20261009 THE LIMITS OF THE LAW IN REDEEMING US
09 October 2026, Friday, 27th Week in Ordinary Time
First reading |
Galatians 3:7-14 |
The sons of Abraham are those who rely on faith
Don’t you see that it is those who rely on faith who are the sons of Abraham? Scripture foresaw that God was going to use faith to justify the pagans, and proclaimed the Good News long ago when Abraham was told: In you all the pagans will be blessed. Those therefore who rely on faith receive the same blessing as Abraham, the man of faith.
On the other hand, those who rely on the keeping of the Law are under a curse, since scripture says: Cursed be everyone who does not persevere in observing everything prescribed in the book of the Law. The Law will not justify anyone in the sight of God, because we are told: the righteous man finds life through faith. The Law is not even based on faith, since we are told: The man who practises these precepts finds life through practising them. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by being cursed for our sake, since scripture says: Cursed be everyone who is hanged on a tree. This was done so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might include the pagans, and so that through faith we might receive the promised Spirit.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 110(111):1-6 |
The Lord keeps his covenant ever in mind.
or
Alleluia!
I will thank the Lord with all my heart
in the meeting of the just and their assembly.
Great are the works of the Lord,
to be pondered by all who love them.
The Lord keeps his covenant ever in mind.
or
Alleluia!
Majestic and glorious his work,
his justice stands firm for ever.
He makes us remember his wonders.
The Lord is compassion and love.
The Lord keeps his covenant ever in mind.
or
Alleluia!
He gives food to those who fear him;
keeps his covenant ever in mind.
He has shown his might to his people
by giving them the lands of the nations.
The Lord keeps his covenant ever in mind.
or
Alleluia!
Gospel Acclamation | Jn10:27 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice,
says the Lord,
I know them and they follow me.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Luke 11:15-26 |
The finger of God has overtaken you
When Jesus had cast out a devil, some of the people said, ‘It is through Beelzebul, the prince of devils, that he casts out devils.’ Others asked him, as a test, for a sign from heaven; but, knowing what they were thinking, he said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is heading for ruin, and a household divided against itself collapses. So too with Satan: if he is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? – since you assert that it is through Beelzebul that I cast out devils. Now if it is through Beelzebul that I cast out devils, through whom do your own experts cast them out? Let them be your judges then. But if it is through the finger of God that I cast out devils, then know that the kingdom of God has overtaken you. So long as a strong man fully armed guards his own palace, his goods are undisturbed; but when someone stronger than he is attacks and defeats him, the stronger man takes away all the weapons he relied on and shares out his spoil.
‘He who is not with me is against me; and he who does not gather with me scatters.
‘When an unclean spirit goes out of a man it wanders through waterless country looking for a place to rest, and not finding one it says, “I will go back to the home I came from.” But on arrival, finding it swept and tidied, it then goes off and brings seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and set up house there, so that the man ends up by being worse than he was before.’
THE LIMITS OF THE LAW IN REDEEMING US
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [GALATIANS 3:7-14; LUKE 11:15-26]
Let us begin by contextualizing St. Paul’s discourse in today’s first reading. Why was St. Paul so insistent on the limited usefulness of the Law? The Galatians, who were converts to the Christian faith, were suffering an identity crisis. Before their conversion, they worshipped in pagan temples. After their conversion, they were confused about their true identity. Some Jewish Christians began telling them that they had to become Jewish to belong to the People of God. Although these Gentile Christians read the Jewish scriptures and believed in the Jewish Messiah, they were not welcomed into the synagogues until they were converted, circumcised, and observed the entire Law of Moses in order to receive God’s blessings and become His chosen people.
However, Paul wanted to make it clear that their salvation does not depend on a Jewish identity. They are children of Abraham, to whom God made His promise for all his descendants. The Hebrews were not constituted as the Israelites until five hundred years later, when Moses liberated them from slavery in Egypt and gave them the Law to observe as a requirement of the Covenant. Until then, the only requirement to receive the blessings promised to Abraham was faith. Abraham was given the promises because of his faith in God; he was justified by faith. Similarly, for Christians, belonging to God’s people requires only faith in Christ. Faith, therefore, is the crucial factor in receiving the divine blessing. Thus, the Galatian believers did not need to feel excluded from the family of Abraham simply because they had not undergone circumcision or observed the works of the Law.
