13 September 2017
Memorial of Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Paul’s message in Col 3:1-11 is so direct that the text needs very little commentary; what would be most fruitful would simply be to more spend time with the text itself, using it as an examination of conscience.
Are you raised with Christ? Because if you are, then seek what is above! If you do not, then perhaps you do not live from Christ’s resurrection as much as you thought you did. Look at the attitudes that belong to the “old self:” “immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, the greed that is idolatry, anger, fury, malice, slander, and obscene language.” These realities need to die with Christ before we can be lifted up with him. Let us ask for God’s help, so that by contemplating Jesus’ life we might “put to death, then, the parts that are earthly” (Col 3:5) so that we might begin to be “renewed, in the image of the Creator” (Col 3:11).