Sunday of the Fourth Week of Advent
December 23, 2007
"Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ."
Romans 1:1

One time in prayer I was contemplating being united with Christ. Think about being one with the source of all love, life, goodness and beauty. It seems that we should all burst into a million pieces if we knew what it really meant.

Ruminating over the word "unite", I thought of similes such as to "entrust", "tie", "bind", "fasten", "yoke" and making yourself a slave to. St. Paul calls himself a slave to Jesus Christ. But how many of us quickly rebel against the thought of being a slave to anyone, anytime. We want to call the shots and do what we want, when we want with who we want. Enslavement would destroy the freedom and life we want to enjoy. To unite ourselves to someone else would be about last on our list.

As I continued to think about St. Paul's calling himself a slave to Christ, I reflected on what good could come from that. How could becoming a slave benefit you? Then, the Holy Spirit showed me something, with my own very limited cerebral power, I would have never picked up unaided. The same five letters that are used to form the word "unite" are also used to form the word "untie." Click! The light went on! It is in uniting with Jesus Christ that we are set free. Jesus and His way of relating sets us free from sin to live in the fullness of life. It is enslaving ourselves to Jesus like St. Paul did that we are set free to be daughters and sons of God and celebrate His Kingdom of Love forever.

We become free by being a slave to Jesus Christ. Unite yourself to Christ and He will untie you from your sin to live in the fullness of His life. Jesus did not say I am "a" Way. He said I am "The" Way. At this Christmastime where in our materialistic culture we enslave ourselves to things we remember that they can never set us free and usually further enslave us. Let us unite ourselves with the One, and only One, who can set us free.

I heard that St. Augustine said St. Paul was the man who knew Christ the best. Let us imitate St. Paul and make ourselves slaves to Jesus Christ. Talk about being infinitely blessed!

We are infinitely blessed!

+ Fr. John