Daily Retreat 10/24/07
2007 Oct 24 Wed/ Anthony Mary Claret, bp, rf
Rom 6: 12-18/ Ps 123(124): 1b-3. 4-6. 7-8/ Lk 12: 39-48
From today’s readings: “Do you not know that if you present yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?... Our help is in the name of the Lord.... You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come....”
Freedom for slavery
For all of us, freedom is a most highly prized treasure. Yet freedom is not an end in itself - the point of freedom is to be able to choose rightly, to willingly surrender our freedom to the best master. For, as Paul points out, a person is either a slave of sin, or a slave of righteousness.
The idea of being a slave in anyway is repugnant to our freedom loving culture. Yet no one can deny that those who sin are slaves to sin (Jesus said this too - check out John 8:34), since they obey the dictates of whatever leads them to sin, be it sinful desires from within or sinful forces from without.
The other choice is to become slaves of righteousness - to obey God and His commands, and become His slaves. Even this would be repugnant, if God were not such a good and loving Master! Which master do you want to serve?
Rom 6: 12-18/ Ps 123(124): 1b-3. 4-6. 7-8/ Lk 12: 39-48
From today’s readings: “Do you not know that if you present yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?... Our help is in the name of the Lord.... You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come....”
Freedom for slavery
For all of us, freedom is a most highly prized treasure. Yet freedom is not an end in itself - the point of freedom is to be able to choose rightly, to willingly surrender our freedom to the best master. For, as Paul points out, a person is either a slave of sin, or a slave of righteousness.
The idea of being a slave in anyway is repugnant to our freedom loving culture. Yet no one can deny that those who sin are slaves to sin (Jesus said this too - check out John 8:34), since they obey the dictates of whatever leads them to sin, be it sinful desires from within or sinful forces from without.
The other choice is to become slaves of righteousness - to obey God and His commands, and become His slaves. Even this would be repugnant, if God were not such a good and loving Master! Which master do you want to serve?
posted by FrPitstick | 10/22/2007
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