Deep inside of me

WORD 2day: Wednesday, 28th week in Ordinary time

October 12, 2022: Galatians 5: 18-25; Luke 11: 42-46

Can one be justified by faith apart from the works of law - this was, is and will ever be a point of contention. In the Old Testament times it was a contention between the 'conservative' and the 'progressive' rabbinic schools; in Jesus' times between him and the Jewish religious heads; in the times of the early Christians it was a contention between those who followed the Pauline theology and those who believed the theology of James; today it continues between the Catholics and the non Catholics!

Needless to say our point of reference is always Jesus. 'Don't put your trust in your capacity to achieve things and to gain control or dominance,' warns Jesus. 'Become like children!' That is primacy of faith! He also declared, 'when you did this to one of these little ones, you did it to me!' That is the necessity of works! Faith without works is fruitless; while works without faith can easily turn into an ego trip.

What Jesus taught against was, empty ritualism, legalistic spirituality and hypocritical religiosity! Unless we are aided by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we would never learn the meaning of what Jesus teaches us today - to have works of faith without ego and to live faith in works without losing the primacy of the relationship with God. These - the works of faith and faith in works - cannot be merely an external act or a mere religious sentiment. They have to be signs, fruits, indications and the fragrance of what is deep inside of me!