It is interesting to note that in today’s Gospel reading from John, Jesus spoke to those who “believed in him” (Jn 8:31). But the more he talked, the less they seemed to understand who he was: “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” His listeners balked at the word “free”, asserting that because they were ancestors of Abraham they have never been enslaved by anybody.
In the United States of America, freedom is also highly valued. Many of us would probably react very much in the same way. We may have different ways of expressing why we feel that we are free, but we would certainly assert that we are not enslaved to anybody or anything.
Jesus’ words ring just as true then as they do today: “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.” Jesus shined his light on the truth that many of us do not see, which is our enslavement to sin. If we truly seek to be free, then we need to acknowledge this point. What many of us claim to be freedom, doing whatever we want to do, when we want to, and how we want to do it, is not true freedom. We cannot even hear the clanking of the chains or feel the weight of the shackles chaffing at our skin as we raise and shake our fists to assert our freedom of indifference!
Our response to Jesus’ statement: “who commits sin is a slave of sin” ought not to be one of hiding, denying, rationalizing, attacking, fleeing, or refusing to acknowledge such a thing as sin. It is better to embrace the truth that Jesus is placing before us. In this way, we allow his light to expose the darkness in our hearts where sin speaks and we realize where we have said yes to the father of lies. Becoming aware of our fault for those things we have done and have failed to do is the first step in becoming truly free.
When Pope Francis was asked in an interview, “Who is Jorge Mario Bergoglio?” he answered, “I am a sinner, but I trust in the infinite mercy and patience of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I accept in a spirit of penance.” We are all sinners because of the fact that we all in some form or fashion place idols before God. This is not a negative or defeatist attitude, quite the contrary. When we call out our sins in truth, we can be freed from them. When we think our life is about us first and foremost, and ignore or rationalize our sin, we allow them to have power over us.
We become free from our sins by acknowledging that we have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. This does not mean that we are awful people. It just means that we have fallen for an apparent good instead of the true Good that God wants for us. We have missed the mark of our true fulfillment. We need a savior to free us. Jesus accepts us as sinners but does not want us to remain in our sins. We do not have to be perfect nor have our house in order for him to come close, for he is already waiting for us. We do not need to be worthy, we just need to be willing to open the door when he knocks, and invite him into the chaos of our lives so that he can heal us with his grace, love, and mercy. When, “the Son frees you, then you will truly be free.”
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Photo: Jesus is always, always looking for us and seeking to carry us back home.
Link for the interview with Pope Francis from America Magazine, September 30, 2013
Spiritual Stepping Stones 