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This is the last of the questions we are using from 101 Questions & Answers on Paul, by Ronald D. Witherup, SS to commemorate “The Year of St. Paul”.
by Ronald D. Witherup, SS
You have obviously noticed that Paul calls himself an apostle, yet as I pointed out in a prior question, he did not have personal contact with Jesus of Nazareth in Jesus’ lifetime, nor was he a member of Jesus’ inner circle of apostles. The short response to your question is that the risen Jesus appeared to Paul and called him to be an apostle (1 Cor 1:1; Gal 1:1). To respond to your question in more detail, let’s review some basic NT vocabulary.
In the NT the word "apostle" (Greek apostolos = sent one) and the word "disciple" (Greek mathetes = learner, student) can be used interchangeably at times. Matthew formally designates the twelve closest followers of Jesus “apostles” (Matt 10:2) when he lists them, yet throughout the rest of the Gospel they are called "disciples." In Luke-Acts, however, a distinction exists between the labels "apostle" and "disciple." For Luke the word "apostle" belongs almost exclusively to the Twelve. So important is the symbolic presentation of the twelve apostles that Acts describes the choice of another to take the place of Judas the betrayer (Acts 1:21-26). The one exception is Acts 14:14 where Paul is also designated an apostle along with Barnabas. Otherwise Luke restricts the word to the Twelve. (Note that Luke-Acts never employs the singular form of the word. Is this because he always views the Twelve as an unbroken group symbolically representing Jesus’ reconstitution of the twelve tribes of Israel?)
It is interesting to note that Paul never uses the term "disciple" in his letters. He only uses the term "apostle." He applies it to himself as well as to other key figures among the early followers of Jesus. He uses the word "apostle" many times, but only once does he mention the "twelve" as a group (1 Cor 15:5). Instead Paul uses the term to describe anyone whom Jesus Christ has both called and sent on a mission to evangelize the world. Paul obviously sees apostles in a prominent place in the Christian community. He places apostles first in the list of ministries (1 Cor 12:28). He recognizes and honors the roles of prominent apostles who have preceded him. He frequently refers to himself as an apostle, especially in certain contexts that emphasize his authority (Rom 1:1; 2 Cor 1:1; Gal 1:1). Yet Paul also can use the term apologetically or sometimes with sarcasm. When he describes his first trip to Jerusalem to see Peter and James the brother of the Lord, he indicates that he did not meet with any other apostle. He compares himself as apostle "to the Gentiles" with Peter who is “apostle to the circumcised” (Gal 2:8). When he apparently felt incensed at a derogatory comparison between himself and the other apostles (most likely not the Twelve), he could cry out "I think that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles" (2 Cor 11:5; cf. 12:11).
In summary, Paul is proud to call himself an apostle because he feels strongly that Jesus Christ has designated him such no less than the original apostles. He, no less than they, has done wondrous deeds (2 Cor 12:12; cf. Acts 19:11-12). From a pastoral perspective, isn’t this significant for our own situation centuries removed from the events in the life of Jesus? Paul’s position regarding apostleship means that we, no less than the original apostles, can share in the apostolic mission of the Church.
Copyright © 2003 by Ronald D. Witherup, SS, Paulist Press, Inc., New York/Mahwah, NJ. Reprinted by permission of Paulist Press, Inc. www.paulistpress.com.
Macrina Wiederkehr, OSB
Psalm 130 is a perfect prayer for one who is troubled in spirit. It comes from the depth of a distressed heart—a heart that has been awakened to acknowledge its deep needs, a heart that, perhaps, has met some of the enemies of the soul. If this heart is a wise heart it will have learned how to cry out for relief from its suffering.
So what might be going on in the depths of one who cries out with such passion? For what reasons would one plead, with such intensity, for God’s attentive presence?
Can you recall a time in your own life when your cry for help was as passionate in tone as the psalmist in Psalm 130? Take a few minutes to ponder this question and then record your findings in your journal.
