Daily Catholic Lectio. Sat, 6 Sep ’25. Living in Freedom

Daily Catholic Lectio

Sat,  6 September ‘25

Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time, Saturday

Colossians 1:21-23. Luke 6:1-5

Reconciled in Christ, Living in Freedom

1. Reconciled Through Christ’s Death

Scripture: Paul reminds the Colossians: “You who were once estranged and hostile in mind…He has now reconciled in His body of flesh through death” (Col 1:21–22). Our holiness is not our achievement but Christ’s gift.

Church’s Teaching: The Catechism (CCC 1992) teaches that justification is God’s merciful action of reconciling us to Himself through Christ’s sacrifice.

Pastoral Application: We were once alienated by sin, but now God embraces us as friends and children. The question is not whether we are worthy, but whether we remain faithful to His grace.

2. Perseverance in Faith and Hope

Scripture: Paul exhorts: “Continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the Gospel” (Col 1:23).

Church’s Teaching: Spe Salvi (no. 27) explains that hope gives meaning even to struggles and trials.

Pastoral Application: Reconciliation is not a one-time event; it is a lifelong journey of perseverance. Faithfulness in prayer, sacraments, and service keeps us rooted in Christ, even when temptations or discouragements arise.

3. The Lord of the Sabbath

Scripture: In the Gospel, Jesus defends His disciples plucking grain on the Sabbath, declaring: “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath” (Lk 6:5). True worship is not legalism but life in communion with Christ.

Church’s Teaching: Vatican II (Sacrosanctum Concilium 7) teaches that Christ is always present in the liturgy—He is the true fulfilment of the Sabbath.

Pastoral Application: Sabbath observance is not about rigid rules but about relationship—resting in Christ, worshipping God, and loving neighbour. The more we place Christ at the centre, the freer we are to live the Sabbath as grace, not burden.

Conclusion

Paul proclaims that we are reconciled through Christ’s death and called to persevere in faith and hope. Jesus reveals Himself as the Lord of the Sabbath, reminding us that holiness is communion with Him, not legalism. Today, let us live as reconciled people—faithful, hopeful, and free in Christ.

Paul reminds us that though we were once estranged by sin, Christ has reconciled us through His death. We are called to remain steadfast in faith and firm in the hope promised by the Gospel. This reconciliation is not a past event but a daily journey of perseverance in grace. In the Gospel, Jesus declares Himself the Lord of the Sabbath, placing love above legalism.

True holiness is to rest in Christ, live in His freedom, and walk faithfully in hope.

Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi

Archdiocese of Madurai

Missionary of Mercy