Homily for Tuesday, 28th Week of Ordinary Time

Homily for Tuesday

28th Week of Ordinary Time

Oct. 16, 2018                                                

Gal 5: 1-6
Don Bosco Cristo Rey, Takoma Park, Md.

We’ve been reading from Galatians for about a week, hearing Paul urge us not to rely upon observance of the Law to establish and maintain our relationship with God, but upon the grace given to us by Jesus Christ (cf. Gal 5:4).

Paul means the Law given by Moses—all the commands and rules set out in Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy, plus the rabbinic interpretations like ritual washings (cf. Luke 11:37-41).  Paul doesn’t mean they’re unimportant; it’s hard to discount the 10 Commandments.  But all those rules have no power to save us, and in fact no one can observe all of them unfailingly.

So, “thru the Spirit, by faith, we await the hope of righteousness” (Gal 5:5).  Jesus Christ gives us the Holy Spirit, forgiving our sins, restoring our broken relationship with God.  We don’t have to be perfect; we can’t be.  But “faith working thru love” (5:6)—Christ’s love for us and our loving response to his love—saves us.

Today’s saint, Margaret Mary, reminds us of that everlasting love of Jesus for us, a love rekindled for us in every Eucharistic celebration.