“We speak God’s wisdom for our glory”
St. Paul had a special talent for unpacking a lot of information into a few sentences, and today’s second reading is no exception. So let’s try to unpack these verses.
First, Paul uses the word “mystery” to explain God’s plan. We usually use the word “mystery” to describe something beyond our comprehension, something we can’t explain. But that’s not what Paul means. He is speaking about something concealed, not confounding. And that mystery is God’s plan to save us through his Son, Jesus.
Paul goes on to say that what was once concealed has now been made known, but many failed to accept it. For them, the gospel has become either a “stumbling block” or “foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:23).
But that’s not us! The mystery of God’s plan has been revealed to us—through the Scriptures, through the Church, and most powerfully, through Jesus himself.
Paul goes on to say that this mystery, this plan of God, is so grand that it includes God’s desire to glorify us