29/10/2021

St Paul is writing to the congregation of converts that is in Rome. He is intense. He knows that his correspondents are mostly Jews and he feels a great unease as he meditates and ponderss upon his own message. He has seen the Risen Lord and has heard the message tasking him with responsibity and mission. The height and the depth of Paul's faith in Jesus cannot be matched and he feels a great sorrow for educated as a Pharisee his knowledge of the historyof the Chosen People is a huge foundation on which to erect the comparitively recent events in Palestine.

The Risen Lord is now the Church and Paul realises that he and all believers are the Body of Christ and that it is as partof this body that we are saved. He is so desperate that his fellow Jews accept this that he offers his own damnation in exchange for the salvation of his people. This is truly a terrible image. 

Could I accept Hell for myself? St Paul is certainly in excess here. No one reaches heaven by his own efforts. He himself teaches that it is by a free gift that we receive salvation. Faith can become Good Works; but bargaining one's soul for the sake of another is not on. The excess of St Paul here makes for good rhetoric but our Master does not need the destruction of any soul. He accepted the horrific destruction of his own body. As a human he must of been out of his mind at the pain of it but as God he knew that his sacrifice was an acceptable offering to Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Truly God is beyond all my imagination but I hope that my small efforts to know him can grow into loving service if I can keep control of my sinful nature.

Dear Lord send me help to do your will and continue to care for those of mine who ar particulry in need of help. Let all of your people feel the love you have for your chosen ones.