Word to the Wise
Monday, October 21, 2024 - Monday in the 29th Week in Ordinary Time
[Eph 2:1-10 and Luke 12:13-21]For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast. For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them. [Ephesians]A
One of the great theological debates throughout Christian history has been over the relationship between faith and good works. The Protestant Reformation was triggered by this issue. We Catholics sometimes fall into the trap that we think we can "earn" our way into heaven. The word "merit" creeps into thoughts and prayers. But the Letter to the Ephesians and other letters by St. Paul make it clear that it is through faith that we have the kind of relationship with God that "saves." Good works should be the fruit of that faith, and not a substitute for it. We know from our own experience how a close friendship can motivate us and support us in dealing with life's challenges. But friendship is a gift and we have received that gift from God. We become aware of that gift through faith. The word we use to describe the gift is "grace," but grace is not some kind of quantifiable reality that can be measured. It is the presence of God's love. It is a free gift that we open by faith.
St. Paul was a Pharisee and before his conversion he saw salvation in terms of observance of the Mosaic Law. In that way of life, actions become the means of salvation. After his conversion, St. Paul realized that it was only by putting faith in God's love as manifested in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that we could establish a saving relationship with God. That relationship requires that we "stay in shape" through love of neighbor. The magnificent vision of the Letter to the Ephesians can inspire us to remember how "grace" works in our life. AMEN