Tuesday of the Twenty-third week of Ordinary Time

But as we were judged worthy by God to be entrusted with the Gospel,
that is how we speak,
not as trying to please men,
but rather God, who judges our hearts.

It seems worthy entered our Catholic vocabulary with the Jansenist heresy in the seventeenth century. There was a supposition that a person might be worthy to receive the Blessed Sacrament if she had received the Sacrament of Penance within the last few days or hours. She should have maintained an absolute guard over every thought, word and deed since that time with no hint of lust, envy, resentment, greed or jealousy. Not entertaining such thoughts was not sufficient; they should not have passed through her mind at all. The fact that this is humanly impossible did not discourage the Jansenists; they knew from the start they were not worthy and should not receive the Blessed Sacrament.

The heresy came to America by way of the Irish, who contracted the infection when the English closed their seminaries and forced the candidates for priesthood to study in France. Of course the Church had condemned the heresy and its leaders had publicly recanted, but they maintained their poisonous teaching anyway. It was the spirit of the time in Ireland to exercise tight control over every human impulse, especially under the occupation of the English armies. Catholics could not celebrate Mass, sing hymns or recite the rosary. It was not easy to survive and many devout souls slipped into scrupulosity, sexual obsessions and alcoholism in their effort to suppress their human natures.

Fortunately, Saint Paul had no such trauma. He could speak freely of his being “judged worthy by God to be entrusted with the Gospel” because of his personal experience and the authorization the Church had given him. Like King David, he knew God had chosen him with, and despite of, his personal failings. If he walked in the way of perfection, he did not suppose that his mind would ever be sealed against thoughts of anger, resentment, discouragement or weariness. His letters amply display all these traits.

Saint Paul did not have “to please men,” neither the Jewish nor gentile authorities who harassed him from one place to the next. Nor was he afraid to confront his fellow Christians. You recall he challenged the first pope, Saint Peter, when he saw him favoring Jewish Christians over gentile Christians.  Saint Paul put his faith in God, the Just Judge, who does not see as men see, and does not judge as men judge.  As we practice the same faith we learn to surrender our anxieties and scruples to our merciful and gracious God and gratefully celebrate the Sacraments.