God’s Grace at Work!

 

29th Week Saturday in Ordinary Time

Year One

Rom 8:1-11

God’s Grace at Work!

The Law could reveal sin but not remove it. It showed what righteousness looked like, yet it couldn’t change the human heart. God did what the Law could not: He sent His Son “in the likeness of sinful flesh” to deal with sin once and for all. Through Jesus’ death, the penalty of sin is broken; through His Spirit, the power of sin is overcome. Now, believers “walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” This new way of life isn’t about self-effort but about living under the guidance and empowerment of the Spirit.

The mind set on the flesh leads to death, it focuses on worldly desires, self, and independence from God. The mind set on the Spirit leads to life and peace, it orients itself toward God, seeking His will and presence. This isn’t just about moral behaviour; it’s about orientation of the heart. What we set our minds on shapes who we become. Life in the Spirit brings inner peace and communion with God that the flesh can never produce.

St Paul reminds believers that the Spirit of God dwells in them. This indwelling Spirit is both the mark of belonging to Christ and the source of new life. Even though our mortal bodies are subject to decay and death, the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead will one day give life to our mortal bodies. The resurrection power that raised Christ is already at work in us now, renewing our hearts, empowering holy living, and assuring us of eternal life.

Do I live with the awareness that there is no condemnation for me in Christ? Or do I still carry guilt that He has already lifted?

Year Two

Eph 4:7-16

Life Teaches Us about God!

St Paul's writing to Ephesians tells us that God has given us gifts in Christ. These gifts are given to each at different degrees or levels. Jesus ascended and it would imply that he descended too. He went down to the lowest the dead and under the earth and he ascended into the living and to the highest heavens. Jesus loves us and knows humanity and their concerns.

We are no more children and need instruction always; life teaches us to remain firm in the right doctrine that is taught through grace, inspiration and experience of life. The best lessons are learned in the school of life experience in both worldly matters and spiritual matters. Let us avail ourselves to the Spirit of God who will instruct God and his ways.

Do we learn from our life experiences for our spiritual life?

Lk 13:1-9

Live Fruitful Life!

 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none.  So he said to the man working the vineyard, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good, but if not, you can cut it down.’ (Lk 13:6-9).

God gave us life, to bear fruit. We bear fruit, if we are living our lives according to the values of the Kingdom of God and through the Sacraments of the Church. At time, it could happen that many lives of people, may not be bearing fruits for the Kingdom of God. They may be bearing negative fruits of life of darkness and evil. In such cases the Lord gives us time to come back to him. The gardener makes an appeal to the owner of the vineyard to give time that he would work around the tree and make it bear fruitful. The Lord gives time and opportunities to repent and bear fruit and thus be saved from eternal domination.

Am I willing to bear fruit, when the opportunity is given again?

Fr Putti Anthaiah, sdb