Being Positive especially in the Face of Adversity 

In response to the advice given to us by Proverbs, namely that a ‘kind word’ can cheer a heart worn down by anxiety, we are invited to reflect on an epistle reading read on Sunday—Rom 12:6-14).

In the epistle reading, St Paul reminds his readers that God’s pleasing and perfect will for all of us, namely the faithful, is to remain united in the Church, all contributing with our diverse gifts, or as St Paul write several verses before, “the grace given us” (Rom 12:3; also amplified in 1Cor 12). St Paul provides a sample of the different ways that all of us are gifted—we need to remember that these gifts are freely bestowed; it is not that we deserve them, but they have been given according to the good pleasure of our loving Lord—so that we may bring our charisms for service and ministry in the Church. And the paradox here is that these diverse gifts are indeed constitutive of our unity as the body of Christ.

For this reason, St Paul urges us, beyond striving to love each other genuinely through the different charisms that we have, also “[to] outdo one another in showing honour; [not to] lag in zeal [to] be ardent in Spirit and [to] serve the Lord.” (Rom 12:11) In other words, true love necessarily requires that it be accompanied by zeal. St John Chrysostom tells us that “zeal comes out of loving and gives it warmth so that the one confirms the other.” (Homilies on Romans, 21). For this reason, as Christians, let us strive to put our whole heart and soul into what you are called to do; become aglow with the Spirit.

St Paul continues: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer” (Rom 12:12). Here we are reminded that beyond any challenges that will inevitably come our way—as for example is the difficult set of circumstances which have been brought about with Covid-19— a Spirit-filled person cannot be dull, dreary and lacking lustre. On the contrary, we need to rejoice in our service towards Christ, filled with hope, namely confident in our trust towards Him who loves us and will continue to do so till the end, and indeed beyond the end. Again, St John Chrysostom tells us that in placing our hope in Christ, all difficulties that come our way “are fuel for the fire of the Spirit…. There is nothing which makes the soul so courageous and venturesome for anything as a good hope.” (Homilies on Romans, 21).

It is this “living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1Pt 1:3) that brings hope and allows us to remain steadfast in times of difficulties and troubles. And indeed, as St Paul reminds us at the end of the reading, it is prayer which is the means by which we can strengthen our hope in Christ; for this reason, we are urged to persevere in prayer.

Let us all strive to remain diligent, disciplined and dedicated in our respective tasks.
 
Philip Kariatlis
Sub-Dean