2 Corinthians 4:5-14
Brethren, We preach not ourselves, but Jesus Christ our Lord; and ourselves your servants through Jesus. For God, Who commanded the light to shine out of dark- ness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Christ Jesus. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency may be of the power of God and not of us. In all things we suffer tribulation, but are not distressed; we are straitened, but are not destitute; we suffer persecution, but are not forsaken; we are cast down, but we perish not; always bear- ing about in our body the mortification of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our bodies. For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake; that the life also of Jesus, may be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you. But having the same spirit of faith, as it is written, I believed, for which cause I have spoken, we also believe, for which cause we speak also: knowing that He who raised up Jesus will raise up us also with Jesus, and place us with you.
Haydock
Verse 6. The light to shine out of darkness. He alludes to what is related at the first creation, when God divided the light from darkness. Gen. i. 4. — In the face of Christ Jesus, which may signify in the person of Christ, who was the true light enlightening every man, that comes into this world. John i. 9. Wi.
Verse 8. We are straitened. This, by the Greek, seems the sense of the Latin word, which is taken to signify, one perplexed, and in a doubt. See Jo. xiii. 22. Acts xxv. 20. Gal. iv. 20. Wi.
Verse 10. That the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our bodies, when we suffer, and undertake voluntary sufferings for his sake. Wi.
Verse 12. Death worketh in us, when we are under persecutions, and dangers of death, and life in you, who live in ease and plenty. Wi. — The preaching of the gospel, which we undertake in such a disinterested manner, and which exposes us to so many dangers, is the cause of death to us, but of life to you. It draws down upon us a thousand dangers and disgraces; but procures you all kinds of advantages. You tranquilly enjoy the fruit of our labour, though we do not envy you this happiness, because we hope one day to enjoy the reward of our labours. Calmet.
Verse 13. We also believe, &c. That is, we have the like faith as David, when he spoke in that manner; we hope and believe, God will deliver us, or at least raise us up from the dead with Jesus. Wi.
Denzinger
2224: Christian Education
From the Encyclical, "Divini illius magistri," December 31, 1929
Christian education aims properly and immediately to make man a true and perfect Christian by cooperating with divine grace, namely, to mold and fashion Christ Himself in those who have been reborn in baptism, according to the clear statement of the Apostle: “My little children of whom I am in labor again, until Christ be formed in you” [Gal. 4:19]. For, the true Christian must live a supernatural life in Christ: “Christ our life” [Col. 3:4], and manifest the same in all his actions, “that the life of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal flesh” [2 Cor. 4:11].
Since this is so, Christian education embraces the sum total of human actions, because it pertains to the workings of the senses and of the spirit, to the intellect and to morals, to individuals, to domestic and civil society, not indeed, to weaken it, but according to the example and teaching of Jesus Christ, to elevate, regulate, and perfect it.
Thus the true Christian, molded by Christian education, is none other than the supernatural man who thinks, judges, and acts constantly and consistently in accordance with right reason; supernaturally inspired by the examples and teachings of Jesus Christ; that is, a man outstanding in force of character. For whoever follows his own inclination and acts stubbornly, intent on his own desires, is not a man of strong character; but only he who follows the eternal principles of justice, just as even the pagan host himself recognizes when he praises “the just” man together with “the man tenacious of purpose”;* but these ideas of justice cannot be fully observed unless there is attributed to God whatever is God’s due, as is done by the true Christian.
The true Christian, far from renouncing the activities of this life and from suppressing his natural talents, on the contrary fosters and brings them to perfection by so cooperating with the supernatural life that he embellishes the natural way of living, and supports it by more efficacious aids, which are in accord not only with spiritual and eternal things but also with the necessities of natural life itself.