As humans, we so much cherish freedom. Our free will to make decisions and act in daily life shapes who we become over time. But what does it mean to be truly free before God? Can someone observe religious prescriptions faithfully and yet remain spiritually enslaved? Paul’s letter to the Galatians addresses these questions, inspired by his own faith experience.
Understanding Paul’s background
To appreciate Paul’s message, we need to recall who he was. Paul was educated under Gamaliel, a respected teacher of Judaism (Acts 22:3). He was a passionate defender of Judaism. Jewish tradition identifies 613 commandments in the Torah: 248 positive prescriptions and 635 prohibitions. These covered various aspects of religious, moral, and social life. So, Paul knew the Law intimately.
Transformed by Encounter with Jesus of Nazareth
However, Paul’s encounter with the risen Christ Jesus transformed his understanding of righteousness. He discovered that salvation is fundamentally God’s gift. It has to be received through faith, and should not be seen as a reward one earns through religious observance. The Law revealed God’s will and, at the time, exposed human sinfulness. Thus, it could not, by itself, accomplish the inner transformation brought to us by Christ.
This explains Paul’s uncompromising warning to the Galatians concerning circumcision. Some were persuaded that accepting the Jewish religious obligations was necessary for their salvation. Paul addresses their concerns, explaining that whoever accepts circumcision on this basis becomes obliged to observe the entire Law. More seriously, whoever seeks justification through the Law rather than through Christ risks falling away from grace.
The Yoke of Slavery
Paul sternly warns the Galatians about the yoke of slavery. This yoke represents the burden of seeking to secure one’s righteousness before God through the observance of religious prescriptions. It is the spiritual anxiety of believing that salvation depends ultimately on our own achievements rather than on God’s merciful initiative.
The Foundational Teaching of Jesus
In the Gospel, Jesus is invited to dine with a Pharisee who is surprised that he does not perform the customary ritual of washing before the meal. Jesus responds by contrasting the cleanliness of the outside of a cup with the corruption that may remain inside. This is teaching us that external religious correctness cannot substitute for interior conversion; God sees beyond appearances into the depths of the human heart. Jesus’ reference to giving alms reminds us that authentic interior purity must express itself in concrete generosity towards others.
How can we live these teachings of Jesus and Paul today? Paul says that “For through the Spirit, by faith, we await the hope of Righteousness.” Indeed, the Spirit is the source of inner transformation and conversion. What external prescriptions cannot accomplish by themselves, the Holy Spirit works within us and gradually transforms our hearts according to God’s will. The virtue of Hope directs our lives towards the fullness of righteousness promised by God. We have already received the gift of salvation in Christ, yet we await its definitive fulfilment. Christian life is therefore a continuing journey of trust, sustained by the Holy Spirit.
Only Faith working through Love
Religious practices remain valuable when they express and nourish our relationship with God. They lose their deeper meaning when they are separated from love of God and our neighbors. We too can become prisoners of appearance. This happens each time we neglect acts of forgiveness, compassion, humility, and justice.
Today, therefore, we must ask ourselves: Does my religious practice truly transform my heart? Am I becoming more loving, merciful, and attentive to others? Christ has set us free; therefore, let us embrace his freedom and be transformed daily by his grace.
As we celebrate the anniversary of the final apparition of Our Lady of Fatima on 13 October 1917, we recall her urgent invitation to prayer, conversion, and a sincere return to God. Her message reminds us that authentic faith requires a transformation of the heart.
May our Lady of Fatima intercede for us, so that, guided by the Holy Spirit and strengthened by faith and hope, we may experience the true freedom of God’s children and express it through a life of genuine love. Amen!
