2 Corinthians 9 “God loves a cheerful giver.” We’ve all heard this before, usually at the very time we are not being a cheerful giver and don’t want to hear it. But it’s true: God loves a cheerful giver. This simple but powerful statement could be used as a blunt instrument to pressure someone into giving – but then the giving probably wouldn’t be done very cheerfully. I happen to think God likes uncheerful givers, who at least are giving... Read more
2 Corinthians 8:16-24 How blessed Titus is! How many people received the special commendation of St. Paul the way Titus did? Not many – perhaps only Timothy. To see why Titus receives such high praise from Paul, we must go back to 2 Corinthians 7:6. Here we find that Paul himself was comforted by the coming of Titus. When Paul came to Macedonia, he says their bodies had no rest and they were troubled on every side, with conflicts outside... Read more
2 Corinthians 8:1-15 It is so easy to speak of love and so difficult to live it out. If we reflect for a moment about what has been a consistent theme of St. Paul’s in 2 Corinthians, the passage this morning will become even more outrageously challenging to us. 2 Corinthians 1:4 – God “comforts us in our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are... Read more
2 Corinthians 7:2-16 There he goes again! St. Paul can’t seem to let go of the idea that we should be joyful in our sufferings and tribulations. Of course, I’m glad he can’t let go of it because our sufferings are the Cross of Jesus Himself. I am exceedingly joyful that Jesus Himself didn’t let go of the Cross, exceedingly joyful that Paul clings to the same Cross, and I myself am working on joy in tribulations. In verse 4,... Read more
2 Corinthians 6:11-7:1 “Do not be equally yoked together with unbelievers.” “What agreement has the temple of God with idols?” For you are the temple of the living God.” These are words that every Christian understands and yet words that many Christians violate daily. St. Paul reiterates his teaching from I Corinthians that we are the temple of God and applies it to our participation with evil, especially with unbelievers. This call to holiness is one of the most important... Read more
2 Corinthians 6:1-10 There are two main points St. Paul is making that I want to draw together. The first is the blunt truth that every day is the day of salvation. One of the most serious mistakes the modern Church makes is in teaching and acting as if salvation is a momentary instant. So we like to ask “When were you saved?” This is a loaded question, if ever there was one! It reveals two falsehoods. The first is... Read more
2 Corinthians 5:11-21 I don’t know how you see yourself, but if you’re like me, often you think of yourself in a natural and earthly way. In other words, you don’t fully realize the truth of what God has declared and St. Paul teaches: you are a new creation. Paul says this, of course, only for those who are in Christ. But for those who are in Christ, we have to forget all of the ways of the world... Read more
2 Corinthians 5:1-10 What comes through in the life and letters of St. Paul is his single-minded desire to be with the Lord. He is joyful to do the work of the Lord in this life, but he is even more overjoyed at the prospect of laying down this earthly body that he might be completely with God in heaven. This is to be our attitude as well. It always amazes me how Paul can be so joyful, even when... Read more
2 Corinthians 4 St. Paul brings together two of the most important truths of the Christian life into one powerful phrase: “treasure in earthen vessels.” The first point to consider is the incredible treasure that each Christian contains. That treasure is Jesus Christ Himself, which is why you are called a “Christian.” A Christian is not just someone who “believes in” Jesus Christ, or else we could rightly call the demons “Christians.” A Christian is a disciple of Jesus Christ... Read more
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Monday of 15th Sunday after Trinity – 2 Corinthians 10
2 Corinthians 10 Whether we acknowledge it or not, every day we are in the middle of a great spiritual war. Because we grew up in the middle of this war and have gotten used to the sounds and smells of war; because we were born on the wrong and losing side of the war and still have some allegiances to the other side; and because the war is everywhere – we often don’t recognize it for what it is.... Read more