11TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
I too will boast.
Don’t you find it funny that Paul would condemn those who boast, but then turn around and spend so much time boasting himself? He goes to such great lengths to tell the Corinthians about his credentials as an apostle and about all the hardships he has endured. It’s almost as if he were pointing to himself as some sort of superhero they should admire! Later in this letter, he again states that boasting is not “profitable,” but then he dives right back in and describes his extraordinary spiritual experiences (2 Corinthians 12:1-4).
Maybe some context can help. It seems that other people, whom Paul labeled as false apostles, had come to Corinth preaching a different form of the gospel than the one he and the other apostles were preaching. These “superapostles” were impressing the Corinthians with their showy preaching, their easy message, and their impressive credentials (2 Corinthians 11:5). So Paul, fearing that the people were being led astray, leapt to his own defense—and, more important, to the defense of his message.
Paul was always a passionate man, so it shouldn’t surprise us that he was so extreme in his argument. He was also a shrewd man: he hoped that by speaking in such extremes, he could shock the Corinthians back to their senses. Remember, this is the same man who once wrote that he would do whatever it took to bring people to Jesus (1 Corinthians 9:22).
Paul’s words show us that sometimes we have to fight for the sake of the gospel. Sometimes we have to show a little passion and shake people up a bit. And that can sound as if we are boasting.
Of course, our Christian witness should never involve prideful boasting, but there are certainly times when we need to be direct and forthright. There are also times when we need to be gentle and compassionate. In every situation, God wants us to be flexible, resourceful, and creative as we reach out with his wisdom and love. That’s how we, like Paul, can do whatever it takes to bring the good news to the people we see every day.
“Jesus, I want to share your good news. Teach me how to be as shrewd as a serpent and as gentle as a dove (Matthew 10:16).”
2 Corinthians 11:18, 21-30
Psalm 34:2-7
Matthew 6:19-23
Thank you Father Maurice for this inspiring message