On Thursday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to reflect on a scripture passage from the beginning of the second letter of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians (4:5-18) entitled "The weakness of Paul and his strength". Our treasure, which follows, is from the Explanations of the Psalms by Saint Ambrose, bishop.
Saint Ambrose was born of a Roman family at Trier about the year 340. He studied at Rome and served in the imperial government at Sirmium. In 374, while, living in Milan, he was elected bishop of the city by popular acclaim and ordained on December 7. He devotedly carried out his duties and especially distinguished himself by his service to the poor, and as an effective pastor and teacher of the faithful. He strenuously guarded the laws of the church and defended orthodox teaching by writings and actions against the Arians. He died on Holy Saturday, April 4, 397. Saint Ambrose is a Doctor of the Church.
Saint Ambrose explained the Psalms as a source of spiritual exercise, a celebration of faith, and a way to heal the human soul. He believed that the Psalms were a divine gift that could help people develop virtues, learn about God, and find peace. For Ambrose a psalm is a blessing for the people... our universal tongue; the voice of the Church, a sweet outpouring of faith; a devotion divinely ordained; the cry of heart's delight; a leaping and jumping for joy...it soothes the angry spirit, banishes care, lessens sorrow. It guards us by night, guides us by day.
The Second Letter to the Corinthians is the most personal of all of Paul's extant writings, and it reveals much about his character. In it he deals with one or more crises that have arisen in the Corinthian church. The confrontation with these problems caused him to reflect deeply on his relationship with the community and to speak about it frankly. One moment he is venting his feelings of frustration and uncertainty, the next he is pouring out his relief and affection. The importance of the issues at stake between them calls forth from him an enormous effort of personal persuasion, as well as doctrinal considerations that are of great value for us. Paul's ability to produce profound theological foundations for what may at first sight appear to be rather commonplace circumstances is perhaps nowhere better exemplified than in Second Corinthians.
