The Death and Life of Jesus in Us

"...[W]e who live are constantly being given up to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal bodies." We know "that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and place us with you his presence.  Everything indeed is for you, so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God."  Truly, "we hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us"  (2 Cor 4: -15).

Dying with Jesus and rising with Jesus--all for the sake of others in order that "thanksgiving" will
overflow for the glory of God!  What a treasure and what a gift to be  an instrument in God's hands for "abundance" to be outpoured upon others, to be the "cause" of "thanksgiving" to gush forth from others in glory of God's holy name!

What a sacred mission! And as difficult as it is to be "given up to death for the sake of Jesus," what a grace to rise with Christ to new life in the dying to selfishness, to impatience, to pride, to fear, to avarice and greed and whatever blocks grace from flowing through us!  May we, each day, see patience, humility, courage, love, generosity, wisdom and all the gifts of the Spirit rise in us to the glory of God forever and ever. Amen!  

A Treasure Within Us

In today’s first reading, 2 Cor 4: 7-15, St. Paul reminds us that we “hold…[a] treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.”  That treasure is the death of Jesus, a dying that leads to the manifestation of the life of Jesus in us.  “…[W]e are constantly being given up to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh,” Paul says to us.  That dying is a death to our self-will, to human pride, to the wealth of possessions when such would  distract us from living for others; a dying  to any sinful inclinations within us.  That dying leads to the power of God rendering us obedient to the Father’s will, as Jesus was obedient. It leads to the power of God rendering us humble, as Jesus was humble, abandoning His place in heaven to come to earth below to transform it into the image of its Maker, to make justice spring up on earth as in heaven, to proclaim God’s Kingdom among us and within us. That dying leads to the power of God making us one with Jesus in  the self-emptying of ourselves for the sake of others.

O, truly, we “hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us,” that God  may be glorified in the hour of our dying to sin and selfishness, to narcissistic endeavors as God was glorified  in Jesus’ hour on the cross.