Now let’s take a look at the depths. 'The depths' has many faces. Perhaps it is a black despair where one feels abandoned by God. The agonizing cry from those depths is a plea for peace and healing. It could be lonely depths starving for both divine and human companionship. Or, maybe it is restless, noisy depths in desperate need of the kind of solitude that brings about a great calm. It may be a place of confusion and anxiety from which one cries out seeking some kind of understanding. It may even be a space in which we experience our sinfulness, and our cry from the depths is a longing for forgiveness. For a second time I invite you into silence to ponder that which is crying out in the ground of your being.
As you pray this psalm take note of the spirit of trust that surrounds the psalmist. The one who is praying appears to be completely surrendered to the Divine Presence. In verses 3 and 4 there is a beautiful claiming of God’s loving forgiveness. It is as though the one who is praying says, "I know well that I have sinned but I feel totally bathed in your forgiveness Lord. I trust you completely to carry me out of this place of darkness into a better place."
There are times in our lives when those buried feelings within kind of erupt like a volcano and we find ourselves automatically crying out for support. These deep cries from "out of the depths" are healthy. This is a very good prayer. We are making our voices heard. In our cry for help we ask God to be attentive. And then we must practice that which is perhaps even more difficult than finding the courage to cry out. We practice waiting. I wait with longing for the Lord, my soul waits for his word. My soul looks for the Lord more than sentinels wait for daybreak. Ps 130:5-6. This verse from the psalm implies that the sentinel waits for the dawn to see if the enemy is still gathered at the gates of the city for battle. We, too, have enemies who gather at the gates of our hearts. I am referring to our inner enemies of unrest and anxiety, resentment, fear, despair, anger…
As you continue your prayer you can complete the list of your inner enemies. When you have named these enemies ask yourself if they are disturbing your peace. Once again cry out to God from the deepest places in your being. Then wait! Wait for the dawn of a new vision for your life. Wait for grace. Wait for transformation. Wait for healing. Wait for God.
Most of us struggle with the waiting. Even simple moments of waiting for practical things in daily life prove to be difficult—things like waiting in traffic, in the doctor’s office, in queues can be exasperating. But waiting for God? That, too, can be exasperating. Although the experience of waiting may, at times, be dark and lonely, waiting does suggest hope. If we try to put on the trust of the psalmist perhaps the occasional harshness and difficulty of waiting can be softened. If we can change our impatient waiting into vigilant waiting we may suddenly awaken with transformed hearts. We will come out of the darkened depths into the morning light.
Next time you hear someone say, "I’m in the pits," give them a copy of Psalm 130 to pray.
O Compassionate God,
Hear the cries of so many of your people whose voices sound out from the depths of their beings. Behold our troubled hearts. Surround them with your presence. Teach them the gracious art of waiting. Cover them with your blessings. Carry them to a new dawn. Enable them to discover you standing at the gates of their hearts waiting to anoint their wounds. In Christ’s name we make this prayer.
Your next word to romance is Matthew 13:54-58.
Barbara Fleischer
I’ve always been told that you can’t “have your cake and eat it, too.” The two just can’t be done at the same time—you have to choose one or the other. But how about being a facilitator who guides the group, invites participants to share with one another, watches the dynamics of the group process, AND is a participant, too? Are those two roles incompatible? Can you really be a participant and a facilitator, too?
Certainly that’s a difficult balancing act. But I believe that a truly great group facilitator is one who can model what a good participant does and also intervene in the group process when the group gets stuck or goes off track. Let’s look at some ideas and skills that can make that tricky balancing act a little easier.
First of all, a facilitator needs to have a good idea of what a lively and healthy group looks like. One way to do this is to think about the groups you have been part of and think about what made the group conversation so engaging and enlivening. When I think about such groups, I remember participants who were focused on the question at hand, listened well to one another (at times helping each other go deeper in their reflections), and spoke from their own experience. They also shared their feelings as well as thoughts and “owned” them, with “I” statements or other similar expressions. Try making a list of what a good “skilled participant” looks like. Amazingly, you will find that the list results in many of the characteristics of a good facilitator, because a good facilitator is one who can model these skills for others in the group.
