Paul, our Patron
AM Psalm 56, 57, [58] • PM Psalm 64, 65
1 Kings 21:1-16 • 1 Cor. 1:1-19 • Matt. 4:1-11
Eve of Holy Cross
Psalms 46, 87 • 1 Kings 8:22-30 • Ephesians 2:11-22
On my first Sunday with you, I asked what it meant to have St. Paul as a patron saint. We may have found part of the answer.
I am struck by Paul’s conversation about division in the church. He states, “Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? […] For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel.” I think Paul is talking partly about the sacrament of baptism, but Paul is also talking about knowing our place in the movement.
Paul wrote a lot! Paul, however, never claimed to be the savior; he never claimed to be the head of the church. He did not claim a spiritual power that was not his. Paul wrote in response to his experience with God and shared the power of the gospel. Even in writing many directions for the people, he did not seek to have the Church of Paul; he sought to share the Gospel of Jesus. Paul shared out of excitement and zeal for the gospel not a need for personal power.
I hear Paul saying that we can proclaim the gospel as we are called by God to do, but we don’t have to do the saving. Jesus has already saved. Many Christians feel a personal responsibility to save other people, which we can see leading to the cults of personality of which Paul seems to refer. While I imagine they understand on some level that Jesus is doing the saving, it is a lot of pressure to feel like we must convince people of the gospel or convert them. I find Paul’s message more freeing—share the gospel with excitement and zeal. That is enough.
Perhaps having Paul as a patron means proclaiming God’s Word and keeping Jesus at the center of our movement.
Written by Rev. Adelyn Tyler
Adelyn strives to work only for the Glory of God. My work with outreach and justice ministries and with St. Martin’s allows me to share the gospel with excitement and zeal, and I continually pray to keep Jesus ever at the center.