20251024 WINNING THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SIN
24 October 2025, Friday, 29th Week in Ordinary Time
First reading | Romans 7:18-25 |
Every time I want to do good it is something evil that comes to hand
I know of nothing good living in me – living, that is, in my unspiritual self – for though the will to do what is good is in me, the performance is not, with the result that instead of doing the good things I want to do, I carry out the sinful things I do not want. When I act against my will, then, it is not my true self doing it, but sin which lives in me.
In fact, this seems to be the rule, that every single time I want to do good it is something evil that comes to hand. In my inmost self I dearly love God’s Law, but I can see that my body follows a different law that battles against the law which my reason dictates. This is what makes me a prisoner of that law of sin which lives inside my body.
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body doomed to death?
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 118(119):66,68,76-77,93-94 |
Lord, teach me your statutes.
Teach me discernment and knowledge
for I trust in your commands.
You are good and your deeds are good;
teach me your statutes.
Lord, teach me your statutes.
Let your love be ready to console me
by your promise to your servant.
Let your love come and I shall live
for your law is my delight.
Lord, teach me your statutes.
I will never forget your precepts
for with them you give me life.
Save me, for I am yours
since I seek your precepts.
Lord, teach me your statutes.
Gospel Acclamation | Ps94:8 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Harden not your hearts today,
but listen to the voice of the Lord.
Alleluia!
Or: | Mt11:25 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Blessed are you, Father,
Lord of heaven and earth,
for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom
to mere children.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Luke 12:54-59 |
Do you not know how to interpret these times?
Jesus said to the crowds: ‘When you see a cloud looming up in the west you say at once that rain is coming, and so it does. And when the wind is from the south you say it will be hot, and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you do not know how to interpret these times?
‘Why not judge for yourselves what is right? For example: when you go to court with your opponent, try to settle with him on the way, or he may drag you before the judge and the judge hand you over to the bailiff and the bailiff have you thrown into prison. I tell you, you will not get out till you have paid the very last penny.’
WINNING THE STRUGGLE AGAINST SIN
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Rom 7:18-25; Ps 119:66, 68, 76-77, 93-94; Lk 12:54-59]
I believe we are all good by nature. After all, we are created in His image and likeness. We all desire to love and to be good to everyone. Indeed, the fact that we have an inviolable conscience means that deep within our hearts, we have a natural instinct to differentiate between what is right and what is wrong. We are all indignant at injustices done to us, although, ironically, it seems acceptable for us to commit injustice against others. For this reason, everyone fights for justice and their rights.
Of course, it is true that when it comes to practical judgement, many of us are confused about what is right and good. With the overwhelming amount of material, information, and choices offered by the world through the mass media, most of us are no longer sure what is right or wrong. So many arguments are put forward to justify various issues–whether it is war, same-sex unions, abortion, divorce, euthanasia, or cheating. As a consequence, we live in a relativistic society because no one seems to know what is truly right or wrong. No one knows the truth, and with so much infidelity, no one knows what love is anymore. Yet, despite relativism, deep in our hearts, we know when what we do is not right. We know when we are cheating ourselves and merely trying to justify our actions. We know that our actions are often not motivated by love for others but by self-protection and personal gratification.
In order to maintain some order in family life, society, and the Church, we have laws. Again, we know that most laws are good. They are formulated by society to protect the common good. Hence, we have civil laws, and in the Church, we have liturgical and canon laws. Every organisation and institution has laws to govern how members relate to one another and conduct themselves. Laws are therefore necessary because they exist for the greater good of the community.
Yet, these laws are not perfect. They are not absolute because they are human responses to the practical needs of people. As Jesus said in the Gospel, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” In this case, laws are often formulated to please society. It is not a question of doing the right thing or enacting the right laws, but of doing what is commonly accepted by the majority. Laws in society are based on consensus. They are not founded on objectivity but on the whims, fancies, and desires of a decadent society. That is why different countries, depending on the moral state of their citizens, craft different kinds of laws. In one country, same-sex unions are permitted; in another, they are not.
Why are there such different judgements on what is right and true? It is because laws today are crafted by people who do not necessarily know the truth. “The blind leading the blind will all fall into the ditch.” The real problem is that there can be no democracy when it comes to objective truth. Yet society has made morality a matter of democratic consensus. Most laws today are compromised values, taking into consideration the needs of various individuals. This explains why moral relativism prevails–because every government seeks consensus from its citizens, as they are elected to carry out their bidding. Very few governments today see themselves as guardians of morality. They are more like CEOs of corporations, ensuring economic productivity, material prosperity, and unity among different communities and ideologies.
