Daily Reflection Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Our passage today from Roman’s 8 is a very well-known one that states very clearly what the calling of Christ means for us as well as clarifying Paul’s concept of the flesh. Paul says that we have been set free from the burden of the flesh, with all it’s selfish desires. Paul plainly tells us that living according to the flesh is death. “But if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”

Paul’s idea of the flesh is far more encompassing than just lust. It is every selfish desire that works against the Spirit of love and forgiveness. Without God’s saving grace it enslaves us all. Paul urges us to embrace fully the Spirit that called us, the Spirit that gave us the true freedom of the children of God that we have become by adoption through Christ, so as not “to fall back into fear.” That would be nothing less than to fall back into slavery, Paul says. Thus, Paul is telling us that the burden of the flesh is very heavy indeed and that it is yoked to fear.  Unless we keep resisting the continual allure of the flesh (which ultimately can be called the will to power), this greatest of gifts could be lost. 

But rather, we now cry out with joy, “Abba, Father!” says Paul as we realize that we are God’s children and heirs fully now with Christ Jesus. “If only we suffer with him,” says Paul.

That, finally, is what we are asked to do. Can we deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus? Once we finally make this decision, we find the way surprisingly easy, for God does all the heavy lifting. It is a decision well worth making in that by it we will be glorified with Jesus and that should make any burden that taking up our cross may present us with as one far lighter than we imagined such a thing could be. “For my yoke is easy and my burden light,” says the Lord.