Daily Liturgy and Scripture

As we remember Peter and Paul, two great giants of the early church, also remember that their relationship was not automatic. There are records of their disagreements, of Peter being corrected by Paul, and of Peter later commending Paul. Being part of this Kingdom of Jesus isn't always about agreeing, sometimes it's about being humble enough to continue life with those not exactly of the same mind as us.

This passage from 2 Thessalonians might seem like it's full of vengeance, but of course vengeance isn't the point for a follower of Jesus. Suffering, on the other hand, can make it difficult for us to keep our eyes on Jesus. Paul has some comfort for that: don't worry about your own vengeance, keep following Jesus. The vengeance is in God's hands, just as we are.

Harmony is difficult, and even the people of God struggle with holding that together. In these closing passages from 1 Thessalonians, Paul gives some guidelines for achieving that: respect, peace, encouragement, patience, and mercy. All of these happen in the Spirit, who is among and in the body of believers.

This passage from 1 Thessalonians can be a little argumentative, because it is one of the foundations of end-time theologies. Without debating any of that, we do still have Paul assuring the believers that death would not separate them or other fellow believers who had already died from Christ, and that the resurrection of Jesus was a preview for all of us. That's a pretty hefty promise, and not a bad reason to follow a man who rose from the dead.

Paul reminds the Thessalonians that purity and love should go together as citizens of the Kingdom of Jesus. This isn't a purity of laws like the Old Testament laid out, but a purity of life and a flow of love between God and among his church. One cannot go without the other: it is not enough to only love others, and it is not enough to watch our own lives. We must do both.

Remembering John the Baptist is remembering an important ally of Jesus. In this story of his death, we actually don't have a lot of that connection with Jesus, but rather his fiery prophetic side. Such was the life of a prophet: seeing a better world that is possible, they call to attention the things that stand in the way of that better world. The Kingdom of Jesus would be that world fully realized.

The picture Paul paints of his relationship with the Thessalonians is a heartwarming one. These exceptional believers, choosing Jesus above the fashionable gods of their area, hold a special place for Paul. His personal connection is affirmed as he talks about sharing both gospel and life together, which is pretty much exactly what the Church should be for one another.

As Paul opens a letter to the church in Thessalonica, he commends their laying down of other gods and their adoption of the discipleship of the one true God. This was kind of a big deal. In the Greek lands, gods were everywhere, and having multiple gods was fashionable. To abandon that practice in favor of only one would have been notable, and was probably one reason why their "faith had become known everywhere."

To conclude this letter to the Galatians, Paul takes a step away from the "don't do this" conversation to reinforce the action that is correct: follow the law, but the law of Christ. This is a self-sacrificing, loving law that seeks the welfare of others over one's self. If we do this, we are proven as followers of Jesus far more than the keeping of the letter of the old law.

You were doing things right, why change? That's Paul's message to the churches in Galatia, who were suddenly being influenced by Jewish missionaries to add a pre-Jesus Jewish slant to their faith. Not needed, says Paul. Christ is enough. Keep running the race you started, and let the Spirit guide you, loving your neighbor, and showing the fruit that comes from the Spirit's influence.