Monday 2 September 2024

Today is Monday the 2nd of September in the 22nd week of Ordinary Time. Juliano Ravanello sings ‘Hino Cristológico’, based on the Christ Hymn in Philippians 2:4 –11: ‘…Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross.’ Jesus Cristo e o Senhor Para a Gloria de Deus Pai Nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo De natureza divina Nao exigiu ser tratado Na qualidade de Deus Mas despojou-se ele mesmo Tomando a forma de servo Igual aos homens sem tudo E simples homem julgado Quis humilhar-se a si proprio E obediente mostrou-se Ate a morte de cruz E por isso Deus o exaltou E o destituiu como homem Que todo homem supera Ao nome pois de Jesus Todo joelho se dobre No ceu, na terra e sob a Terra E toda lingua proclame Para o esplendor de Deus Pai Que Jesus Cristo e o Senhor Jesus Cristo e o Senhor Para a Gloria de Deus Pai Jesus Christ is The Lord For the Glory of God the Father Our Lord Jesus Christ Of divine nature Did not demand to be treated in the quality of God But he stripped himself Taking the form of a servant Just like men without everything And simple man judged I wanted to humiliate myself And obediently showed to the death of the cross And for this God exalted him And dismissed him as a man That every man overcomes To the name of Jesus Every knee bow In heaven, on earth and under the earth And every tongue proclaim To the splendor of God the Father That Jesus Christ is Lord Jesus Christ is The Lord For the Glory of God the Father Today’s reading is from Saint Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God. Human beings who profess belief in a loving God wrestle with the problem of evil. Why is there so much suffering in the world? In particular, why is there so much innocent suffering? There are philosophical and theological responses to this question. They vary in quality . . . How do you wrestle with all this in your heart? St Paul resists any easy or partial answer. Instead, he points to a God who chooses to be human in Jesus. He pays the price and is crucified . . . How do you respond to this? This is the God Paul believes in and proclaims. Herein lies God’s response to suffering and evil. Here is God’s power . . . Listen once more to St Paul’s words… As you consider the suffering world, you don’t have to work it all out. Rather, in your mind’s eye, might you gaze at Jesus on the cross . . . Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.