The Essence of Christian Life is the Continual Receiving of the Gift From God

Fr. Hugh Gillespie, SMM

The Essence of Christian Life is the Continual Receiving of the Gift From God

In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us a parable about a friend knocking on the door in the middle of the night asking for bread.

The owner of the house was already in bed. He tells the visitor to go away. Jesus tells us that if the man does not get up and give the visitor what he asks for because of their friendship, he’ll do so because the visitor is persistent in asking and in banging on the door. The Homily continues with this story.

St. Paul is Harsh With His Words to the Church in Galatia

St. Paul writes in the first reading: O you stupid Galatians! Wow! Harsh words! Why? What was St. Paul getting at? You fools. There is a real crisis in the Church at Galatia. It is a crisis of laying aside the uniqueness of what God has done. Hmm! St. Paul takes great pains to point out to the Church in Galatia to make them understand!

What was happening was there was a group that came to Galatia and imposed all the rules and rituals of the Jewish people on the people of the early Church. They said, unless you do all these Jewish customs, you cannot be a good Christian or an authentic Christian!

St. Paul writes in disagreement. He writes that the Church received the gifts of the Holy Spirit! How did you get that! You did not have the Law, yet you received the Spirit! You received salvation through Jesus. Moses did not offer that! Yet, the Church received it!

St. Paul writes to the Church that you received a great gift from Jesus and the Holy Spirit. And, you want to set it aside for a lesser thing that never saved you in the first place! This is why St. Paul uses the strong language.

The Human Heart Often Settles For Something Less

St. Paul addresses a point that impacts us today! As much as we say we want salvation, the human heart often times settles for something less. That was what St. Paul was pointing out.

Hear how the Gospel and St. Paul’s Letter informs us about Christian Life and what we must do! Listen to this Meditation Media. Listen to: