Power Is Made Perfect in Weakness

Last updated on: June 25, 2013 at 4:31 pm by Sr. Theresa Aletheia Noble

Power Is Made Perfect in Weakness 2013-06-25T16:31:00-04:00 Sr. Theresa Aletheia Noble

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

We all have things in our past that haunt us – friends we’ve lost, cruel things we have said, inexcusable things we have done. St. Paul knew this feeling, the feeling of having squandered something that could not be restored, of having done something that could not be taken back.

In the Book of Acts, Stephen is “full of grace and power,” and does “great wonders and signs among the people” (Acts 6:8). But the people believe that Stephen is blaspheming when he preaches about Jesus and in their rage they drag Stephen outside of the city and begin to stone him. Paul is present at this terrible moment and approves of Stephen’s murder. Paul later says, “I myself was standing by, approving and keeping the coats of those who killed him” (Acts 22: 20).

In the same way that memories of our worst selves stick with us, the shameful moment of Stephen’s murder must have flashed before Paul’s eyes many times. But Paul did not wallow in self pity and guilt – no, he knew that God’s task for him was too great for that. When Paul was overwhelmed with his weakness, he cried out and the Lord responded with words that are meant not only for Paul but for each of us: “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

God’s power is made perfect in our weakness. Do we really believe this? Our weaknesses and sins are doors through which God’s power can overflow, if we open ourselves to his healing grace. If we wait until we are perfect to declare Jesus to the world, then we will never say a word. Jesus doesn’t call the perfect. Paul is a good example of this; God does not look for perfection in his disciples. Instead, God only looks for openness to his grace, which is all he needs to turn our weakness into something great.

We will make mistakes; we can count on it. Perhaps like Paul, we often say too much, or perhaps we never say enough. Maybe, like Paul, we are carried away by our emotions and sometimes say things that are hurtful. But if we spend our lives avoiding mistakes, then we make a greater mistake. As Blessed James Alberione once said, “He who does things makes mistakes (sometimes). But he who does nothing lives a continuous mistake.”

Looking to Paul, we can draw comfort from his checkered past, his fiery personality, and his forceful manner of communicating. All of these things the Lord used for good, not because Paul deserved it, but because that is just how our good God operates. So, our God calls us to come out of our embarrassment and shame, to emerge from our self-centered obsession with past mistakes. If we continue to live in shame and guilt, then we refuse God’s goodness -and that is truly the biggest mistake we could ever make.

Together, let us open our hearts to Jesus, to his forgiving mercy and grace. Although we do not deserve God’s mercy, he wants so much to give it to us anyway.

(This piece originally appeared in the Discover Hope News Notes email for Pauline Books and Media, the publishing house run by the Daughters of St Paul. If you would like to subscribe to these emails with hopeful messages and news about our new books, sign up here)

Uncategorized

Previous Post

May 24, 2013

Was Gatsby a Catholic? (& More)

Next Post

July 6, 2013 Christians, Be Wildflowers Not Wallflowers!

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advent Art Atheism Book Reviews Christmas Church Issues Discernment Easter Ecumenism Entertainment Environment Eucharist Evangelization Family Freebies Guest Post Holy Spirit Inspire Me Interreligious Dialogue Jesus Lectio Divina Lent Life Issues Liturgical Season Mary Media MISC Movie Reviews Pauline Pope Francis Prayer Prayer Intention Religious Life Saints Sanctity Scripture Social Justice Social Teaching St. Paul Theology of the Body Uncategorized US News Vocations World News Writing Year of Mercy

Select a Month September 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which letter is addressed "to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

James Jude 2 John Galatians