 17:5)
οὕτως ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου
So shall your descendants be (Romans 4:18b, Genesis 15:5b).

Abraham and the Law

If we demand Paul to present his arguments according to the standard and procedure today, it would be unreasonable. I am not familiar with how the Jewish rabbis argue. Perhaps Paul, a Pharisee, followed the contemporary Jewish mode of argument to present his position. But then, the readers of this Epistle to the Romans would more likely be Jewish Christians living in Rome. Once again, in Romans 4, Paul quoted literally from Genesis and Psalm. His readers must be familiar with the Hebrew Scripture in order to understand the flow of his argument.

Near the end of Romans 3, Paul had already argued that man is justified by faith.
they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus,
whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins;
it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies him who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:24-26).
Then, Paul played rhetoric. He asked a few questions and answered them himself. He asked in such as way that he would answer emphatically with a No, then a Yes and lastly a No. These questions created for Paul yet another opportunity to repeat points which he had formerly stated.
Do we boast on the principle of work? No, on the principle of faith.
Is not God the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also?
Do we throw away the law? No, we uphold the law (Romans 3:27-31).
I wonder whether Paul wrote this epistle before the Jerusalem Council or after. The last answer he gave ("to uphold the Law") strongly suggested that he wanted to appease the Jews. Had the Council been held, Paul would have been more willing to give up the law. Logically speaking, faith in Jesus Christ is the key to salvation. Works of the law would never justify. Therefore, it would be "useless" to uphold  the Law. Why, then, did Paul continue to uphold the law. Moreover, he did not give any reasons why Christians such uphold the Jewish law.

Starting from Romans 4, Paul wanted, needed to settle the question once and for all. He turned to Abraham and made use of him as a model for us to follow. In Abraham's time, there was not any Law. That is to say, Abraham did not have the Law of Moses to justify him before God. Yet, Abraham was justified. How was Abraham justified, if not by works then by what? By faith. Dear St. Paul, help us!

Dear Lord, since You are very elusive. Keeping our faith in You is not an easy task. Send Your Holy Spirit to guide us and to pod us ahead. Amen.

Appendix:
ἐπίστευσεν δὲ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην.
Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness (Romans 4:3b, Genesis 15:6).

μακάριοι ὧν ἀφέθησαν αἱ ἀνομίαι καὶ ὧν ἐπεκαλύφθησαν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι·
μακάριος ἀνὴρ οὗ οὐ μὴ λογίσηται κύριος ἁμαρτίαν.
Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;
blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not reckon his sin (Romans 4:7-8, Psalm 31:1b-2a LXX, 32:1-2a RSV )

Feast of St. Teresa of Avila (Year B)

We are reading Romans 3 today. I suspect that the readers of this epistle were mainly Jews because Paul suddenly quoted extensively from the Psalms andIsaiah (See the Appendix).
Frankly speaking, reading Romans 3 is not easy. Paul put forth his rhetoric in a see-saw manner.
At the end of Romans 2, Paul seems to be saying that circumcision was of no significance. Only the heart counts. A Jew is determined by his heart, not by the absence of the foreskin.
He is a Jew who is one inwardly, and real circumcision is a matter of the heart, spiritual and not literal. His praise is not from men but from God (Romans 2:29).
As if to save the face of the Jews, Paul suddenly turns around and says that circumcision is essential. Yes, Jews enjoy a privileged status.
Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?
Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews are entrusted with the oracles of God (Romans 3:1-2).
But the Jews had a very bad record of unfaithfulness. Paul questions their suitability as the keepers of God's oracles. Then he turns around to claim that God's faithfulness is unconditional. It will not be affected by man's unfaithfulness.
What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?
By no means! Let God be true though every man be false, as it is written, "That thou mayest be justified in thy words, and prevail when thou art judged."(Romans 3:3-4)
Quoting Psalm 51, Paul brings up the concept of judgment and asks a crucial question to silence the sinners! If our wickedness, our unfaithfulness serves to manifest the righteousness, the faithfulness of God, why should we be punished? Our sins are helping God!
But if our wickedness serves to show the justice of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.)
By no means! For then how could God judge the world? (Romans 3:5-6)
I am afraid I cannot follow Paul's logic any more. Why is God unable not to judge the world? Listen to John.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him (John 3:16-17).
Of course, I am quoting out of context. But I want to point out that judging the world is not the sole business of God. God also wants to save the world. Otherwise, why bother sending His Son into the world?
Paul reiterates his idea once more. It is taken for granted that doing evil will not bring out any good.
But if through my falsehood God's truthfulness abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner?
And why not do evil that good may come? -- as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just (Romans 3:7-8)
After all these reasoning steps, what conclusion could Paul draw?
He began with saying that to be a Jew is important because he is a keeper of God's oracle. In the end, he finishes with saying that to be a Jew is of no use.
What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all; for I have already charged that all men, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin (Romans 3:9)
Then, Paul quoted 9 verses of Psalms and Isaiah to show that the Jews were sinners! The oracles of God, the Torah was unable to exempt them from sins. How unfortunate!

