20201014 ACCOUNTABILITY IN EXERCISING THE FREEDOM OF THE SPIRIT
14 October, 2020, Wednesday, 28th Week, Ordinary Time
Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour: Green.
First reading |
Galatians 5:18-25 © |
To belong to Christ, crucify all self-indulgence
If you are led by the Spirit, no law can touch you. When self-indulgence is at work the results are obvious: fornication, gross indecency and sexual irresponsibility; idolatry and sorcery; feuds and wrangling, jealousy, bad temper and quarrels; disagreements, factions, envy; drunkenness, orgies and similar things. I warn you now, as I warned you before: those who behave like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. What the Spirit brings is very different: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control. There can be no law against things like that, of course. You cannot belong to Christ Jesus unless you crucify all self-indulgent passions and desires.
Since the Spirit is our life, let us be directed by the Spirit.
Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 1:1-4,6 © |
Anyone who follows you, O Lord, will have the light of life.
Happy indeed is the man
who follows not the counsel of the wicked;
nor lingers in the way of sinners
nor sits in the company of scorners,
but whose delight is the law of the Lord
and who ponders his law day and night.
Anyone who follows you, O Lord, will have the light of life.
He is like a tree that is planted
beside the flowing waters,
that yields its fruit in due season
and whose leaves shall never fade;
and all that he does shall prosper.
Anyone who follows you, O Lord, will have the light of life.
Not so are the wicked, not so!
For they like winnowed chaff
shall be driven away by the wind:
for the Lord guards the way of the just
but the way of the wicked leads to doom.
Anyone who follows you, O Lord, will have the light of life.
Gospel Acclamation | cf.Ps26:11 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Instruct me, Lord, in your way;
on an even path lead me.
Alleluia!
Or: | 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 11:42-46 © |
You overlook justice and the love of God
The Lord said to the Pharisees: ‘Alas for you Pharisees! You who pay your tithe of mint and rue and all sorts of garden herbs and overlook justice and the love of God! These you should have practised, without leaving the others undone. Alas for you Pharisees who like taking the seats of honour in the synagogues and being greeted obsequiously in the market squares! Alas for you, because you are like the unmarked tombs that men walk on without knowing it!
A lawyer then spoke up. ‘Master,’ he said ‘when you speak like this you insult us too.’
‘Alas for you lawyers also,’ he replied ‘because you load on men burdens that are unendurable, burdens that you yourselves do not move a finger to lift.’
ACCOUNTABILITY IN EXERCISING THE FREEDOM OF THE SPIRIT
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [GALATIANS 5:18-25; LUKE 11:42-46 ]
St Augustine in one of his homilies on love wrote, “Love and do what you will.” This is similar to what St Paul in his writings to the Romans, said, “The one who loves another has fulfilled the law. Love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Rom 13:8,10) This is what he also wrote to the Galatians, “If you are led by the Spirit, no law can touch you.” Whilst it is a valid principle and indeed, most lofty as well, love and walking by the Spirit can be rather ambiguous. We all know that we are called to love. Paul’s exhortation to live by the Spirit if not properly defined could give rise to extreme positions.
But today this notion of love is interpreted in many ways so much so, everything is done in the name of love. In the name of love and freedom, an unwanted baby is legally permitted to be aborted. In the name of compassion, we permit euthanasia and even suicide. In the name of love and respect, we legalize same-sex union and even permit adoption by same-sex couples as well. In the name of freedom, we permit drugs to be consumed. So exactly, what do we mean by walking and loving in the Spirit? Even in the application of the laws, we always have a clause, to observe the spirit of the law, not the letter. But it can lead to abuses more often than not.
Within this context we can understand why the Galatians wanted to know the laws so that they could be guided in walking in the Spirit. Without laws, it is difficult to know what is right or wrong. Most of us are not always reflective by nature and we tend to just observe what we are told to do without questioning. Do we always rebel against the laws of the country or the organizations we belong to simply because we disagree? Even though we are not happy or agreeable, we just keep the laws for the sake of peace and security and acceptance by others. So like the Galatians, we would be happy to have specific moral laws to guide us in dealing with the moral issues of daily living.
