Saturday, October 24, 2009
The Joyful Mysteries
Romans 8:1-11
Psalm 24:1b-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
Luke 13:1-9
These readings are all about "Flesh" and "Spirit"—we could say they are about "Sin" and "Freedom." If you really “listen” (through reading) to St. Paul, you have to be convinced that the life of freedom in the Spirit is definitely the better choice than slavery to the flesh.
It seems obvious, but experiencing the pull of the flesh (meaning sin in all its forms) even as soon as fifteen minutes after reading this scripture and being swayed by it, I can understand how fickle human nature really is. "The spirit (meaning OUR spirit) is willing, but the flesh is weak" expresses the human condition. What is so remarkable is that Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, took on our human nature with its tendency to sin. St. Paul says that Jesus took on sinful flesh. To me, that implies that Jesus allowed himself to experience the effects of Original Sin. Though Jesus was sinless Himself, He allowed this terrible power to exert influence on His thoughts and His feelings!
Incredible!
Emptying Himself of divinity was the greatest proof of His love. How could anyone doubt His love? He knows what my temptations are like. He can understand my shame at being impatient, insensitive, unforgiving and selfish. This thought makes His absolution in the Sacrament of Penance all the more precious to me.
The gospel of Luke speaks of the necessity of repentance as a part of our lives. The practice of repentance strengthens us for the times we experience suffering in our lives. It is a way for us to evaluate how much we have "grown up in Christ," that is by our reaction to suffering. Repentance is not a popular concept for many, but it is written in scripture so many times, how can we ignore it?
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