Dear Lord, help me understand Paul better. His logic is not easy to follow. Enlighten my soul so that I may understand him correctly. Amen.

Appendix:
ὅπως ἂν δικαιωθῇς ἐν τοῖς λόγοις σου καὶ νικήσεις ἐν τῷ κρίνεσθαί σε.
That thou mayest be justified in thy words, and prevail when thou art judged (Romans 3:4b).
ὅπως ἂν δικαιωθῇς ἐν τοῖς λόγοις σου καὶ νικήσῃς ἐν τῷ κρίνεσθαί σε (Psalm 51:4 MT, 50:6 LXX).

οὐκ ἔστιν δίκαιος οὐδὲ εἷς,
οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ συνίων,οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ ἐκζητῶν τὸν θεόν.
πάντες ἐξέκλιναν ἅμα ἠχρεώθησαν· οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ ποιῶν χρηστότητα,[οὐκ ἔστιν] ἕως ἑνός.
None is righteous, no, not one;
no one understands, no one seeks for God.
All have turned aside, together they have gone wrong; no one does good, not even one (Romans 3:10b-12).
εἰ ἔστιν συνίων ἢ ἐκζητῶν τὸν θεόν.
πάντες ἐξέκλιναν, ἅμα ἠχρεώθησαν, οὐκ ἔστιν ποιῶν χρηστότητα, οὐκ ἔστιν ἕως ἑνός. (Psalm 14:2b-3 MT, 13:2b-3 LXX)

τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν, ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν, ἰὸς ἀσπίδων ὑπὸ τὰ χείλη αὐτῶν·
Their throat is an open grave, they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips (Romans 3:13).
τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν, ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν (Psalm 5:9 MT, 5:10 LXX).
ἰὸς ἀσπίδων ὑπὸ τὰ χείλη αὐτῶν (Psalm 140:4 MT, 139:4 LXX).

ὧν τὸ στόμα ἀρᾶς καὶ πικρίας γέμει
Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness (Romans 3:14).
οὗ ἀρᾶς τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ γέμει καὶ πικρίας (Psalm 10:7 MT, 9:28 LXX).

ὀξεῖς οἱ πόδες αὐτῶν ἐκχέαι αἷμα,
σύντριμμα καὶ ταλαιπωρία ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν,
καὶ ὁδὸν εἰρήνης οὐκ ἔγνωσαν.
Their feet are swift to shed blood,
in their paths are ruin and misery,
and the way of peace they do not know (Romans 3:15-17).
οἱ δὲ πόδες αὐτῶν ἐπὶ πονηρίαν τρέχουσιν ταχινοὶ ἐκχέαι αἷμα, καὶ οἱ διαλογισμοὶ αὐτῶν διαλογισμοὶ ἀφρόνων, σύντριμμα καὶ ταλαιπωρία ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν.
καὶ ὁδὸν εἰρήνης οὐκ οἴδασιν, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν κρίσις ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν, αἱ γὰρ τρίβοι αὐτῶν διεστραμμέναι, ἃς διοδεύουσιν, καὶ οὐκ οἴδασιν εἰρήνην(Isaiah 59:7-8).

οὐκ ἔστιν φόβος θεοῦ ἀπέναντι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτῶν
There is no fear of God before their eyes (Romans 3:18).
οὐκ ἔστιν φόβος θεοῦ ἀπέναντι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ (Psalm 36:1b MT, 35:2b LXX).