St. Paul tells the Galatians “For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery!” (Galatians 5:1, 13-18) In just a few days, we celebrate the birthday of our nation. Let freedom ring!
Let it ring celebrating the good gift these United States are to all of us. With all of our challenges, we are still the envy of the world. For many reasons, not the least of which, is the right to elect our own government, and then when voters choose to transition to a new government, we do so without armed conflict. The freedom we know as citizens ought to cause us as Christian believers to thank God once again for the freedom first found in Jesus Christ.
Let freedom ring most of all by living out God’s generous love given to others. No one can compel another to believe. But by our lives lived in love, we show others Christ’s way and Christ’s love and the awesome freedom Christ gives to all who follow him. Reject anything in your life that would enslave your soul or another and in its place, let Christ’s freedom ring out from your life and in so doing become God’s good gift of freedom to others.
- Deacon Robert
Rev. Stephen Hook is Pastor of the Pastorate of the Visitation which includes the Catholic Churches of Pasadena, Maryland: St. Jane Frances de Chantal (Riviera Beach) and Our Lady of the Chesapeake (Lakeshore). He is assisted by Associate Pastor Rev. John Belinki, Deacon Howard Klohr, and Deacon Rick Clemens. To learn more about our pastorate, please visit www.catholicpasadena.org.
