St. Paul holds back no punches as he addresses the Christian community in the Roman province of Galatia. Most of these Christians were converts from pagan religion and practices.
Apparently, after Paul had left this area to continue his own missionary activity, other missionaries had swung through the region and they were enticing the Galatians to believe that which Paul did not preach and teach.
St. Paul is trying to undo what these unauthorized missionaries were doing; he is trying to get them to understand the fullness of the truth while writing in defense of his apostolic authority.
How many times in our life do we encounter the same situation. Many people stop listening to the apostolic approved leaders and find themselves swept away by some fly by the pants preacher.
The necessity of checking the value and origin of the preacher is so very important. Though the message may be pleasing to the ears, it does not mean it is sound.
Paul directs the community to understand that the source and summit of faith rest on the message heard that proclaims the crucified Christ as testified by the apostles and those they sent forth.
He begins with, "O stupid Galatians!"and again he states, "Are you so stupid?"
The choice of words is harsh but fitting. The word stupid means senseless and unable to think clearly. The problem with the Galatians is in fact they stopped thinking and they allow their emotions and feelings to carry them away.
It is not the mark of intelligent people to be easily swayed by emotions and feelings but rather to trust in the reasoning and intelligence that is the hallmark of faith.
Look around today. How many people are so easily swayed by charisma and eloquence, easily "bewithced" as Paul tells us and yet fail to engage their reason and intellect. How many Christians have fallen to preachers who entice with words of affect rather than holding to the fullness of truth revealed in Christ and taught by those apostolic leaders approved by the Church.
There is a need to check our feelings at the door of truth that is unlocked by the keys of kingdom given to Peter and his successors.
Thus, we can avoid sound stupidity by holding on to sound doctrine revealed by God taught by the Church carried forth by those who engage the battle with the ring of the fishermen on one hand and the staff of the true shepherd in the other.
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