Romans
"[Y]ou are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you."
Readings for Sunday: Zechariah, Romans, Matthew
Reflection:
Sigmund Freud generally thought that belief in God was a projection of one’s need and desire for love, protection, and so on onto the cosmos in the image of one’s father. While God is real, and in fact more real than we are, for many people Freud was in a way correct. Many people do construct their own image of God which is just a larger version of themselves or a projection of what they think God should be. They don’t know the real God. That is why the Bible presents God as being very different, very “other.” In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word kadosh (which we translate as “holy”) means “set apart,” “distinct,” or “other.” To say that God is “holy” is to say that He is unlike anything else in creation. His thoughts, His ways, and His love are far beyond our own.
While we can know that God exists, and know things about him from his creation, at the same time we need God to reveal himself to us if we are going to truly know him. In the Gospel, Jesus says, “No one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.” Christ is the perfect revelation of the Father.
As the God-man, He serves as the bridge between humanity and God, revealing the Father’s character through His words, actions, and sacrifice. If we want to know what God is like, we must look to Jesus.
Additionally, as sinners, we struggle to truly understand God. We tend to be selfish and struggle to know God, who is holy, different than us. This is why Jesus repeatedly calls us to repent. The Greek word metanoia literally means “to think differently.” When we repent, we decided that something is wrong or the wrong way, such as lying, in order to embrace something else, like the truth. To follow Jesus requires that we change our way of thinking and instead conform our minds to his; we must learn to think as Jesus thinks, live as he lives, and love as he loves. This what St. Paul meant in the second reading by urging us to live according to the Spirit, rather than the flesh. It isn’t a denial of our humanity, but “flesh” here means humanity in its sinful tendencies. Jesus invites to live in the Holy Spirit, that we may truly know God the Father.
Reflection Questions
- In what ways might your own expectations shape your understanding of God, and how can you become more open to knowing Him as He truly is?
- What is one habit in your life that God may be inviting you to change so that you can live more fully according to the Spirit rather than the flesh?
- When have you experienced God’s guidance or support during a difficult time, and how can you grow in trusting Christ more deeply in your daily life?