By Fr Antony Christy, SDB –
THE WORD IN LENT – Wednesday, Third Week
March 06, 2024 – Deuteronomy 4: 1,5-9; Matthew 5: 17-19
Through the desert, God leads us to freedom. God leads us in varied ways, and one of the privileged ways is through the Word, which we are constantly gifted to hear. First of all, through the Word that comes as part of the Liturgy. Certainly, it does not stop there. There are other ways in which the Word reaches us – our prayer moments, a discussion with a friend, a striking inspiration somewhere, a heart touching experience that we could come across, a problem, a success, a confusion or crisis – all these can bring us in touch with the Word.
The Word is imprinted in our hearts. The capacity to discern between the right and the wrong, the examples of what is desirable and what is not, the experiences of others that teach us what is good and what is harmful – these are promptings of the living Word which guides us in God’s ways. We are given the grace to choose these, and that is freedom. When we believe that God leads us to freedom, what do we say: that God leads us to that state where I readily, willingly, and resolutely choose what is right, good, and holy.
It would be infantile, we know, to hold on to the opinion that freedom is doing whatever we want! Mature understanding of freedom is, that it gives me the ability to choose on my own without any internal or external pressure, what is good and what is due to be chosen. This is a formation, an education, a growth. We, as children of God, have received this formation from God, God’s Spirit, the Word that instructs us and the Community of Faith that has nurtured us. God leads us on in that direction – that is why we say: Your Word O Lord, is a lamp unto my feet!
There is enough reason here why Jesus declares it in the Gospel that those who live by the Word and the ways of the Lord and teach others to do it, remain people of the Lord. On the contrary, even if one claims to be a child of God, a disciple of Christ, if he or she does not live by the Word or at least strive to live by it, with all the struggles, failures, and temptations – the person cannot be identified as a person of God, a child of God, or a disciple of Christ. Journeying by God’s Word and God’s ways… that is the guarantee that God leads me!
Fr Antony Christy is a Salesian Priest from 2005, who has a Masters in Philosophy (specialisation in Religion) and a Masters in Theology (Specialisation in Catechetics). He holds doctoral research in Theology at Salesian Pontifical University, Rome. Walking with the Young towards a World of Peace and Dialogue is the passion that fires him on.