For Freedom, God Set Us Free

Homily for Tuesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Saint Paul tells the Galatians, "For freedom Christ set us free." Yet he immediately reminds them that Christian freedom is not found in external practices but in "faith working through love." In the Gospel, Jesus makes a similar point when he challenges the Pharisees' concern with outward ritual purity. God is always looking deeper, into the heart.

We can sometimes fall into the same temptation. We may pay attention to appearances, routines, and external practices, all of which have their place. But Jesus reminds us that what matters most is the interior spirit with which we live them. A kind heart, a generous spirit, and a love that reaches out to others are more pleasing to God than any merely external observance.

The psalmist captures this beautifully: "I will walk in liberty because I seek your precepts." God's way is not a burden. It is the path to freedom. The more our hearts are shaped by God's love, the more freely we live.

Today we might simply ask for the grace to be the same within as we appear to be without: people whose faith is truly working through love.