"MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU, FOR POWER IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS," says the LORD to PAUL in an amazing, private REVELATION

(2 Corinthians 12:9). This second major Revelation to Paul is not as famous as the first one on the road to Damascus: "SAUL, WHY DO YOU PERSECUTE ME?" (Acts 9:4), which led Paul to a total CONVERSION from a persecutor of the first Christians to one of the greatest Christian evangelizers of all times. In my homilies last Sunday (8:30 am, 10 am and 1 pm), I invited all Mass participants to meditate on the powerful message of the second reading, by focusing on the first 10 verses of chapter 12 of St Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians... If you have not done so, maybe the Holy Spirit will guide you to open your Bible right now...

Every word in Paul's letters is INSPIRED BY GOD. The beginning of chapter 12 of his second letter to the Corinthians may change your life. You may have never heard direct words from Jesus as Paul did. But the words Paul heard are also addressed to you personally. Like Paul, we all have "A THORN IN OUR FLESH" which may tend to separate us from God. That thorn was given to Paul by an angel of Satan so as "to beat him, to keep him from being too elated" (2 Corinthians 12:7). Three times Paul begged the Lord to take away that thorn, but God refused three times ...Paul never mentioned what was that thorn...Only when we are with Paul and all the saints in Heaven, will we know what his affliction was.

To assist us to go through the narrow gate leading us to Heaven, Jesus invites us to reflect on the thorns and crosses that are within our hearts. Accepting those thorns or crosses that afflict us and that we cannot change, will be humbling: it will help us understand our own weaknesses, our littleness. It will be our own Way of the Cross leading us to join the Risen Lord. It will help us recall Paul's words: “I AM CONTENT WITH WEAKNESSES! insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, FOR THE SAKE OF CHRIST; for, WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN I AM STRONG" (2 Corinthians 12:10). This goes against our prevailing culture of looking down on any weaknesses and of boasting about any strengths...

In both good times and bad times, we need to keep TRUSTING IN GOD's MERCIFUL LOVE One of the early Fathers of the Church, ORIGEN, said eloquently commenting on Christian Suffering: "God frees us from strife, not by making our troubles disappear but by helping us not to be overcome by suffering." Does God want us to suffer? No! He wants PEACE for us right here right now; and yes, we can find PEACE in ACCEPTING SUFFERING for the sake of Christ, and yes, we can keep HOPE that one day we will be reaching ETERNAL PEACE in HEAVEN. Jesus taught us that the Gate to Heaven is narrow. Not everyone will be saved. But if we keep trusting in Jesus and in his grace, He will guide us through the narrow Gate.

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father, help us to accept our weaknesses and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus!

Heavenly Father, help us to understand that we can find strength in our own weaknesses.

Heavenly Father, help us to keep trusting in your Son and the power of His Grace, a Grace that will always be sufficient for us to do Your Will!

One in Christ,

Fr. Alain