MASS READINGS, SATURDAY JUNE 19, 2021, General Week 11 FIRST READING "Very willingly, I would rather put my pride in my weaknesses" A Reading from the second letter of Saint Paul the apostle to the Corinthians (12, 1-10)

MASS READINGS, SATURDAY JUNE 19, 2021, General Week 11 

FIRST READING 

"Very willingly, I would rather put my pride in my weaknesses" 

A Reading from the second letter of Saint Paul the apostle to the Corinthians (12, 1-10) 

Brothers, should we boast? This is not helpful. I will come, however, to the visions and revelations received from the Lord. I know that a follower of Christ fourteen years ago was carried to the third heaven - is it in his body? I do not know ; is it outside of his body? I do not know ; God knows - but I know this man in that state - is it in his body, is it without his body? I don't know, God knows - that man was taken to Heaven and he heard ineffable words that a man must not say again. Of such a man I can boast, but for myself I will boast only about my weaknesses. In fact, if I wanted to brag, it wouldn't be foolishness, because I would only be telling the truth. But I avoid doing it, so that people don't have a more favorable idea of ​​me than by seeing or listening to me. And these revelations in question are so extraordinary that, to keep myself from overestimating myself, I have received in my flesh a thorn, a messenger of Satan who is there to slap me, to keep me from overestimating myself. Three times I prayed to the Lord to take him away from me. But he declared to me: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power gives its full measure in weakness. It is therefore very willingly that I will rather put my pride in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may make its home in me. That is why I wholeheartedly accept for Christ weaknesses, insults, constraints, persecutions and distressing situations. Because when I am weak, that is when I am strong. I received a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan who is there to slap me, to prevent me from overestimating myself. Three times I prayed to the Lord to take him away from me. But he declared to me: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power gives its full measure in weakness. It is therefore very willingly that I will rather put my pride in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may make its home in me. That is why I wholeheartedly accept for Christ weaknesses, insults, constraints, persecutions and distressing situations. Because when I am weak, that is when I am strong. I received a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan who is there to slap me, to prevent me from overestimating myself. Three times I prayed to the Lord to take him away from me. But he declared to me: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power gives its full measure in weakness. It is therefore very willingly that I will rather put my pride in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may make its home in me. That is why I wholeheartedly accept for Christ weaknesses, insults, constraints, persecutions and distressing situations. Because when I am weak, that is when I am strong. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power gives its full measure in weakness. It is therefore very willingly that I will rather put my pride in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may make its home in me. That is why I wholeheartedly accept for Christ weaknesses, insults, constraints, persecutions and distressing situations. Because when I am weak, that is when I am strong. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power gives its full measure in weakness. It is therefore very willingly that I will rather put my pride in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may make its home in me. That is why I wholeheartedly accept for Christ weaknesses, insults, constraints, persecutions and distressing situations. Because when I am weak, that is when I am strong.   

- Word of the Lord.

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