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Reading the Letters of St. Paul

Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means
salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also
wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.
(2 Peter 315)
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What exactly did St. Paul say?
In order to more fully participate in the Pauline
year it may be prudent to begin with a basic
overview of St. Pauls letters.
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St. Pauls Missions
After his conversion on the way to Damascus, Paul
traveled throughout parts of Asia Minor
(currently Turkey), Syria and Arabia (now
Jordan), all the way to Jerusalem, before
reaching Europe, Greece and ultimately Rome. He
wrote letters to keep in touch with the Churches
he founded.
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The Letters of St. Paul
The New Testament contains 27 documents,
including 4 Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, 21
letters, plus Revelation.
Fourteen of these letters, if we include the
Letter to the Hebrews, are attributed to St. Paul.
The life and missions of the Apostle Paul are
also described from chapter 9 onwards in Acts of
the Apostles
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The Letters of St. Paul
The letters written to Churches include
Romans, and 2 Corinthians, Galatians
Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians
1 and 2 Thessalonians
Letters to specific individuals include 1 and 2
Timothy, Titus, and Philemon
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Why Send Letters?
In the ancient world, letters, or epistles,
allowed an absent friend or companion to make
their presence felt.
St. Pauls letters to the to Churches are
typically pastoral messages. Fortunately for us
they were not only read in one particular local
Church, but shared and preserved among Churches.
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What do the Letters say?
An intimate and fatherly relationship between
Paul and his Churches is witnessed in 1 Cor.
414-16
I am not writing these things to shame you, but
to correct you as my dear children.
For though you may have ten thousand guardians in
Christ, you do not have many fathers, because I
became your father in Christ Jesus through the
gospel.

I encourage you, then, be imitators of me.
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What do the Letters say?
Certain letters deal with specific topics, such
as the Day of the Lord in 1 and 2 Thessalonians,
or Jewish-Gentile relations in Galatians and
Romans.
Yet each letter is imbued with Pauls reflections
on the saving act of God the Father raising His
Son Jesus from the dead through the Holy Spirit.
In other words, there is contingency or
variance in St. Pauls preaching, as well as an
underlying coherence or unity.
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St. Pauls Gospel Narrative
While Paul does not write Gospel narratives like
the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, he
is guiding his readers toward a way of life that
is congruent with the gospel narrative of what
God has done for us in His Son Jesus, the
Messiah.
For this reason, he frequently speaks of life
in Christ and often devotes the opening
portions of his letters to elaborating upon
Christs dying and rising.
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St. Pauls Gospel Narrative
The implications of the intersection of the cross
and resurrection in the lives of believers is
perhaps most eloquently captured in the famous
Christ hymn of Philippians (26-11).
This hymn is prefaced by the words, have the
same mind in you that was in Christ Jesus
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St. Pauls Gospel Narrative
...who, though he was in the form of God, did not
count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
but emptied himself, taking the form of a
servant, being born in the likeness of men.
And being found in human form he humbled himself
and became obedient unto death, even death on a
cross.
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St. Pauls Gospel Narrative
Therefore God has highly exalted him and
bestowed on him the name which is above every
name, that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the
earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
(Phil 26-12)
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Where can I learn more?

• There is another slideshow providing an overview
  of all of Pauls letters, however some suggested
  strategies for directly connecting with Pauls 13
  letters are
• Read an entire letter in a sitting (this is how
  they were meant to be read).
• Read aloud if possible (again, this is how they
  were meant to be read).
• Start with the Letters Philemon, Ephesians,
  Philippians.
• Jot down observations and questions which come to
  mind.

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Where can I find out more?
Visit the Archdiocesan Website for local
updates and vatican.va for the Years official
website.
Scripture Fest 2008, September 26-27.
The St. Paul A Bible Study for Catholics
booklet by Fr. Mitch Pacwa.
The St. Paul Series a workshop hosted at St.
Theresas parish the third Wednesday of
the month from Oct-April, 715pm.
Slides detailing further information on Paul
are available.
Pick up and read!
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Further Resources and References
Pope Benedicts General Audiences 2006/2007.
These addresses touch upon Paul the
Apostle St. Pauls New Outlook St. Paul and
the Holy Spirit St. Paul and the Church
Timothy and Titus Priscilla and Aquila
Barnabas, Silas, and Apollos Women at the
Service of the Gospel
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Further Resources and References
See www.vatican.va to visit the Year of St.
Pauls official website. Visit the Archdiocesan
Website for local events.
Scripture Fest 2008, September 26-27
Slides detailing further information on Paul
are available.
Pick up and read!