What is the meaning of “It is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy” (Rom. 9:16)?

The answer

St. Jerome says, “Realize what that means: There is question not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God showing mercy. If we neither will nor run, however, God will not come to help us. It is ours to will and to run, then, He will take pity on us. While the athlete sleeps, he loses the victory.”¹⁰⁷⁹

Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty

Notes

¹⁰⁷⁹ St. Jerome, The Homilies of Saint Jerome, Volume 1 (1–59 on the Psalms) 34 (FOTC 48:252).

Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty, Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Volumes 1 and 2, Books 1–7. First English Edition, 2023. Published by St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Sporting, Alexandria, and Queen St. Mary & Prince Tadros Coptic Orthodox Church, South Brunswick, NJ. Copyright © 2023. Translation and Editing: Youth of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, Arabian Gulf, and Egypt.