Justin Appel

Dear Friends,

In today’s Epistle lesson, St Paul describes eloquently his pastoral office (I Thessalonians 2:1-12) and its manifestation within the Church, in this case, specifically to the church in Thessaloniki.

St Paul believed he was responsible to preach the Gospel, the good news in Christ with courage, not seeking to please people, but rather to gain God’s approval.

What is this Gospel? St Paul makes it clear elsewhere (e.g. Romans 1) that this news pertains to Christ himself, to his incarnation and lordship, and to the destruction of death and sin, and to God’s grace poured out on us, leading to our repentance and restoration. The pastoral role makes this Gospel present within the lives of the assembled faithful.

In a specifically liturgical context, the proclamation of the Gospel, and the preaching of the good news in the homily serve as occasions of real encounter with God—not merely a download of information, an attempt at inspiration, or any kind of propaganda.

St Paul understood his pastoral identity in the proclamation of that Gospel, and in the real and tangible sharing of himself with the flock, acting like a nursing mother caring for her children, or encouraging and exhorting like a father. These wonderful maternal/paternal images underscore the themes of love and self-sacrifice for the sake of the other that characterize the pastoral office.

The Apostle, and by extension the priest, lives to serve and to make Christ present to the Church through tangible means: through sacrifice, teaching, exhortation, healing, and example.

We are grateful for St Paul, a faithful Apostle, who gave his life in the pastoral service of Christ’s Church!

Yours in Christ,

—Justin