Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake. And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Often today we define ourselves by what we like to do, what interests us, what makes us comfortable, what makes us happy. These things are important but Paul points us in another direction – the call.

In v.1 Paul writes to the Romans that he is called to be an apostle and that they in turn are called to belong to Jesus Christ and, again in vv.6-7, to be holy. This double call to Paul and to his readers frames this introduction and the whole epistle.

Paul introduces himself as a servant - or slave - of Jesus Christ, called to proclaim the Gospel. Let’s stay with the word “slave” – it’s the same word used for Mary at the Annunciation. In the Roman world, a slave belonged to his master. A slave was good if he reflected his master’s will or adapted his own will to his master’s will. Paul does not speak for himself, but wishes in everything to reflect Christ, his master.

Paul is set apart to proclaim the Gospel of God promised by the Scriptures, which concern God’s Son born according to the flesh by David, but established according to the Spirit – Son of God, by the Resurrection becoming Lord.

It was through this Jesus that Paul received the grace to be an apostle (v.5). So the key for Paul in discovering his calling was to know the Risen Christ. Christ revealed himself to Paul and sent him to proclaim the Gospel to the nations. The flesh here is neutral (not negative), it is simply the body. But the Spirit is what gives new life.

By identifying himself with Christ, Paul invites believers to understand that they have entered into this new life. We have died and risen with Christ so that he can transform us through his Spirit. So, as for Paul, the key to discovering our call and letting it be renewed is to know the Risen Christ and the power of the Spirit who makes us holy. We are called first to belong to Jesus and to become holy by the same power that raised Christ from the dead.

 How do I experience this tension between the call I have received and what I like to do? Is there contradiction or complementarity? Opposition or fulfilment? Let us offer this tension to the Lord.
 If I am a slave of Christ, what does that mean in my daily life? Let’s look at it in the sense not of submission but of self-giving.
 “Called to become holy” – where do I see this transformation taking place in my life? Give thanks for it. Where do I see the signs of it in and around my life?