This contrast between Abraham’s faith and the works of the Law is what we are called to reflect on today. Keeping all the obligations of the Law is no guarantee that we belong to the covenant family of God. Faith is the way to maintain our relationship with Him. The content of faith is believing what we have heard, just as Abraham believed in God’s promises. Faith in Christ is the true mark of membership in the Covenant. As Christians, we stand in continuity with Israel as true children of Abraham. Hence, the Galatian Christians did not need to adopt a Jewish identity, because faith in Christ is the sole basis of our identity in God’s family–an identity not based on race or social status. Faith in Christ is the true cause of our salvation and our reception of God’s blessings. St. Paul affirms this when he writes: “Don’t you see that it is those who rely on faith who are the sons of Abraham? Scripture foresaw that God was going to use faith to justify the pagans, and proclaimed the Good News long ago when Abraham was told: ‘In you all the pagans will be blessed.’ Those therefore who rely on faith receive the same blessing as Abraham, the man of faith.”
What, then, about the observance of the Law? According to Paul, the Law operates as a curse. He states: “Those who rely on the keeping of the Law are under a curse, since scripture says: ‘Cursed be everyone who does not persevere in observing everything prescribed in the book of the Law.’ The Law will not justify anyone in the sight of God, because we are told: ‘The righteous man finds life through faith.'” These are strong words that can sound confusing, as they give the impression that the Law itself is evil or inherently cursed. How could it be seen that way?
In his letter to the Romans, Paul clarifies: “What then should we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet, if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’ But sin, seizing an opportunity in the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. Apart from the law sin lies dead. For sin, seizing an opportunity in the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good” (Rom 7:7-12). The Law is good because it tells us what is right and wrong; without it, we might not realise we have sinned. The Law enlightens us to act morally and ethically. Indeed, any law–whether given by God, the Church, the government, or an organization–is meant to preserve community harmony. As the Lord reminds us in today’s Gospel: “Every kingdom divided against itself is heading for ruin, and a household divided against itself collapses.” Hence, the Law given by God to Moses is good and holy.
However, the Law is a double-edged sword. First, knowing the Law does not mean we have the power to keep it. The reality is that we are fallen creatures. St. Paul shares his inner struggles with us: “Did what is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, working death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin. For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am of the flesh, sold into slavery under sin. I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me” (Rom 7:13-17). Despite severe penalties prescribed by law, crimes and offenses are committed every day, and reoffending is common. The Law can point out what is wrong, but it cannot empower us to overcome it. If we abstain from evil merely out of fear, the moment that fear is removed, we fall back into wrongful actions.
Second, the Law condemns us. To break the Law is to fall under its curse: “Scripture says: Cursed be everyone who does not persevere in observing everything prescribed in the book of the Law.” This leaves us in a bind. Those of us who attempt to keep the Law inevitably fall short. No one can obey the Law perfectly in both letter and spirit. Unchecked sins like greed, dishonesty, slander, envy, sloth, irresponsibility, and anger control us, driving us to do what we know is wrong simply because we lack self-control. Even if our daily shortcomings are not civil crimes, we still fall short of living a holy and righteous life. Consequently, even if the State does not brand us as criminals, God sees our sin, leaving us guilty before Him.
This explains why, despite its good intentions, the Law cannot liberate us–it can only imprison us so long as our hearts and minds remain evil and unenlightened. As Paul says: “The Law will not justify anyone in the sight of God, because we are told: ‘The righteous man finds life through faith.’ The Law is not even based on faith, since we are told: ‘The man who practices these precepts finds life through practicing them.’ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by being cursed for our sake.”
If the Law cannot liberate us, who or what can help us live righteously?
Christ redeems us from the curse of the Law. By His death on the cross, Christ reveals the depth of the Father’s love and mercy. Christ is the strong man mentioned in today’s Gospel; He enables us to overcome Satan and evil when we surrender our lives to Him. To have faith in Jesus means believing in His teachings and striving to live as He lived. He grants us the Holy Spirit to empower us, assuring us that when we stumble, God forgives us whenever we are truly repentant.
When we grasp how much God loves us in Christ, then we will change: not because we fear that the Law will punish us, but because we genuinely desire to, and because we see the value and goodness of living the life of Christ, which is a life of love and mercy.
So while St. Paul begins by stating that the Law cannot save us, he ultimately calls us to fulfil the Law perfectly through faith and love in Christ. Jesus reminds us that we must fill our hearts with God’s love and mercy and walk continuously in His presence. Otherwise, as the Lord warns: “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man it wanders through waterless country looking for a place to rest, and not finding one it says, ‘I will go back to the home I came from.’ But on arrival, finding it swept and tidied, it then goes off and brings seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and set up house there, so that the man ends up by being worse than he was before.” It is not enough to simply avoid evil; we must actively pursue good. There is no middle ground in our decision for God: either we are for Him or against Him. Failing to choose the good is already collaborating with evil.
Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections
- Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
- Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
- It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.
Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
