Word to the Wise
Sunday, June 26, 2022 - 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time - C
[1 Kgs 19:16b, 19-21; Gal 5:1, 13-18; Luke 9:51-62]I say, then: live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh. For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do what you want. But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. [Galatians]
St. Paul's words about the conflict between the Spirit and the flesh [cf. also Romans 7:12-22] always remind me of the famous comedian, Flip Wilson, who had a routine in which he played a lady named Geraldine who had a good angel on one shoulder and a bad angel on the other. The classic line from the routine was, "The devil made me do that!" But, St. Paul's vision is much broader than the temptations we experience in regard to consumption habits or other unhealthy activities, although it does include these.
The important words are in the last line of the quote above: But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The Mosaic law represents an entire way of life. Whether or not something is good or bad depends on its inclusion under that law. St. Paul distinguishes between those who have not been baptized or live exclusively according to the law ("soma") and those who are baptized and live according to the Spirit {"pneuma"). The latter group, who should be guided by the Spirit, should not think that if they are freed from the restrictions of the Mosaic Law that they are free to do whatever they want since they have been "saved." St. Paul refers to a new "slavery" which comes from undisciplined behavior unguided by the Spirit of the new law of Christ. In words that just precede the quote from today's second scripture he says: "For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, namely, You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
Complete dependence on written law leads to what is called "casuistry" where people continually ask, "What if.....?" in efforts to find "loopholes" to justify certain patterns of behavior This kind of reasoning misses the whole point of Jesus' teaching about love of God and neighbor. The question is not whether or not something is "legal" but whether or not it is the right thing to do in the light of Jesus' teaching about love of God and neighbor. AMEN