Live the Gospel or from the Gospel - 1 Cor 9: 16-19; 22-23
Accused of the impure intentions of his apostolic ministry, the Apostle of the Nations appeals to personal experience and relies on it in his mission to confirm his brothers in faith. In his opinion, the radicalism of the Good News calls for the renunciation of any form of retribution in exchange for its proclamation.
In this way, Paul becomes the first "worker-priest" in the history of the Church, but with a quite different intention than the twentieth century clergy wounded by the leftist ideas. For him, the essence of renouncing the right to "live from proclaiming the Gospel" is the concern for a thorough acceptance of the message. This way of carrying out his mission allows him to clearly witness that it was not he who chose this ministry as a way of life, but that he was chosen, and his missionary activity is the fruit of an exclusive action of God. Paul replies to the attacking Corinthians that he does not live from preaching the Gospel, but the opposite is true in his life.
He spends everything he earns to fulfill the apostolic calling received from God. Paul also emphasizes the freedom he gains through financial independence, a freedom that allows him to devote himself completely to those to whom he preaches the Good News. And although in the first lines of the ninth chapter of 1 Letter to Corinthians, the Apostle points out the differences in the manner of carrying out the mission between him and the other apostles, he does not do so in order to seek recognition in the eyes of the Corinthians, but to indicate the total unselfishness of his activity. The compulsion to proclaim the Gospel is solely the fruit of the grace received by Paul. There is nothing in his vocation with the dilemma of a dishonest property manager who is looking for a way of life, telling himself "I can't dig, I am ashamed to beg". For the Apostle of the Nations, freedom understood in this way is an indispensable condition for making his life a gift for his brothers.
The Pauline way of carrying out the apostolic mission raises many questions. First, there is genuine freedom for those to whom we proclaim the Good News. Paul only expects his teachings to be the foundation of Corinthians' lives. He has no personal expectations, no craving for gratitude, recognition, or means to live. In this way, he embodies Jesus' words about taking the last seats, about being a useless servant, about serving brothers, about giving free what we have received for free.
Paul, by renouncing any compensation for his service, experienced the freedom that enables him to lay down his life, a freedom that has been realized, as he describes it, in becoming "slave to all". The words "for the weak I have become like weak" are eloquent and significant, which express a deep identification with the situation of those to whom Paul proclaims the Gospel. He does not instruct, does not look down on those who do not know Christ or understand Him properly, but stands in line with them, identifies himself and enters into their weaknesses to reveal on himself the power of the proclaimed Word. But even in such a deep identification with the addressees of his teaching, he does not make himself under any illusions to possible success: "I have become everything for everyone to save at least some of them."
The way to transform by the Wisdom of the Word written on the pages of the Bible is not, therefore, to multiply authorities, to dominate with the indisputability of the truths proclaimed, the attitude of understanding pity towards the "poverty" of those who "do not distinguish their left hand from the right", but the authentic descent from the pedestals of teachers, intermediaries, leaders, celebrants, etc., to testify how the Gospel saves the weak. Paul, by identifying himself with the weaknesses of those to whom he preaches the Word, he becomes a witness to the power of this Word, and as if he tells the Corinthians and to each of us: Look at my life and think about it. I am as weak as any of you. I am not different. But if I give my life for you, it is because I have received it anew from Christ. And Christ wants to make a similar change in you, so you will believe the Good News!
Paul VI wrote, and we still cannot believe that "the man of our time listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers; and if he listens to teachers, it is because they are witnesses." The witness does not lecture, reprimand, scream or scare the audience. The witness simply points to facts and events, to God's works in his life. “I am weak, and look what God is doing with my weakness; I am sick, and you can see what I experience in this suffering; I have lost, and see what God does with my defeat." The courage of the witness is not a readiness for pain and suffering, but a readiness to descend into the most intimate and dark areas of oneself, because there too perceives God's action. Even if, humanly speaking, it seems to risk being ridiculed or rejected by people. The witness is not afraid of his doubts, because he is not to defend God against attacks, but it is God who protects and strengthens him. Is this not what Paul is trying to tell us when he writes? " I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me" (2 Cor 12:9)
Until Tomorrow
fr. george