Free To Worship Without Fear

Monday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time &
Saint Hedwig and Margaret Mary Alacoque

Biographical Information about St. Hedwig and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque[1]

Readings for Monday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Gal 4:22-24, 26-27, 31–5:1

Responsorial Psalm Ps 113:1b-2, 3-4, 5a and 6-7
R. Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.

Gospel Lk 11:29-32

Reflection:

If Paul had been living today and made the statement: “One was from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; this is Hagar.” There would be riots in Palestine, Pakistan, and Iran. People would die because Paul dared to say anything against Hagar; the mother of Ishmael who we all know was in the line of their revered prophet.

Paul’s use of this allegory today is directed once more at some of the Christian converts from Judaism continued dedication to the Law of Abraham. His point was that God gave us the law, not to enslave us, but to set us free. This same kind of argument would become necessary again in the late 1500s as the Calvinists asserted not so much that we were slaves to the law but that we were predestined to either be saved or forever damned. Ironically the biggest scriptural sign-post for the Calvinists was Jesus teaching his disciples to pray; “…Thy will be done”.

This sentiment leaked into the Church during that same period in history as Jansenism reared it’s head in France and which said fundamentally;” …emphasize predestination, deny free will, and maintain that human nature is incapable of good.[2]” Like all attacks on doctrine, this one served to build up the Church’s understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit. Ironically many of the Jansenists were vehemently opposed to the devotion of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque also French but devoted to the intersession of the Holy Spirit and the merit of works in support of salvation.

We must ask what practical impact the word for today has for us. First, it is always good to be reminded that what ever we do each day is a free choice made by us. It is also important that we remember that these actions have consequences not only in this life but the next. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to those who reject him on his fateful trip to Jerusalem. He reminds them that if they ignore the warning he gives them to turn away from rejection and accept that the kingdom of God is at hand because they want proof from him, they will suffer the fate promised those warned by Jonah.

Although the scriptures today are somewhat dark, our response today must be one of light. It is up to us to accept the mantle of disciple and carry that word to the world today (or at least our part of it).

Pax

[1] The feast of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque is celebrated on October 17. I am not sure why but her name came up in the Ordo a day early. I place it here for the sake of consistency.
[2] Source is the on-line Free Dictionary.