11th-Sunday-Year-B

In his book “The cost of Discipleship” (1963), German martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote: “When Jesus Christ calls us, he bids us come and die.” Obviously, the same could be said of any call from God.  As is evident in today’s 1st reading, Ezekiel (2:2-5) knew quite well the costliness of answering God’s call to be a prophet to his contemporaries.  “Dying” for Ezekiel would entail communicating an unpopular message to a rebellious people and bearing with the consequences of their rejection.  Such suffering was and is an integral aspect of the ministry of the Word: “they shall know that a prophet has been among them” (v. 5)

That this suffering and dying for the sake of the Gospel was known to Jesus is sadly attested in today’s Gospel (Mk 6:1-6).  As far as his hometown folks were concerned, he was just too local to be important.    Even Jesus’ relatives thought him to be “too much for them”.(v.3)

When Paul following in the footsteps of Ezekiel and others, became a minister of God’s word, and when he attached himself to Jesus, he knew the suffering, rejection and dying that are intrinsic to such a relationship.  In today’s 2nd reading ( 2Cor 12:7-10), Paul gives a name to his struggle for Christ and the Gospel – “ a thorn in the flesh”.   The thorn from which Paul wished to be relieved may have been anything from a physical malady to a particular temptation or short temper.

More important than an accurate identification of Paul’s “thorn”, however, was the manner in which he learned to deal with it.  First, he wanted to be rid of it; as he regarded the “thorn” as a hindrance that kept him from giving his all in God’s service.  Gradually and only through prayer, Paul was led to understand that his “thorn” and whatever  weakness it unmasked in him combined to create a venue wherein the power of God were clearly and undeniably manifested in him.  Not only did Paul become content to bear the burden of his “thorn” but he also regarded his struggle as a matter for boasting.  His boast lay not in himself or in his ability to grit his teeth against the suffering but in the power of God that he had begun to realize was at work and alive within him.

Paul’s frankness in sharing his weakness begs us to think of those thorns that we consider as impediment to our ministry, those people, things, circumstances or situation that, if they were absent, would render us so much more effective and our work so much more successful.  For each of us the thorn shall have a different name. Like Paul, we are invited to rejoice and even boast of the thorn that reveals our weakness.  For it is in the acknowledgement of our utmost weakness that God’s grace can act most powerfully.

 “My grace is enough for you”, says God; “ in your weakness, my power reaches perfection.”