St. Paul is working to build up the faith of the Christian people of Thessalonika. He uses parental images to describe the care he extended to them. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you… We treated each one of you as a father treats his children, exhorting and encouraging you. Contrast that language of gentleness with the word Jesus addresses to the scribes and Pharisees. “Woe to you.” A word of admonition was needed. There is a saying that the real challenge to parenting is knowing when to give a pat on the back and when to give a swat on the rear. Obviously Jesus and Paul were at different moments. The challenge for us is to understand the moment we are in. Are we going in the right direction, making progress in the faith, growing in virtue? Good job, keep it up. Or are we backsliding, making excuses for bad behavior, stuck in a rut? Time to, change, to do something different.
