THE REGIME OF GRACE


THURSDAY, TWENTY NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Rom 6:19-23; Ps 1:1-4,6; Lk 12:49-53

The Division caused by Grace

A structure is always at work within us at any point in time. It may be the structure of sin, which is innate in us, or the structure of righteousness, which comes with the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. We were born with the structure of sin, which works well with our lives through the senses. The fall of Adam and Eve was their choice to walk the path of knowledge of good and evil, which involves the experience of death. They lost the guidance of divine light or grace, which is incompatible with their choice. Their choice implies guiding themselves by the light of their own reason. Since the human reason can only gain knowledge by walking the path of physical creation, the senses define their route to knowledge of good and evil. The structure of sin arises in us through our habituation to self and ignorance of what is truly good for us. Deceived by the forces of evil, we cling to physical and transitory goods as the source of our joy and happiness. Because the passing goods are limited and never sufficient for the needs of our souls, we see ourselves longing and desiring more. The insatiable desire for these limited goods is the root of every evil and the structure of sin within man.

Deliverance comes to us when we encounter the word of God anew and discover through faith in the word, the hidden treasure of divine goods. The discovery is possible only through the gift of faith from God, without which it is impossible to be saved. God desires the salvation of all. Therefore, he has shed his grace abroad for our salvation. Saint Paul, comparing the workings of the sinful structure within us to the workings of the structure of grace, urges us to give the same whole-hearted devotion to grace as we formerly gave to sin. “When you were slaves of sin, you felt no obligation to righteousness, and what did you get from this? nothing but experiences that now make you blush, since that sort of behaviour ends in death. Now, however, you have been set free from sin, you have been made slaves of God, and you get a reward leading to your sanctification and ending in eternal life.” We gave our hearts to the illusory desires for passing goods, which multiplied sins in our former lives; we are to give our hearts now to the holy desire for eternal goods, which will multiply fruits of holiness and peace in us.

Our Lord reveals His mission to light the fire of desire for eternal goods in us as most important, as it encompasses the will of the Father for our salvation. “I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already! There is a baptism I must still receive, and how great is my distress till it is over!” To light the fire of love for God and his everlasting kingdom, the Son of Man must first redeem the human race by consecrating his humanity to the Father’s will on the cross of Calvary. His death will bring salvation and peace to the individual hearts of the believers, but a division among men, due to the new love for heavenly reality, different from the love of temporal things. Since love is the driving force within man, the two loves will bring division and opposition between men. “Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” The division will be within each of us as long as we have not replaced love for things of this world with love for Jesus Christ. Hence, Saint Paul urges us to give our undivided attention and love to spiritual or heavenly things. Our continuous contemplation of the heavenly goods increases our love for Christ.  It also perfects the operation of the structure of righteousness within us, to end the regime of sin within us. “Happy indeed is the man whose delight is the law of the Lord and who ponders his law, day and night.”

Let us pray: Almighty ever-living God, grant that we may always conform our will to yours and serve your majesty in sincerity of heart. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.             

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