You are the circumcision? Homily for Thursday, November 3, 2022

In today's first reading, Saint Paul starts with an interesting statement. He says, "We are the circumcision." What exactly is that supposed to mean? While it may seem to us like an odd statement, in the context of what Saint Paul seeks to contrast in his writings, namely, Jesus and the Law, it can make perfect sense. The Law, in requiring circumcision, was requiring a physical sign for those who were Jewish. Paul's statement today means that the way we live our lives, that is the outward sign of our belief, and so is the witness to the depth of our faith. In Paul's view, only leads to sin, since its demands are great and we are bound to fail. Jesus' demands are great too, but given that he died for our sins, he is able to extend mercy to us. Jesus is both the standard and the means to attain the standard. So when Paul says, We are the circumcision, he means that people will know that we are Christians or not is by the way we live our lives.