THE WORD BECAME FLESH

Monday of 30^th in Ordinary time, 2021

Rom 8:12-17

Ps 68

Luke 13:10-17

You are freed…

Dear friends in Christ, freedom is a God-given right, yet it demands responsibility. True freedom comes from God only. Anyone who has been confined before, for any reason at all, knows the true value of freedom. Someone may be confined to prison, another confined to his sick bed, or another confined by guilt; from all these and more, the Lord sets his people free.

In our first reading (Romans 8:12-17) Paul uses the flesh and the spirit to differentiate between the life of sin and a life that is attuned to the spirit of God. The life of the flesh, the urge to satisfy the unspiritual yearnings of the heart leads to death. With the help of the spirit of God, it is possible to overcome the flesh. Jesus shares his life with us when we accept him and align ourselves to him. We are no slaves, but sons and daughters of God in Jesus, that is why we are addressed as his brothers and sisters. Paul says, “When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ it is the spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him…” It is indeed a privilege to belong to Christ and his kingdom.

In today’s Gospel (Luke 13:10-17) Jesus sets free a woman who has been in the bondage of sickness for many years. This miracle happened on a sabbath day, something that did not go down well with the authorities in the synagogue. The story was that a woman who had an infirmity which has kept her bent for about eighteen years had come into the synagogue. It is possible that she was allowed in, to see what Jesus would do, so as to have something against him. Jesus however had mercy on the woman saying, “Woman, you are freed from your infirmity.” If she were the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue, his reaction may have been different, but he became hostile to Jesus. People are allowed to save their animals from drowning on the Sabbath, how much more the healing of a human being. Jesus’ point is that, the sabbath law must not prevent anyone from doing good.  He has come to set the people free from the burden and bondage the law has become. This happened to be the last visit of Jesus to a synagogue, as recorded in Luke. A Christian must do good at every opportunity. Let nothing terrify you, go out there and do what is right. Let the world see by your actions that you are a follower of Christ. The spirit of God in you is not a spirit of timidity but of power and love.

Let us pray: O God, we need you in our lives to help us to do good without fear. Help us Lord to follow your example. Amen. 

+Remain blessed