Yesterday’s theme of slavery to sin continues in today’s Gospel. Sin and temptation are universal human experiences, and we are never truly done with the struggle in this life. Yet our hearts are made for the Kingdom of God; we are never really content to remain in spiritual bondage, and we yearn for freedom!

Firstly, let us not despair. Our hope is rich indeed. For Christ walks before us, carrying the cross. True conversion, indeed, true freedom, is a kind of crucifixion. We must put to death our ego, our wrong desires, and our hard-heartedness. Jesus is truly free; his every faculty is voluntarily aligned with the will of the Father. We pray, Lord, that I might die, so that ‘it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me’ (Galatians 2:20).

Secondly, we need patient perseverance. The path to Calvary is long; it is the journey of a lifetime. God is patient, merciful, and forgiving. Temper your frustration; set aside a sense of shame ­— you are human, like the rest of us. Trusting in God, we pray, ‘Be merciful to me, a sinner’ (Luke 18:13).

Finally, we recognise that we cannot do it by ourselves. Sin runs deeper than we imagine. We think, ‘If only I could stop doing this wrong action’ or ‘stop thinking these judgmental thoughts’, I could be free. It is not so; these are only surface manifestations of a deeper malaise. Grace alone can do the deep work of inner healing, though we must cooperate. Thus, as we pray, we draw confidence from the words of the Saviour: ‘If the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed’ (John 8:36).

God wills your freedom; trust him, pick up your cross, and follow after Christ.

by Fr Michael Grace