THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST IS NOT A HUMAN MESSAGE

X SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - GAL 1:11-19

Here and there, in his letters, Paul speaks about his experience of the Risen Lord and of his conversion, which meant a radical change in his life.

Paul was single minded in his pursuit of faithfulness

He was a Pharisee (Phil 3:5), "educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law…, being zealous for God" (Act 22:3). In his zeal, Paul was single minded to the point of persecuting the Church "up to the point of death by binding both men and women and putting them into prison" (Act 22:4). He had no doubts about himself and about his beliefs; in fact, he was totally convinced of the righteousness of his attitude. For him, the ones in the wrong were guilty of unfaithfulness and betrayal, and therefore they had no right to freedom. He was fighting the good cause; indeed, he was fighting for God, as if God needed someone to fight for him, using violence and bringing great suffering to many innocent people.

In the Gospels, we find a similar attitude, when James and John wanted to call fire from heaven to consume the Samaritans who refused to welcome Jesus in their village. However, Jesus rebuked them (Lk 9:54-55).

From an exclusive nationalist, Paul becomes a preacher of universality

In the middle of his way to Damascus, full of courage and fervour, with authority to arrest the Christians and force them into submission, Paul underwent a deep experience of the Risen Lord Jesus Christ; and his life was transformed. In a moment, he realised the foolishness of his attitude: instead of fighting for God, he was fighting God himself. With the same determination, he changed course, becoming a follower of Jesus Christ. From that moment onwards, he would become a witness of Jesus Christ, tirelessly proclaiming the Gospel of salvation, to which all people are called. He abandoned his narrow mindedness and exclusivist nationalism to become a messenger of the universal love of God revealed in Jesus Christ that offers salvation to all..

Paul claims that he did not learn the Gospel from any human being, but "through a revelation of Jesus Christ". And so he did not hesitate, and "did not confer with any human being" (Gal 1:16), in order to become a believer in Jesus Christ. He had been called and appointed to proclaim Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. And he carried out that mission with the same single mindedness, that he had shown before; a single mindedness in which total commitment took the place of violence. He had learned from Jesus Christ selfless love and the zeal of total dedication that led him through the daily struggle of becoming like Jesus.

"I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him" (Phil 3:8-9).