ALL OF YOU ARE ONE IN CHRIST JESUS

XII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Galatians 3:26-29

Paul always surprises us, as he can summarise in a few words essential aspects of the Christian experience. Salvation can only be attained through faith in Jesus Christ, not through obedience to the Law. When Paul speaks of the Law, he refers to the law that upholds the Old Covenant, with circumcision as its seal; he is not speaking of the commandments which we must keep to be true disciples of Jesus. The circumcision of the flesh is powerless and does nothing for our salvation. It is through faith in Jesus Christ that we become children of God. The faith in Jesus is affirmed and celebrated in the baptism. Being born of water and the Spirit, “all baptised in Christ” are clothed in Christ. In baptism, they become one in Christ. And what is the result of this union with Christ in the baptism? We are redeemed and set free. Belonging to Christ, we are the posterity of Abraham. We are the new People of God built up of free people and within these people, all have the same dignity. No more discrimination:

“and there are no more distinctions between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female, but all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”

Paul established the basic principle that has guided the process of liberation and equality among people. Slave and free, male and female have the same dignity and are one in Christ. Slavery and discrimination existed in all cultures and civilisations of the past, be it in Europe, Asia, Africa and America. In the past, the prisoners of war would become slaves; and the same fate would fall on those who could not pay their debts. And it was common practice to conduct raids in neighbouring tribes to capture slaves that would be sold in the market and many times taken to distant lands. Only the civilisations that looked to Christ and listened to Paul were able to discover the evilness of slavery and put a stop to it. The principles put forward by Paul have led to a new awareness of human dignity that makes it possible to combat all kinds of discrimination.

May the Lord Jesus guide us with His Spirit for us to recognise him in our brothers and sisters.