Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an Apostle and set apart for the Gospel of God, to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom 1:1-7)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101325.cfm
Old letters are amazing. Carefully treasured, somewhat yellowed, tied with a blue ribbon. The letters of Saint Paul have also been treasured through the centuries. I’m always amazed at the scribes who are carefully writing down Paul’s dictation. The Letter to the Romans is Paul’s longest letter (we will be reading it at daily Mass for a month!). At the very end of the letter, the poor scribe slips in a little note to the readers: “I, Tertius, the writer of this letter, greet you in the Lord” (Rom 16:22). We are grateful to Tertius and all the other scribes!
These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
Monday XXVIII, Ordinary Time
