I have enjoyed the first readings we’ve been hearing from
St. Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians these past two weeks. Many biblical scholars believe that this is
the earliest letter of Paul’s that we have in the New Testament, with this letter
dated from around 51 CE. Thessalonica
was an important port city in Greece in the ancient Mediterranean world, and
today it is the second largest city in the country of Greece. Paul had to leave this city abruptly after
teaching the converts from pagan religions there, so this letter provides them
encouragement and teachings as they travel along their rocky and difficult
journey of faith in a world that is still rather hostile to those who follow
the Way of Jesus.
At the end of the passage we hear today, Paul notes that because
God did not destine us for wrath, but rather for salvation through his Son, He
wants us to encourage one another and to build each other up, as Paul sees the
members of the Thessalonian faith community doing. In my priestly ministry in Yazoo City and
throughout our Diocese of Jackson, I am always edified to see the ways the
different members of our Church encourage one another and build each other
up. I look at the way Marian, Natalie,
and Mary take care of the sick and shut-ins of the parish, how people here
rally around each other when a tragedy hits or when someone needs help or
lifting up. I even had Mary Menger and
Anna Posey, two of our junior high students, make blueberry cobbler for the
prisoners when I brought them their dinner to celebrate Pentecost. You have no idea how much that lifted them up
and encouraged them. Helping each other along our journey is so essential to
living out our Catholic faith. It is
what Paul is encouraging us to do in today’s reading. May we all continue helping each other as we
journey together as a community of believers.
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