Homily: Friday of the 30th Week in OT 2015 - St. Paul's Anguish

As we continue with our readings from St. Paul’s letters to the Romans, Paul speaks of a great sorrow and anguish in his heart.  After his life-changing encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus, Paul realized that not all of his fellow Jews would accept the revelation that Jesus is Messiah, Lord, and God.

With his conversion to Christ, Paul experienced growing criticism and rejection by his fellow Jews.  But it was precisely because he understood God’s call to the Jews, that Paul remained zealous for their conversion.  So much so that he said, “I could even wish to be separated from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen the Israelites.”  Paul wanted his brothers and sisters to know Christ and to be saved so much that he would give up his own salvation for them, and go to the eternal torments of hell for them. Some people give up their eternal salvation for power, money, sexual pleasure, fame, or revenge.  Paul could not envision a worse fate than to be separated from Christ, but he was willing to accept it for the sake of the salvation of others.

Paul burning zeal for the salvation of People propelled him throughout the known world to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ: through the regions of Asia Minor and on to Europe. Paul’s burning zeal is meant to be an example for each of us. Paul was under compulsion to preach the Gospel, all that he did was for the sake of the Gospel. This might cause each of us to reflect upon, “What drives me? What compels me?  What is the driving force in my life? What am I willing to suffer for? Am I willing to suffer for Christ and the spread of the Gospel? If not, why not?”

A few years ago on World Mission Sunday in 2009, Pope Benedict XVI reminded us that the Church exists to proclaim the message of hope to all of humanity. “The goal of the Church's mission”, he said, “is to illumine all peoples with the light of the Gospel as they journey through history towards God, so that in Him they may reach their full potential and fulfilment. We should have a longing and a passion to illumine all peoples with the light of Christ that shines on the face of the Church, so that all may be gathered into the one human family, under God's loving fatherhood.”

“May we be guided in our missionary activity by the Blessed Virgin Mary, Star of New Evangelization, who brought Christ into the world to be the light of the nations and to carry salvation "to the ends of the earth"” for the Glory of God and salvation of souls.