Today’s first readings, Romans 1: 16-25, contains gems of
wisdom that each of is challenged to ponder within the depth of our hearts.
What are these gems?
·
That the Gospel “is the power of God for the salvation
of everyone who believes…”
·
That in the Gospel “the righteousness of God” is
revealed “from faith to faith”
·
That the “one who is righteous by faith will
live”
·
That “what can be known about God is evident to…
[the impious and to those who have suppressed] the truth by their wickedness”
·
That what can be known about God is evident [to
all of us] because God has made it evident [to us]
WOW! The question is:
do I believe that the Gospel is the power of God for my salvation? And if I do,
what is keeping me from reading and reflecting upon the Gospels regularly and,
yes, even daily? That is where my
salvation lies, that is where I will encounter Christ, who saves me from my own
wickedness: from my own sinfulness, my own vulnerability to give in to
temptation. What temptation? Satan’s
deceits, Satan’s subtleness in luring me into gossip, into cheating myself and
others of the gift of forgiveness and unconditional loving, of respect and
openness to the wisdom of God at work within them and within me, refusing to
listen to them or to the Spirit directing me; from responding or not responding
because of my prejudices, my fears, my hopelessness, my greediness and/or
stinginess. In whatever sin I engage, I
am suppressing the truth of who I am in Christ Jesus, of what I am capable of
doing because of the Spirit living within me.
My potential for choosing good instead of evil is contingent upon my
relationship with Christ and I grow in my knowledge of Christ through the
Scriptures, the Word of God!
What is holding me back from this Source of God’s
power? Have I, in St. Paul’s words, “exchanged
the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshipped the creature rather than
the creator, who is blessed forever”?
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