Tag Archives: st. paul

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Understanding Paul: An Introduction to the Writings of St. Paul

By | May 1, 2013

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Use the summaries as an introduction for private study. Use them in a group study as you begin to discuss the various overarching themes of each work. The point is this: use them. There is no reason to avoid St. Paul’s writings. They are a beautiful gift from God and are meant to be explored. Prayerfully read through these sections in conjunction with the letters of St. Paul themselves, and watch how the second reading at Sunday Mass — and, most importantly, your soul — comes to life.

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Fight Like a Saint

By | June 29, 2012

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My goal in life is to be a saint, and I hope yours in too, so we need to ask ourselves – how do I treat people when I disagree with them?

Look actions 1 – 4 above and replace ‘St. Peter’ with whomever you disagree with. Are you more likely to gossip about the person, tell other people how wrong they are, or even fight with the person? Or are you mature enough to respectfully talk with the person and still give them the honor they deserve?

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How to Read 1st & 2nd Timothy

By | April 30, 2012

The letters of St. Paul to Timothy are unique among the apostle’s writings. Timothy was stationed in the Church at Ephesus in order to help it recover from the damage of some false teachers who had been deceiving God’s people (1 Timothy 1:3-7; 6:3-5). In a very loving way, the Apostle encourages Timothy to remain firm in the truth (1 Timothy 4:6-7; 6:20). Sound doctrine is important. St. Paul is adamant about the fact that God’s people must be taught nothing less than the fullness of truth Read more [...]

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How To Read Colossians

By | April 30, 2012

The letter of St. Paul to the Colossians is an interesting epistle. Unlike some of the others, St. Paul did not personally found or visit the Church in Colossae (Colossians 2:1). St. Paul had heard about the Colossian Church through a man named Epaphras (Colossians 1:7; 4:12) who informed the apostle about the struggles of this young Christian community. Apparently some rabble-rousers were attempting to persuade people that the faith of the Gentile Christians was inadequate. The Jews of the Read more [...]

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How to Read Ephesians

By | April 30, 2012

The “mystery” of Jesus Christ is both the key to our salvation and the central theme in St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (Ephesians 1:9; 3:4, 9). The mystery of Christ has various dimensions. Jesus is the Savior of the world, and he came to die on the cross for the sins of all people — no matter what their background of former way of life. After His death and resurrection, Jesus ascended into Heaven where He is highly exalted and is seated at the right hand of the Father (Ephesians 1:20-23). Read more [...]

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How To Read Philippians

By | April 30, 2012

The letter of St. Paul to the Philippians is an epistle of encouragement and thanksgiving. The Church in Philippi was always eager to support the work of Christ no matter what the cost, and the apostle wants to express his profound gratitude for their prayers and assistance. This is a very personal letter from the pen of St. Paul. Unlike his letters to the Romans and the Galatians, there are no big debates or controversies to be resolved. Thus, Philippians is also rather informal in style — in Read more [...]

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How to Read Titus

By | April 30, 2012

Titus and St. Paul had worked together to evangelize parts of the Island of Crete. When the apostle left Crete to go spread the saving message of Jesus to other places, Titus remained to organize the Christian converts and help them form a solid community. Like his letters to Timothy, St. Paul is very pastoral in his advice and counsel to Titus. He exhorts Titus to remain firm in the unwavering truth of Christ (Titus 1:10-16; 2:1). The apostle also spends time giving Titus advice about how discern Read more [...]

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How to Read 1st & 2nd Thessalonians

By | April 30, 2012

The letters of St. Paul to the Thessalonians are very pastoral. The Apostle is writing to a group of recent converts who are experiencing great persecution. He offers his prayers, thoughts and paternal encouragement in their time of great trial and difficulty. He commends them for their growth faith, hope and love (1 Thessalonians 1:3; 3:6; 5:8), offers no big criticisms or reprimands, and urges them to remain steady in the Christian journey (1 Thessalonians 4:1; 5:11).As in all his epistles, Read more [...]

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How to Read 1st & 2nd Corinthians

By | April 29, 2012

The city of Corinth was a busy place. A lot of trading was done in the city, and it was known for its great economic prosperity and success. Attracting many people from all walks of life, Corinth was also known for its rampant sinfulness. It was kind of like the Las Vegas of its time. St. Paul himself had helped to start the Church in Corinth, but he was unable to remain in the city and oversee its spiritual growth (Acts 18:1-18). Unfortunately, a lot of scandalous behavior began to emerge within Read more [...]

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How to Read Galatians

By | April 29, 2012

Although not quite as long (or as complicated) as his epistle to the Romans, the letter of St. Paul to the Galatians is also focused on this primary question: Does one have to be circumcised in order to be a full Christian? Again, as he said in Romans, the answer is no. Circumcision is not necessary. It does not communicate grace. Baptism — not circumcision — communicates grace and enters us into God’s covenant family. St. Paul is writing to persuade Christians that the ceremonial laws Read more [...]

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How to Read Romans

By | April 29, 2012

The letter of St. Paul to the Romans is a very special epistle. It displays the apostle’s theological brilliance as well as his deep love and spirituality. It is St. Paul’s longest and most influential letter. St. Paul wrote the letter to introduce himself to the Christians who lived in the heavily populated city of Rome, and also to prepare them for his upcoming visit. The apostle had heard reports of trouble amidst the various Christian converts in the area. Through the ministry of the Read more [...]

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Love Hurts

By | April 6, 2012

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Try to picture it now. When the earthquake subsided and the darkness lifted that Friday afternoon, it must have resembled something like a crime scene. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your mind and heart now as you discern the site.

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