When a group is functioning well at a high level, it is often because the individual members know how to participate effectively in a group setting. So, the more the facilitator can help members grow into skilled participants, the easier it is to be a facilitator-participant. In fact, in highly skilled groups, it is hard to tell who the facilitator is because everyone is taking care of the whole group and keeping it on track. Put in another way, the better the group is functioning, the easier it is for the facilitator to just relax and become another participant.
A major part of the facilitator’s role, then, is to help the group become more aware of how well they are communicating and supporting one another as a group. One way to do that is to acknowledge and recognize those gatherings when the group has done an outstanding job of participating together. As management consultants often advocate, “catch people doing things right and tell them that you noticed.” Name specifically the aspects of the group’s meeting that contributed to an outstanding sharing. If the group needs some reminders of what a skilled participant looks like, perhaps invite them at the beginning of a meeting to think about their own good experiences of being in a group (as the exercise in the third paragraph suggests) and then set some goals for your own group.
Remember, too, to celebrate the group’s growth and continued life together. Perhaps you can organize a cake and coffee “pot luck” some evening…and you can all have your cake and eat it, too!
Cackie Upchurch
John F. Craghan, author of the commentary used with the LRSS study of Psalms, has written a lovely small book intended to deepen our prayer and immerse us in the Scriptures that form the backdrop for the mysteries of the rosary. Beads and the Bible, Entering the Mysteries of Prayer (Ligouri Publications) follows a simple pattern. Each mystery includes a short paragraph to focus the reader, provides a Bible text, and then gives a clear explanation, followed by material for personal reflection. The writing has an easy feel to it, and the reflections help us to enter into the mystery that is God. If that weren’t enough, the introductory pages offer one of the most inviting explanations to prayer that I’ve seen in some time.
Many in monastic life have enjoyed the richness of lectio divina for a very long time. Now, more and more lay people are using this simple method of prayerful or sacred reading of Scripture for their own spiritual growth. The traditional though fluid method includes listening, meditating, praying, contemplating and then acting. One book by Karl A. Schultz contains clear background and instruction as well as helpful hints and examples: How to Pray With the Bible (Our Sunday Visitor Publishing). Another book, this one by Stephen J. Binz, outlines the movements of lectio, giving ample encouragement for beginners and those with experience. Each of the chapters in Conversing with God in Scripture (The Word Among Us Press) contains a closing page of questions for reflection or discussion.
Paul Coutinho, SJ, has a new book with a simple but profound message: God loves us already and that love is without limit. Just As You Are (Loyola Press) is one of those books to pick up at almost any time, read a few pages, and then chew on it for days. Each spiritual lesson shows that this writer is in touch with the world where we live and work and play.
Finally, our dear friend and one of the originators of Little Rock Scripture Study, Abbot Jerome Kodell, OSB, has a new book. Don’t Trust the Abbot: Musings from the Monastery (Liturgical Press) is a collection of short essays on such topics as “Caught between Accepting and Choosing,” “The Turtle on the Fencepost,” “Halos and Dark Nights.” Abbot Jerome’s wisdom and humor come through page after page.
Cackie Upchurch
When I was growing up nothing thrilled me more than summer break. The thought of countless hours playing outside with our neighbors, walks to a city swimming pool, and entire afternoons just to read good stories – well it was enough to make me even enjoy weeding the garden or mowing the lawn. For some reason just the very fact of summer made ordinary chores tolerable.
Well, I don’t have long summer breaks any more, but I still enjoy my neighbors and swimming and reading … and believe it or not, gardening and tending to the yard is my favorite pastime. What once was a chore is now my pleasure.
