RCL reading for Sunday, July 5, 2009:
Excerpt from the New Revised Standard Version
via Oremus (http://bible.oremus.org)
2 Corinthians 12:2-10
2 I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows.
3 And I know that such a person—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows—
4 was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat.
5 On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses.
6 But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me,
7 even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given to me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated.
8 Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me,
9 but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10 Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.
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This is the "tearful" letter where Paul' voice almost breaks as he frantically fights back against the "Super Apostles" who have lured his Corinthians away. He starts out by telling an extrodinary tale about rapture which he later hints is probably true, but here serves as a trenchant critique of the melodramatic self promotion of his rivals. This leads him to relate his thorn-in-the-flesh which he has asked the Lord to remove. The answer covers it all: "My grace is sufficient." Imagine a vessel filled with water. To a man with high self-esteem, confidence and a proven record no amount of grace is going to make him better. The full vessel can't be filled any fuller. But if the vessel is empty and the man is fearful and depressed and weak, God's grace can do its work. He ends be stating the conundrum that weakness is his strength, as that allows God's grace to work through him.
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