What a harsh way to begin a passage: “O
stupid Galatians!” Paul obviously was
very upset at the way he saw the Galatians forsaking the faith they had in God
with regards to their salvation and trying to rely on human works and human
effort. We Catholics here in the South
get accused sometimes of trying to rely on our good works and our own efforts
in order to achieve our salvation by our Protestant brothers and sisters. It is on of the questions I often get asked
as a priest by non-Catholics, about how good works fit into our salvation. However, our good works are to be a fruit of
our faith and salvation, the way that we live out our faith, not a means to
salvation, which is to be understood as a freely given gift from God. Paul himself is a good example of this, of
how he went into action after his conversion, of how he felt a calling from God
to the task of bring the Gospel to the Gentiles.
Sometimes we do need a reality call in
our lives of faith, don’t we, like the direct, blunt words Paul uses with the
Galatians. Even I as a priest can use a
talking to in such a direct manner at times.
In reflecting upon the importance of both prayer and action in my life
of faith, I can see how my prayer life and my studies and my reflecting on
God’s work are to influence and drive my actions as a priest, but also how my
faith in action can come back to influence my prayers and my faith. Paul always seems to give us a lot to think
about, doesn’t he?
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