Why do many of us return or even remain yoked to slavery of sin? Is it simply the familiarity of habit? Are we content with its fleeting comforts if any? Can we claim it is a victory of choice rather than one made from our insecurities? Do we continue to hide our guilt and emptiness? We might convince ourselves we have none of the former but the latter is impossible to fill. Have we not realised by now that being yoked to sin is not simply a bad habit, but that we are yoked to evil? Who then is our master?
Let us choose instead this day, to always remember the great an everlasting love of God our Heavenly Father. As we gaze upon that very sign of His great love for us; our crucified redeemer who hung and died on the Cross that we might live free from the bondage of sin. Let turn to Him in our struggles and moments of weakness so that we draw strength and the needed grace to overcome it. Let us choose to walk in His light and as we live in the joy of our resurrected Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. Amen
First reading
Galatians 4:22-24,26-27,31-5:1
Christ freed us: do not submit again to slavery
The Law says, if you remember, that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave-girl, and one by his free-born wife. The child of the slave-girl was born in the ordinary way; the child of the free woman was born as the result of a promise. This can be regarded as an allegory: the women stand for the two covenants. The first who comes from Mount Sinai, and whose children are slaves, is Hagar. The Jerusalem above, however, is free and is our mother, since scripture says: Shout for joy, you barren women who bore no children! Break into shouts of joy and gladness, you who were never in labour. For there are more sons of the forsaken one than sons of the wedded wife. So, my brothers, we are the children, not of the slave-girl, but of the free-born wife.
When Christ freed us, he meant us to remain free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.
Gospel
Luke 11:29-32
As Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be a sign
The crowds got even bigger, and Jesus addressed them:
‘This is a wicked generation; it is asking for a sign. The only sign it will be given is the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. On Judgement day the Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here. On Judgement day the men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation and condemn it, because when Jonah preached they repented; and there is something greater than Jonah here.’
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