Agapas Me

Glory in my Infirmities

1Cor12

1 If I must glory (it is not expedient indeed), but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ above fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I know not, or out of the body, I know not; God knoweth), such a one caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know such a man (whether in the body, or out of the body, I know not: God knoweth), 4 That he was caught up into paradise, and heard secret words, which it is not granted to man to utter. 5 For such an one I will glory; but for myself I will glory nothing, but in my infirmities.

6 For though I should have a mind to glory, I shall not be foolish; for I will say the truth. But I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth in me, or any thing he heareth from me. 7 And lest the greatness of the revelations should exalt me, there was given me a sting of my flesh, an angel of Satan, to buffet me. 8 For which thing thrice I besought the Lord, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said to me: My grace is sufficient for thee; for power is made perfect in infirmity. Gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 For which cause I please myself in my infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ. For when I am weak, then am I powerful.

All glory belongs to God. That's hard, because we all want praise. In fact, some of us are desperately needy for praise. ;) Still, if at some level we can recognize that we have nothing but for God, perhaps there is a beginning of humilty.

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This was the first reading at Mass today.

Ez 47:1-2, 8-9, 12

The angel brought me
back to the entrance of the temple,
and I saw water flowing out
from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east,
for the façade of the temple was toward the east;
the water flowed down from the southern side of the temple,
south of the altar.
He led me outside by the north gate,
and around to the outer gate facing the east,
where I saw water trickling from the southern side.
He said to me,
"This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah,
and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh.
Wherever the river flows,
every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live,
and there shall be abundant fish,
for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh.
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow;
their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail.
Every month they shall bear fresh fruit,
for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary.
Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine."

The priest at the homily today suggested that the altar was a pre-figuring of Christ on the Cross, and that the water flowing from the temple (Christ's body) was the water and blood coming from Christ's side.
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My new car got in its first accident today. I was clipped by someone who was trying to squeeze into a left hand turn lane. I thought I felt and heard his car graze mine. After ten seconds of initial shock, I pulled out of my lane and into the left hand turn lane behind him. "I can't let this pass," I thought (perhaps in imitation of Jesus in today's Gospel, turning over the money tables at the temple, Jn2:13-22). After he made his left hand turn, I followed, beeping my horn and flashing my lights. Eventually he pulled over.

"You hit me," I said as he got out of his car. I was secretly thankful he was not a huge goon. We inspected my car, but we couldn't find anything. We then went to his car and couldn't find anything. I felt small. I felt like a jerk. I apologized. It was after we shook hands, that I realized that I was really pumped up from adrenaline.

As I drove to the Birthright office, I thought it over. I was so sure he had clipped me. I was wondering if I was imagining things. When I finally got to the parking lot of the building where the Birthright office is, I finally had some decent light to see stuff. I noticed that he had shaved off a sliver of metal from my rear wheel well. Boy, I felt so relieved; I wasn't imagining things.

Sometimes you just have to laugh at yourself.

I wonder what I'll find in the full light of tomorrow. ;)

Posted by Bob at November 9, 2006 11:56 PM