Paul "went to extremes in persecuting the Church of God and tried to destroy it" (Gal 1:13). He had an "excess of zeal" (Gal 1:14), which means he was extremely extreme. He described himself "as an extreme case" (1 Tm 1:16). Paul was an extremist.
Many of you reading this are also extremists. You may tend to go to extremes in eating, working, buying, worrying, fearing, drinking, or watching TV. Although the current direction of your extremism may be a curse, it can become a blessing. If, like Paul by God's grace, you can direct your extremism away from self-indulgence, self-destruction, and opposition to God's work, you will be able to use your extremism for the building of God's kingdom.
Jesus was and is an Extremist. He was so extreme that He became a human being and died on the cross because of love for us. He commands us to love Him with all our hearts, all our souls, all our minds, and all our strength (Lk 10:27). What's more extreme than "all"? He gives us His body and blood under the appearance of bread and wine. Did you ever hear anything so far-out, so extreme?
Jesus loves us extremely. What more can He do? We must go to extremes to love Him in return.
| PRAYER: | Father, You went to extremes in giving Your Son for our salvation. I love and thank You. |
| PROMISE: | Mary "seated herself at the Lord's feet and listened to His words." –Lk 10:39 |
| PRAISE: | Our Lady of the Rosary asks us, with extreme urgency, to pray the mysteries of the rosary for the salvation of souls. |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College