28th Tuesday in Ordinary
Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch
Romans 1: 16-25; Luke 11: 37-41
The Apostle to the Gentiles had a simple faith. He believed in the God of revelation and knew himself to be a minister of His Word. In that Word all people would find salvation. “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed–a righteousness that is by faith from first to last” (Rom. 1:17). The power of God is manifested in the works he has made. God is the creator and Master of the universe. He made it and all the works He has made proclaim His glory. The Psalmist put it quite beautifully: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky above proclaims the work of His hands” (Ps. 19:1). Consequently, we have no excuse for not worshiping the glorious Creator.
Clinging to the anchor of his soul, St. Paul declares the only path of deliverance from condemnation: faith in the mercy of God as revealed to us in Christ Jesus our Lord. He proceeds to turn the attention of his readers to the subject of purity of heart because it is what is inside us that really counts. It is not enough for us to make things look good on the surface, we need to build them on a sound foundation. “The cornerstone is Christ Jesus Himself” (Eph. 2:20). Faith in Christ is all in all. It is the beginning and the progress of Christian life. It is faith that allows us to see the handiwork of God in all the wonders of creation. It is faith that presses us forward. As we read in the Second Letter to the Corinthians: “All of us, who have had the veil removed can contemplate the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image, from glory to glory” (2 Cor. 3:18).
The condition of all who live by the Light of the Gospel is joy, for the heart of the believer is set at liberty to run the ways of God’s commandments. Believers behold the glory of the Lord and recognized His finger prints in all that surrounds them. By faith, the believer gains the victory over unbelief. Making our own the words of the apostle: “I press on to make my own that for which Christ Jesus has made me His own” (Phil. 3:12). Let us give glory to God and open our hearts to His Word. May we receive the implanted Word and bring forth a harvest of righteousness. When the Lord comes again in glory, may He bring us all together to everlasting life.
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