We were rescued like a bird from the fowlers’ snare; Broken was the snare, and we were freed. Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

Today’s readings can be summed up by this – we are either a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness.  So the question that I must spend time contemplating is hard…what is sin?  I found a few definitions online…

Sin is a break in a relationship thanks to our words, thoughts, actions, and inactions. The Catechism of the Catholic Church categories individual sinfulness into venial and mortal sins. These two kinds of sins each injure the core component of being human—the ability to love God and to love others.

Catechism 1849: the definition of sin 1849 Sin is an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. It wounds the nature of man and injures human solidarity.

The good news is that we don’t need anyone but ourselves to break the bonds of sin, we only need ourselves and God.  St. Paul reminds us of this in our first reading…

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law
but under grace?
Of course not!
Do you not know that if you present yourselves
to someone as obedient slaves,
you are slaves of the one you obey,
either of sin, which leads to death,
or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
But thanks be to God that, although you were once slaves of sin,
you have become obedient from the heart
to the pattern of teaching to which you were entrusted.
Freed from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness.

We are all sinners – we were born into that “slavery”.  I am a sinner and must continually stop myself from the wrongs I am doing and seek the forgiveness of God and the forgiveness of the people I have wronged.  I can’t put my reconciliation off, I must be vigilant in purging myself of whatever sin I have committed; today’s Gospel – THE GOOD NEWS – warns me of this…

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be sure of this:
if the master of the house had known the hour
when the thief was coming,
he would not have let his house be broken into.
You also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

With the love of God, I can become a righteous slave.  With my strong will and desire to live a good and moral life, I can remain a righteous slave.  I will chose life, I will chose God, I chose to serve.  My help is in the name of the Lord.  My hope is in the name of the Lord.  My life is in the name of the Lord…

Do something great for our Lord today – chose to be a slave of righteousness.

God’s will, not mine, be done.

Be not afraid; just have faith.

Jesus, I trust in You.

He must increase; I must decrease.

But you, man of God, pursue righteousness,
devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.
Compete well for the faith.