Homily for Tuesday, Week 29 of Ordinary Time

Homily for Tuesday
Week 29 of Ordinary Time

Oct. 19, 2018
Rom 5: 12, 15, 17-21
Ps 40
Christian Brothers, St. Joseph’s Residence, New Rochelle, N.Y.

In his letter to the Romans, St. Paul has been discussing our justification by Christ.  Justification means our being made just or righteous or sanctified in God’s eyes.  That’s the redemption that Christ won for us.

In today’s passage, Paul points to Adam’s transgression thru which sin entered the world, afflicting not only Adam but the entire human race, afflicting us all with the penalty of death.

Adam’s sin was disobedience, obviously.  But according to Genesis, it was also a rebellion, an ambitious attempt to overthrow God.  For the Devil told Eve, and she must have repeated the lie to Adam, that if they ate the forbidden fruit they would become like gods (Gen 3:5).

Paul contrasts that choice which led to humanity’s condemnation with “the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ,” “the gift of justification” (Rom 5:15,17).  The obedience of Christ counteracted Adam’s disobedience.  The humility of Christ undid the consequences of Adam’s ambition.  “Thru one righteous act acquittal and life came to all” (5:18).

Jesus Christ offers us life.  Believing in him, following him, and obeying his law of love for God and our brothers and sisters cleanses us of our sins.  “Grace overflows all the more” (5:20), so that, as Psalm 40 says, we may “exult and be glad” (v. 17).  That’s what we do whenever we celebrate the Eucharist, thru which we our Lord Jesus joins us to his own humble, obedient sacrifice to the Father, and with Jesus we exclaim, “To do your will, O my God, is my delight” (40:9).