"Made Known... the Only Wise God."

I ask for the grace to pray and meditate faithfully.  I ask for patience, tolerance, empathy, and compassion.  I ask to abstain from anxiety, anger, compulsive behaviour, discouragement, and self importance.  I ask that the light of the dawning year find its way into the darkness of the season and prepare my heart for the birth of reconciliation and new life.  May my thoughts, words, and actions proclaim justice, kindness, and humility.


Romans 16:25-27
25 Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages ²⁶but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— ²⁷to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever! Amen.


1) "...strengthen you;" "...the mystery;" "...kept secret for long ages;" "...now disclosed;" "...prophetic writings;" "...eternal God;" "...obedience of faith;" "...only wise God;" "...be the glory for ever;"


2) Is this even a sentence?  Paul writes a closing doxology that reiterates his theology of the promise going first to the Jews through the prophets, then to all the Gentiles, first kept secret, but now revealed... All according to God's command, but through Christ and the prophetic writings.  He's using the doxology to tie the Jews to the Gentiles and the Gentiles to the Jews.  It's one people for Paul, Jews with different identifications with Gentiles of different backgrounds.  One eternal, wise, revealing God. "...revelation of the mystery."  We are not alone.  The same wise God has made Godself known in a new way through Christ Jesus.  The same wise God of the Hebrew Scriptures who regularly revealed Godself throughout the history of Israel in new ways, is disclosed again in Christ Jesus.  How is God disclosed today?  How is God disclosed for us?  How is God disclosed to me?  Daily prayer; meditation; prayers answered; the impossible made possible; a way forward where there was no way; connection beyond alienation...


3) What is the invitation in all this?  To witness the one wise God disclosed to us today.


"Holy One, thank you.  Glory be to you on high."


Breathprayer: "Made known... the only wise God."