For this reason, we maintain that laws must be based on eternal truths and values–not on the passing desires and fads of humanity.Laws must be founded on objective, not subjective, principles. Where can such objective laws be found if not in nature and in God? Morality must be based on natural and divine law as revealed by God. Man cannot be the standard of what is right and wrong. He is neither indispensable nor absolute. Only God, who is absolute, can give us laws that are right and enduring, founded not on temporary preferences but on the eternal values of life.
But this is precisely the crux of the problem raised in today’s readings. Even when we know what is right or wrong based on divine truth, we still find ourselves struggling against sin and failing to do what is right. This was the experience of St Paul, who said, “In my inmost self I dearly love God’s law, but I can see that my body follows a different law that battles against the law which my reason dictates.” The psalmist, too, extols the beauty and perfection of God’s laws: “Teach me discernment and knowledge, for I trust in your commands. You are good and your deeds are good; teach me your statutes. Let your love be ready to console me by your promise to your servant. Let your love come, and I shall live, for your law is my delight. I will never forget your precepts, for with them you give me life. Save me, for I am yours, since I seek your precepts.” So, the problem of obedience to the law remains unresolved. The wicked do not obey the laws because they do not believe in them. Even the good cannot fully obey them, despite knowing they are good.
In our struggles, what options do we have to escape this dilemma? The way of the world is relativism–a pragmatic approach to life. Do whatever seems best for the moment. Follow the consensus. Don’t worry whether it is true or not, so long as the majority agrees. Don’t think of the long-term consequences, so long as it works for now. Another way is licentiousness–living without laws. In the name of freedom and individuality, we do whatever we want, so long as we are not hurt. At any rate, if there is no life after death and no punishment, why worry? Yet, such “freedom” is really slavery to our passions. The other extreme is legalism: obeying the laws rigidly, regardless of circumstances. “Keep the laws, and the laws will keep you.” But this, too, is slavery–a life lived in fear of God’s wrath. None of these paths can save us or set us free.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus asks us to look at the signs: “When you see a cloud looming up in the west, you say at once that rain is coming, and so it does. And when the wind is from the south, you say it will be hot, and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky; how is it you do not know how to interpret these times?” Can we not see the consequences of the paths the world has chosen? Look at society today–the implications of relativism and lawlessness. What have they done to the family and the institution of marriage? Look at our young people–their attitudes toward society, generosity, service, morality, and love. We are consumed by lust and promiscuity. Families are divided because of divorce and infidelity. Relationships are superficial and manipulative. People are searching for true love but find none. They long for eternal values that can satisfy the soul but find only the fleeting pleasures of life.
Hence, Jesus warns us to take necessary action before it is too late. Otherwise, we will bear the full weight of the consequences. He says, “When you go to court with your opponent, try to settle with him on the way, or he may drag you before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the bailiff, and the bailiff have you thrown into prison. I tell you, you will not get out till you have paid the very last penny.” We must therefore look squarely at the real causes of our inability to choose what is right and good, and examine our choices. What hinders us from acting according to our convictions? Simply this: we are “prisoners of that law of sin which lives inside our bodies.”
As St Paul said, “I know of nothing good living in me–living, that is, in my unspiritual self–for though the will to do what is good is in me, the performance is not, with the result that instead of doing the good things I want to do, I carry out the sinful things I do not want. When I act against my will, then, it is not my true self doing it, but sin which lives in me.” There is a deep wound in our soul and body–a wound at the very roots of our being. This explains why we struggle to live lives of integrity and consistency. Healing must take place at this level before we can live a holistic life.
How can this be done? Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, shows us how to live in harmony with God’s will and plan. Jesus comes to enlighten our minds and teach us the truth about life. But He does more than heal the mind–He heals the heart. He does this by revealing the mercy and love of His Father through His works of mercy, His forgiveness, and His death on the cross.
In the final analysis, only truth and love can transform us. Once the mind is enlightened by the Word of God in truth, the heart becomes ready and docile to His love. Only one who is enlightened by both truth and love can truly love in truth. Transformation, therefore, does not come through laws but through love. We change our lives and live in love because we love Jesus, and Jesus fills us with His love so that we, in turn, may love others before ourselves. Our love for others is purified of self-interest and ulterior motives. Indeed, St Paul says that the only debt we owe to each other is the debt of mutual love: “Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law” (Romans 13:8). As St Augustine says, “Love, and do what you will.” Of course–provided you love in truth.
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.
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