I have found in working with adults that beginning to read the Bible can seem a chore. It’s still something unfamiliar to so many people, still something that can feel overwhelming. Maybe all of us need a summer mentality to change that attitude.
If you’re reading this newsletter you are probably already involved in Bible study or planning ahead for the fall. Summertime is the perfect opportunity to consider ways to invite a new attitude and then to make plans to invite newcomers to study the Bible with you. We have to make it our intention to spread the good news. After all, the apostles didn’t just sit in the upper room all satisfied with the glow of the Spirit … they got out and began to talk and to tell the story of Jesus. Find ways to do the same thing this summer in your parish, and see if you can’t begin to take the chore mentality out of the equation. Generate excitement now and it will pay off later.
This September, LRSS will celebrate our thirty-fifth anniversary! Please join us in thanking God for the opportunity to invite others to reflect on and share God’s Word in so many areas of the U.S., the Americas, and the world. Thank you for being a part of this ministry. Help us to continue to share what we have learned with others.
The materials in Spanish were piloted with interested groups in 1987. In 1994, Sr. Rosa Maria Icaza, CCVI, became our official translator for the materials published by Liturgical Press.
New Studies: James, Peter and Jude: The Catholic Letters will be available in August. Lecturers for the new study will be: Clifford M. Yeary, Dan Borlick, CM, Catherine Upchurch, Judy Hoelzeman, and Greg Wolfe
The latest edition to our free online series What the Bible Says About…is now available. The title is Being Born Again. If you want to be notified when each title becomes available online, please sign up at our website.
Clifford M. Yeary
Among all the books of the Bible, the gospels get a lot of special attention and rightly so. It’s not that they are more inspired than other books of the Bible, they aren’t. But the gospels do get to the heart of our faith very quickly. The gospels present us with the life and teachings of Jesus, and when we hear them proclaimed in our liturgies we stand at attention and listen with hearts and minds attuned to their message of life.
You probably know the names of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John well. But how well do you know their gospels? Could you tell what gospel was being read just from what it says, even if you weren’t told which gospel was being read? That might be easier if it’s the Gospel of John, but many parts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are virtually identical. But as much alike as Matthew, Mark, and Luke are in parts, they are each very special, having their own insights into Jesus and each lends a distinctive nuance to his teaching.
Having four gospels in the New Testament, instead of just one, creates a rich and varied landscape for exploration. The more we appreciate the uniqueness of each gospel the more potential is created within us for listening to Jesus in new ways, and for responding with renewed faith and desire to serve.
Because the gospels are always at the heart of Christian life and devotion, familiarity with the gospels is an essential need for all Christians. For this reason, Little Rock Scripture Study is proud to offer a new study version of the four gospels. While the text of the gospels is from the acclaimed New American Bible, Revised New Testament, this publication comes fortified with additional information and insights from Catholic scholars dedicated to bringing the Bible to life.
The Four Gospels, Catholic Personal Study Edition, will enrich your time with Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John through special short but revealing topics concerning daily life of the time, archeological findings, aids to prayer, profiles of special biblical personalities, and much, much more.
Informational and Enrichment Workshops offer clear information, hands-on experience, and practical tips for establishing and growing Bible study using LRSS materials and methods. For very little expense, a diocese can arrange to host a workshop that will benefit parishes throughout the diocese. For more information, contact: Susan McCarthy, RDC, P.O. Box 7565, Little Rock, AR 72217; (501) 664-6102 or (501) 366-5691; or by email at smccarthy@dolr.org.
June 25, 2009
Informational Workshops
Honolulu, HI
September 19, 2009
Informational and
Enrichment Workshop
Toronto, Canada
November 14, 2009
Informational Workshop
Birmingham, AL
June 27, 2009
Faith Formation Conference
Honolulu, HI
July 30 – August 3, 2009
Camino a Emaus and
NCADDHM Conference
Notre Dame, IN
August 27, 2009
Diocesan Ministry Day
St. Cloud, MN
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