Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent and St. Vincent Ferrer, Priest
Readings for Wednesday of the 5th Week of Lent
Biographical Information about St. Vincent Ferrer, Priest
First Published: Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Free at Last
Reflection:
If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. Have you ever released a wild animal that had been captured back into the wild. Even if you have not, there have been numerous television programs depicting such events. At first the animal is afraid, unsure of what is happening. Then it takes a few timid steps as if testing for a trap. Then is takes off as fast as it can (sometimes its hard to tell, I have let a number of turtles go and they are much more subtle.) It seems from the observers point of view they rejoice in the freedom they have been given.
St. John gives us those amazing words;"... and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free". The Jews of his time could not understand what he was saying. They thought they already had the truth as the kept saying "We are descendants of Abraham." Because they had been given the law and the prophets they thought they had the truth. In fact they were very close, as our Lord knew. They only missed the final piece, the piece that came to fulfill the law and the prophets, to tie them back to God the father.
Because they could not see this, Jesus told them; "Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin." They still could not see what he was telling them. They had the law and the prophets but without their heart. Without living Gods law they (and we) are not living in the freedom Jesus promised.
All of this comes to us as we look a few short days ahead now to the holiest time of the year. But do we still we find our selves bound by our sins? Are we behind the bars of greed or lust? Are we rotting in the dungeon of hatred or envy? Can we truly unlock our selves from these things to place God first in our lives so we can live in that marvelous freedom we have been promised?
Have you ever noticed, coming out of the confessional after having received the Sacrament of Reconciliation, how you feel lighter, as if a weight had been lifted? Does that remind you of the joy a freed captive feels when they know they are truly free? It is this freedom that the Lord refers to.
The great thing is we have been given a key to unlock the chains we have forged for our selves and it is free (rhyming unintentional), a gift from the one whose death was a victory and whose gift of the Holy Spirit provides the means of our escape.
Pax
Readings for Wednesday of the 5th Week of Lent
Biographical Information about St. Vincent Ferrer, Priest
First Published: Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Free at Last
Reflection:
If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. Have you ever released a wild animal that had been captured back into the wild. Even if you have not, there have been numerous television programs depicting such events. At first the animal is afraid, unsure of what is happening. Then it takes a few timid steps as if testing for a trap. Then is takes off as fast as it can (sometimes its hard to tell, I have let a number of turtles go and they are much more subtle.) It seems from the observers point of view they rejoice in the freedom they have been given.
St. John gives us those amazing words;"... and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free". The Jews of his time could not understand what he was saying. They thought they already had the truth as the kept saying "We are descendants of Abraham." Because they had been given the law and the prophets they thought they had the truth. In fact they were very close, as our Lord knew. They only missed the final piece, the piece that came to fulfill the law and the prophets, to tie them back to God the father.
Because they could not see this, Jesus told them; "Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin." They still could not see what he was telling them. They had the law and the prophets but without their heart. Without living Gods law they (and we) are not living in the freedom Jesus promised.
All of this comes to us as we look a few short days ahead now to the holiest time of the year. But do we still we find our selves bound by our sins? Are we behind the bars of greed or lust? Are we rotting in the dungeon of hatred or envy? Can we truly unlock our selves from these things to place God first in our lives so we can live in that marvelous freedom we have been promised?
Have you ever noticed, coming out of the confessional after having received the Sacrament of Reconciliation, how you feel lighter, as if a weight had been lifted? Does that remind you of the joy a freed captive feels when they know they are truly free? It is this freedom that the Lord refers to.
The great thing is we have been given a key to unlock the chains we have forged for our selves and it is free (rhyming unintentional), a gift from the one whose death was a victory and whose gift of the Holy Spirit provides the means of our escape.
Pax
posted by Deacon Jim | 2:24 AM
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