We want to feel safe that we have not breached the laws so that we can appear blameless before God. This is why, like the Galatians, we are inclined to have some codes of conduct to guide us. Although we are happy to follow the laws like most Catholics, knowing that we have done our obligation, we might not be willing to do more. And like those Catholics who have been able to observe the laws of the Church, they might think they are more superior to those Catholics who fail to observe the laws either of the Church or of God. But the truth, as the psalmist says, is “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment.” (Ps 51:4) We would then fall into the same error as the Galatians seeking justification by the laws.
This was also the tendency of the religious leaders, the Pharisees and the scribes, who were the recognized lawyers in interpreting the Law. They sought to protect themselves and the people by introducing secondary laws so that no one would come near to breaking them. This resulted in more laws being added to the basic laws, causing burden to everyone. Instead of being a help and giving them direction in life, liberating them for love and for service, it only added fear and inconvenience. The Law is given to so that we can live a life of holiness, love and compassion. The Law is not meant to enslave us but set us free for love. Indeed, the Decalogue principally is to teach us to give reverence to God and to honour Him; and to demonstrate our love for Him by living as His children in right relationships with others, in compassion and honesty.
The giving of tithes was to serve this purpose, to acknowledge God as our creator and to share our resources with our fellowmen. Instead, they squabbled over how much and what they should be tithing instead of being focused on the purpose of the law. Jesus said to the Pharisees, “Alas for you Pharisees! You who pay your tithe of mint and rue and all sorts of garden herbs and overlook justice and the love of God! These you should have practised, without leaving the others undone.” So too in our days, people often ask why the Catholic Church does not prescribe tithes for our members, as some Christian churches do, of 10% of their income to the Church as required by Old Testament law. (cf Lev 27:30-33; Num 18:21-32; Dt 14:22-27). Jesus told them that more importantly, they should ensure that justice and love of God is given rather than just the 10% tithe alone.
Within this context, we can revisit St Paul’s letter to the Galatians. He faced a dilemma. By giving them a code of law, it meant taking away their freedom again and they might fall back into slavery under the yoke of the law. Nevertheless, in response to the need to have some guidelines as to how one should live the life of the Spirit, St Paul provided some objective basis for determining whether they were walking in the Spirit or gratifying the desires of the flesh, seeking the desires of the world.
What, then, are the signs that we are gratifying ourselves rather than walking in the Spirit of selflessness and charity? St Paul said, “when self- indulgence is at work the results are obvious: fornication, gross indecency and sexual irresponsibility; idolatry and sorcery; feuds and wrangling, jealousy, bad temper and quarrels; disagreements, factions, envy; drunkenness, orgies and similar things.” These vices are often called the “works of the flesh”, originating from our fallen nature. These, therefore, come from our unspiritual nature still unredeemed. These works of the flesh are not necessarily tied to our body per se but also the negative attitudes of the mind and heart such as hatred, jealousy and anger. The list of vices describes a person who is not at peace within himself, pulled by the world and under the control of his unruly passions. St Paul reminded them “I warn you now, as I warned you before: those who behave like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. You cannot belong to Christ Jesus unless you crucify all self-indulgent passions and desires.”
But what is also insignificant is that those who observe the laws also exhibit some of the vices as well, such as self-righteousness, ambition and pride. These were the sins of the so-called religious leaders and they continue to be our temptations as well for those who are in Church leadership. The Lord said to them, “Alas for you Pharisees who like taking the seats of honour in the synagogues and being greeted obsequiously in the market squares!” Religious leaders unconsciously could be tempted to seek honour and glory because they often occupy the center and most prominent seats in any religious assembly. They are highly respected and given honour by the community. Even for us Catholics, at one time, clericalism was very strong, not to say that it is completely abolished, and religious leaders were supposed to bear the marks of holiness. Instead, as the Lord said, they became “the unmarked tombs that men walk on without knowing it!” In trying to keep the Law so that they could be clean and uncontaminated, they became a bad influence and carried within themselves what is associated with death and spiritual decay because they lived a lifeless life.
In contrast, ultimately, to live the life of the Spirit is to exhibit the wholeness and unity with the Lord and with His Church and with everyone. St Paul wrote, “What the Spirit brings is very different: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control.” These virtues are considered spiritual because they are the gifts and fruits of the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God continues to work in and through us if we allow ourselves to be led. St Paul urges us, “since the Spirit is our life, let us be directed by the Spirit.” Indeed, walking in the Spirit, the psalmist says, “is like a tree that is planted beside the flowing waters, that yields its fruit in due season and whose leaves shall never fade; and all that he does shall prosper.”
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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