St. Paul can’t understand why his people, the Jewish people, have not recognized Jesus as the Christ. Since they are the chosen people they should be first in the kingdom of God. After all, the Apostle observes, “The gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.” Once the chosen people, always the chosen people. His conclusion is that it is important for the Jewish people to recognize it is not their birthright to have faith but God’s gift: “God delivered all to disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all.” When we get distressed because of family members who no longer practice the faith we must discover, as St. Paul did, that God is at work even if the divine plan is “inscrutable” to us.