Reflection from the Heart – June 26, 2022

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time
by Fr. Ivan Olmo

“For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.” Freedom is the place we are all journeying to. We do not journey alone. We journey with Christ. Freedom is the state of mind we long to achieve, the life we hope to lead. We desire freedom.  We want to be free. We need to be free.  Free from what enslaves us. Free from what restrains us. Free from what confounds us. Free from what imprisons us. Free from whatever keeps us from simply being who we are, who we were called and created to be. Our true freedom, the freedom that has given us the right and privilege to be called the children of God was purchased for us at a great price. A great price indeed. Jesus ransomed and gave himself up for us to set us free.  Free from Satan, from evilness, from darkness, from sinfulness, from captivity, from all that separates us from God. In love and in divine mercy, Jesus suffered and died for us to be the peace offering to the Father. A lovely peace offering indeed. A sweet and fragrant gift offering for you and for me. By his wounds, Jesus heals our disobedience. By his Blood, he covers a multitude of sin. By his Body, he restores our life. By his love, we are loved and free to love and be-loved for all eternity. Thankful to the One who liberated us we are now free citizens of Heaven. We are not slaves to sin or darkness or evil people or bad fruit because Jesus made us a new creation. He broke the chains of our captivity. He unlocked the doors of death’s dungeon. He scattered the darkness and brought us into his marvelous light. The light of a new, everlasting day. A new day, a new beginning, a new life in Christ. Who would want to go back to death, darkness, depression, despair? These truly imprison us. They keep us from truly being free. They keep us from sharing in the freedom Christ has won for us. Heavenly Father, thank you for not giving up on us. We truly deserve the sentence we received caused by our sinfulness, our disobedience, our inability to love you perfectly. You are most merciful rendering just decisions and in your great love and mercy, you allowed Jesus your Son to pay our debt in full. “Save us, Savior of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.”