The Heart of St. Paul
What kind of world are we living in? Some want to shape their world with their own imagination , according to their liking. They create philosophies and spiritualities to help people to leave this world and live in their own little personal world, which they can control ad manipulate to their own purposes. These wish to live an enlightened life, and for many of them, this means a self-centered life.
St. Paul knows that this type of thinking is dangerous for the Colossians. They could easily be swayed through a charismatic person, philospher or ritual which is not of Christ, but appeals to them because it offers eay solutions to difficult problems. Paul writes to them: “See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philoophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ.” (Col 2:8)
Any type of thought that tempts us to forget, neglect or replace Jesus Christ with someone or something else is a dangerous threat to our salvation. If we are Christians, we do not look to the elements of this world to foretell the future, instead we look to Christ who is our past, present and future. If we are Christians, we do not put our faith in abstract theories of philosophy or even science, but we instead recall that the Word became Flesh and dwelt among us, Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Son of God. If we are Christians, we do not look for self-fulfillment through the acquisition of pleasure or possessions. Instead, we look to the cross and the Father’s boundless generosity to the human race, which invites from us a response of faith.
People are often drawn to the new ideas or simplstic answers to find meaning in this world. Paul warns the Thessalonians and us that if the answer does not include Jesus Christ, crucified and risen from the dead, then it is no answer at all.
