20181012
THE POWERLESSNESS OF
THE LAW
12 OCTOBER,
2018, Friday, 27th Week, Ordinary Time
Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour:
Green.
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First reading
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Galatians 3:7-14 ©
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The sons of Abraham are those who rely
on faith
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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.
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Responsorial Psalm
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Psalm 110(111):1-6 ©
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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!
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Gospel Acclamation
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Jn10:27
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Alleluia, alleluia!
The sheep that belong to me listen to my
voice,
says the Lord,
I know them and they follow me.
Alleluia!
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Or:
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Jn12:31-32
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Alleluia, alleluia!
Now the prince of this world is to be
overthrown,
says the Lord.
And when I am lifted up from the earth,
I shall draw all men to myself.
Alleluia!
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Gospel
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Luke 11:15-26 ©
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The finger of God has overtaken you
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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 POWERLESSNESS OF THE LAW
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ GALATIANS 3:7-14; LUKE 11:15-26 ]
We know that the Law is good. “Your
decrees are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. The unfolding of
your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.” (Ps 119:129f) The Law helps us to discern
what is right and wrong. It guides us to the right path. This is
what St Paul also wrote, “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.'” (Rom 7:7f) The Law is useful as a
guide. “Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it
legitimately. This means understanding that the law is laid down not for
the innocent but for the lawless and disobedient, for the godless and sinful,
for the unholy and profane.” (1 Tim 1:8f)
However, just because we
know the Law does not mean we can always obey it. St Paul’s experience is also
ours. “So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil
lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost
self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind,
making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.” (Rom 7:21-23) Indeed, we all feel as
frustrated as St Paul because as he shared, “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. I can will what
is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but
the evil I do not want is what I do.” (Rom 7:15,16,19)
Therefore, we feel
disheartened and defeated.
Deep in our hearts, we all want to do the right thing and walk in truth and
love. No one wants to break the law. We all know that if we break
the laws, we will also face punishment and penalty. Why then are crimes
committed every day by so many people in the world when they know that they
will be punished severely? People know the consequences of cheating,
killing, raping and molesting. Yet they still commit such offences.
The reason is simply because sin, which dwells within us, holds us
captive. No matter how much we try to be faithful to the Lord, we will
not be able to be faithful to all the laws of God. The psalmist says, “I
know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Indeed, I was born
guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.” (Ps 51:3,5) Like St Paul, we can only cry out,
“Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Rom 7:24)
This is why St Paul
remarked that those who seek to find justification through the Law find
themselves under a curse. “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 practices these
precepts finds life through practising them.” And since none of us
can fulfill the precepts perfectly, we are all under condemnation by the Law.
The only way out is
through our Lord Jesus Christ. St Paul came to realize that by his own strength, he
could not resist sin. With Jesus he could in gratitude and with a
victorious cry, say, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Rom 7:25) Jesus is the strongman spoken
of in the gospel. Jesus said, “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.” Jesus is that strongman who can
overcome the power of Satan.
Jesus said, “But if it
is through the finger of God that I cast out devils, then know that the kingdom
of God has overtaken you.” The
whole life of Jesus was to engage in a spiritual warfare against Satan and his
angels. Through His teaching, His life and His examples, He showed Himself to
be the Kingdom of God in person. Through His healings, His miraculous
power over nature and His works of exorcism, Jesus was establishing the Kingdom
of God. Most of all, through His death and resurrection, Jesus manifested
the love and mercy of God; and God’s triumph over sin, hatred, evil and death.
If we feel discouraged
by our failure to observe the Law, then we must recognize that only faith in
Christ can help us to conquer the temptations of the Evil One. St Paul wrote, “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.” Faith in Jesus is paramount for us to have faith in God’s mercy
and forgiveness. In His death on the cross, Jesus took upon Himself the
sins of humanity. “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.” By suffering for us and in our place, Jesus
revealed to us the unconditional mercy and love of God. By dying, Jesus
revealed to us that life is not just on this earth but a pilgrimage to the
fullness of life with God in heaven.
It is through the
contemplation of His unconditional love and mercy that we obey the Law, not out
of fear but out of gratitude and union with our Lord. We who have received much from Him
will be able to give much as well. As the Lord said to Simon the
Pharisee, “Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been
forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is
forgiven, loves little.” (Lk 7:47) We will resist sin, not
because we fear punishment but because we want to stand on the side of our Lord
against evil, for He made it clear that “He who is not with me is against me;
and he who does not gather with me scatters.” It is always easy to do
things for Jesus when we are doing them out of love for Him who first loved us.
This was what drove St Paul to give up His life for Christ. “For the love of
Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all;
therefore all have died. And he died for all, so that those who live might
live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for
them.” (2 Cor 5:14f) St
Paul who was a persecutor of our Lord was overwhelmed by His grace and mercy.
Most of all, we can now
fulfill the Law because He has given us His Spirit, which is His love poured
into our hearts.
(Rom 5:5) We do not proclaim the Good
News or observe the law by our own strength. Rather, the command of our
Lord was that we love one another as He has loved us. (cf Jn 13:34) The death of Jesus was necessary “so
that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might include the pagans, and so
that through faith we might receive the promised Spirit.” This is what
the Lord said when He assured the people, “Do not think that I have come to
abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to
fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not
one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is
accomplished.” (Mt 5:17f)
What if we fail again,
since sin dwells in us? Then we must cling on to our faith in the Lord’s
mercy and love! We
must keep on contemplating on His love and mercy on the cross for our
sins. We must make time to examine our conscience and feel sorry for our
sins because we have hurt Jesus who loves us much and our fellowmen too.
We must turn to Him for forgiveness and mercy every day. We must renew
our love for Him daily if we were to find strength to resist temptation.
Jesus in the gospel warned us about the man who was delivered of an unclean
spirit only to bring in seven other spirits more wicked than before because he
failed to be active in growing his faith in the Lord through prayer, meditation
on the Word and good works. We too must never be complacent after
being justified by Christ in faith. Growing in love for Jesus will
enable us to turn away from sin.
Written
by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All
Rights Reserved
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