What thanksgiving, then, can we render to God for you,
for all the joy we feel on your account before our God?
Night and day we pray beyond measure to see you in person
and to remedy the deficiencies of your faith.
Scripture scholars believe that the First Letter to the Thessalonians is the first of Saint Paul's Letters, and the oldest document of the New Testament. When we hear it we may hear the Word of God in all its fresh vitality; it still carries a virtue like that of a child recognizing his mother's face and voice via Zoom. Thessalonians, eager to hear more of God's voice, no doubt recognized their Beloved Apostle in the words and expressions that were typically his.
Opening the Letter, we have to notice his intense, encouraging affection for them. He wrote with gratitude for their faith in God and fidelity to him. Thinking of them gave him joy and satisfaction, despite the anxiety of any dedicated evangelist. He knew his own human frailty and he worries about theirs. We are sheep, given to following our worst instincts and unreliable shepherds.
But there is no suggestion of flattery as he tells them of, "all the joy we feel on your account before our God." He can do that because he knows the evanescent vitality of grace in his own heart, and because he knows his own concupiscence. He owns his vulnerability. Christians who do not know, recognize, and acknowledge their personal sins are forever trying to free their companions of sin. They are troubled and troublesome.
The Sacrament of Penance and the practice of regular confession frees us from the urge to remember grievances against us. We don't need to keep them fresh by gossiping, ruminating, or tabulating and storing them in files of hanging folders. Rather, we watch our persistent, habitual inclination to sin, and freely admit its presence.
In some cases, the Sacrament frees us from the most obnoxious behaviors, but it often leaves us repeatedly confessing the same sins and faults. Spiritual direction, counseling, and consultation with friends can sometimes help us recognize the ancient patterns of sin; for instance, the passive aggression that became a permanent resistance to authority.
But more important than changing the intractable habit is acknowledging one's sin. "Lord, this is what I do, and who I am. And even when I want to change, and decide to change, I do not. Have mercy on me, a sinner."
Owning the sin, we may hope not to be a nuisance to our companions on the journey.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.