Paul talks about Christians: We are children of the new covenant.
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How deep is our own faith in Jesus? How do we nourish
it and keep it alive? “It is never a question with any of us of faith and not
faith; the question always is, ‘In what or in whom do we put our faith?’” Anonymous
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As human beings, we desire for
independence and freedom. Even as babies, we would want to take the first step
on our own towards whatever direction we want to go. And with that we want to
experience the freedom that we gain from our independence. Yet if independence
and freedom is understood in a warped way, then it would result in warped
actions. Because with independence and freedom comes greater responsibility and
accountability. There will be no one to fight your battles for you and you
can't push the blame on anyone else for something you did wrong.
Yes, the price of independence and freedom is constant vigilance and alertness
in case we go astray and end up doing something crazy. The 1st reading said
that when Christ freed us, He meant us to remain free. The reading also urged
us to stand firm and not to submit again to the yoke of slavery. To remain free
would mean for us to remain in Christ and to belong to Him and committed to
Him.
Without Christ, we can do nothing and we would also end up as nothing. We have
seen enough of signs to tell us that people who want to go their way without
God won't be able to find peace and joy that easily. Yes, the price of
independence and freedom is to stand by Jesus and depend on Him totally. That
is hardly a price at all.
****
Saint Callistus I
Feast day October 14
Callistus was born in the late second century as a slave to
a Christian master. His master noticed that Callistus had skill in finance and
put him in charge of a bank. Some enemies of Callistus falsely accused him of
embezzlement. Terrified, Callistus tried to escape from Rome. He was caught and
condemned to the mines of Sardinia. After partially serving his sentence, he
was released so that he might recover some of the money. He was arrested for
fighting and sent back to the mines. Fortunately for him and other Christians,
Marcia, the emperor’s mistress, won their release.
Pope Zephyrinus made Callistus manager of the burial
grounds. Even today the land is named the cemetery of Saint Callistus.
Callistus proved himself responsible and was ordained a deacon. In 217,
Callistus was elected as the next pontiff. This shocked Hippolytus and his
followers. In rebellion, this group elected Hippolytus as pope, later known as
the first antipope. This made two men who claimed to be pope.
A schism, or split, in the Church went on for 18 years. Pope
Callistus I gently tried to encourage Hippolytus to understand his error. At
the same time, Callistus tried to make wise rules for the Church. He felt there
should be mercy for those who had fallen away during persecution but who later
repented. Callistus said the Church has the authority to forgive all sins. This
angered Hippolytus, who felt that Callistus was lenient. Hippolytus wrote
bitterly about the pope, who bore the insults calmly and humbly. Callistus I
remained steady in his desire to bring peace to the Church. He was martyred in
a riot.
***
Monday of 28th Week
BORN FREE
Introduction
In a rather difficult passage, Paul speaks to us today of freedom: We are born
free as Christians, as people of the New Testament. Now that Christ has set us
free, we should see to it that we are never enslaved again. Paul himself is a
striking example of this “liberating freedom”: he has freed himself from
pharisaism and could even take a free stance regarding the other apostles when
Christian freedom was at stake. Are we free persons?
Jesus reprimands the Jews for not believing unless they see spectacular signs.
But Christ proclaims that faith consists in trust in the word and in the person
of the one who is sent. The early Christian community specified further: faith
rests in confidence in the risen Christ. The preeminent sign is Jesus Christ
himself. We believe not because of this or that wonder or proof but because
Jesus makes God visible to us.
Opening
Prayer
Lord our God,
your Son remained a free person
even in the face of death:
Life was not taken from him,
he gave it in freedom to you and to us,
that we might be free people.
Keep us free from slavery in any form,
from the evil of sin first of all,
but also from our own fears and complexes,
the pressures of people, the herd spirit,
that we may be faithful to the gospel
and free for people and for you.
This we ask you through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Commentary
Slavery made a slow exit from human history. It played a part in American life
until the nineteenth century, and there are still parts of the world in our
time that live in social oppression. It certainly played a part in Israelite
life. In today’s reading Paul takes up the story of Sarah and Hagar. The former
was the free woman, the latter a slave girl. But Paul turns the account on its
head. And the key players take on exactly the opposite roles.
There are two covenants involved, one from Mount Sinai, the other from
Jerusalem, from above. The Christian is a child of the heavenly covenant, a
child of the free woman, a child of the Abraham of faith.
We err indeed if we believe that we have been born into a religion of rules and
regulations. We have been born into a community of faith, confident that God
has acted on our behalf in his Son. Once a part of that community, we give
expression to our gratitude in conduct that renders God’s glory and respects
the dignity and worth of every human being. This is the meaning of being a
child of the free woman.
Points
to Ponder
The two sons of Abraham
The covenant of law and the covenant of freedom
The One greater than Jonah
Intercessions
– For the leaders of nations, that they may respect and promote human rights
and work relentlessly for justice, happiness and freedom for their people, we
pray:
– For the oppressed and the exploited, that they may not take their marginal
existence as the will of God, but that they may become conscious that they too
are called to be free, we pray:
– For this community, that we may not shut up ourselves within little prisons
of self-interest, but that we may be truly one and free in Christ as a
community of service, we pray:
Prayer
over the Gifts
God our Father,
we come before you and offer you our gifts
as your free sons and daughters.
Give us your Son as our guide
that through him we may win
the relentless struggle
to gain our interior freedom,
so that we may be fully human
and indeed your sons and daughters reborn free
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer
after Communion
Lord our God,
strangely enough, we are free
when we are bound to you as your people.
In this Eucharist we have encountered again
your Son Jesus Christ.
With him, we are willing
to be all lifelong apprentices
of the freedom to serve and to love.
Let him go with us on his road
that leads to your land of freedom,
for you are our God for ever and ever.
Blessing
Born free, we should never become slaves to anyone or anything. Whatever is
said today, we are sons and daughters of the Father, and that is a relationship
of love, and therefore of freedom. May almighty God keep you free and bless
you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
