It is I, Paul, who am telling you
that if you have yourselves circumcised,
Christ will be of no benefit to you.
Once again I declare to every man who has himself circumcised
that he is bound to observe the entire law.
You are separated from Christ,
you who are trying to be justified by law;
you have fallen from grace.
For through the Spirit, by faith, we await the hope of righteousness.
For in Christ Jesus,
neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything,
but only faith working through love.
(Gal 5:2-6)
What in the world is Paul talking about? Circumcision, uncircumcision . . . it’s very unseemly. Why is Saint Paul talking about this? What has any of this to do with God, with love of neighbor?
Perhaps that is the point that Saint Paul is trying to make. Of course, today, when there are folks saying that if you don’t vote for my candidate you aren’t a “real Catholic,” we begin to understand what Saint Paul is saying.
