January 5, 2025 -The Epiphany of the Lord

YES! That is right. St. Paul has realized that the whole appearance of the Divine Messiah and Savior – Jesus the Christ – is NOT just for the “Redemption of Israel”, but it is the plan of God to save the whole human race in every age.

Now, Paul is a Jew and an educated pharisee. He knows the revelations of the prophets and the teachings of God’s desire to save Israel, as it is presented in the Old Testament (“The Scriptures” of his time).

Jesus preached a salvation and rose from the dead to save ALL flesh, that would be you and me. St. Paul would call any believer who is not a Jew – a Gentile. Yeah, that would be you and me, the non-Jewish believers! This is a Great Revelation. It is thinking way beyond the box of the small world where the Jewish Religious Leadership held and that is why they never understood Jesus and even condemned his since he opposed a closed salvation (one only for Israel).

A Savior for all the world. A savior for those destined for eternal life. A savior who looks beyond the threats to our mortal existence and one who came to protect us from an immortal perdition! 

St. Paul sees us as the first Christians as the first generation of THE NEW Covenant. The new relationship with a God who is close to us, looks like us, knows our struggles, loves us and has a human face like us! Jesus says: “I no longer call you slaves (in obedience to God - Old Covenant), I call you friends (in love of doing the will of God - New Covenant in his blood!)

We are called to be “copartners. That means disciples, preachers, lovers, who, call others to join us in prayer to Jesus – the Son of God!

That is a working mission of bringing the salvation, that was won for us, to everyone in our lives by loving as HE loves US!

I wish each of you Peace!

May Our Risen Savior Bless you!

Fr. Patrick Nelson, SDS