I do

For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me - Romans 7:19-20

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The Inner Conflict

14 For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am of the flesh, sold into slavery under sin. 15 I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. 17 But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me.21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, 23 but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!So then, with my mind I am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh I am a slave to the law of sin.

Reflecting on my own roller-coaster journey with the LORD, I empathize with what St. Paul wrote in Rom 7:19-20: For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. 

Here was the wretched confession of a man who called himself a Pharisee of Pharisees, when he was testifying in front of the Sanhedrin (in Acts 23:6). A Pharisee was someone who studied God's Laws and practiced them judiciously. Yet, when the Holy Spirit confronted his sinful nature during his third missionary journey, when he was in Corinth as he authored the Book of Romans, he realized the wretchedness of his human condition. No amount of personal discipline or adherence to strict Pharisee laws could free him from that sinful nature.

I identify with what St. Paul wrote because the 4th Commandment was to honor my parents. In this I've failed miserably each time I blew my top at my elderly mom over something she said or did. I would feel miserable towards myself afterwards. Following which I would apologize to her, in which she neither scolded nor retaliated with a harsh reply, but gently reminded me not to do it again, which only made me feel worse than before. It's the same with another habitual sin that hounded me from my youth. I've failed countless times using my own willpower to overcome it and could only sustain it for a period of time, after which I would over-indulge in it again and felt miserable once more. Both behaviors had driven me into the deep dark pit of clinical depression, until one day, the infinitely loving light of Christ shone into my sin-darkened heart which no one except God and my counsellors knew. 

Finally, I felt the real power as a child of God that comes from Him alone. I can never be an overcomer unless I've learned to rest and surrender all of my sinful inclinations at the foot of Jesus' Cross and allow His Love to permeate my sin-stained heart. That was why St. Paul could write these beautiful Spirit-infused lines in Galatians 2:20, after his encounter with the Risen LORD on the road to Damascus:  “and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Truly, it was the Amazing Grace of Christ living in me, a sinful man, that had set my heart free. 

I will close my short reflection with this beautiful freedom song penned by Chris Tomlin & Louis Giglio

Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)

Verse 1

Amazing grace

How sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me

I once was lost, but now I'm found

Was blind, but now I see

Verse 2

Twas grace that taught my heart to fear

And grace my fears relieved

How precious did that grace appear

The hour I first believed

Chorus

My chains are gone

I've been set free

My God, my Savior has ransomed me

And like a flood His mercy reigns

Unending love, amazing grace  

Youtube: https://youtu.be/Y-4NFvI5U9w?si=NAmGXmfeR-HX1I29

Refrain © 2006 worshiptogether.com Songs/sixteps Music (ASCAP), Vamos Publishing (ASCAP), admin at EMICMG Publishing.dom

Composed by: John Newton, Chris Tomlin & Louie Giglio

CCLI & Easy Song ID. #4768151, #78065

Reflection on Romans 7:14-25 by Chris Tan

Liberati a peccato | Freed from sin

"But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life." – Romans 6:22

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Dear friends in Christ Jesus. It is Jesus who set us free from the sins by his passion and death on the cross. Let us thank Jesus for this free gift of eternal life. Through our baptism we are under the grace of God which will help us to sanctify ourselves and enter into eternal life. Everything is a free gift from God because he loves us from the very beginning. As children of God we have total freedom either to love him and obey him at the same time not to obey him.  What do we choose sin or righteousness?

The obedience which comes from the heart out of love in total freedom will lead us to eternal life. St. Paul is reminding us that "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Therefore we can't present ourselves no longer to wickedness but need to present ourselves as instruments of righteousness.

Dear friends, let us not worry about the past life so much. We are set free from sin and sin has no dominion over us. We are under the grace of God which is stronger than our sins and guilt feelings. Let us hold on to Christ and his teachings. Let us learn to obey him from the heart out of love in total freedom like children. Let us live in hope and not in despair.

Bible reflection on Romans 6: 12-23 by Fr. George Joseph SVD

(Listen to podcast here)

Dead to sin but alive in Christ

"count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus" - Romans 6:11

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Dead to Sin, alive in Christ

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Reflecting on my own Christian journey, as a former staunch Buddhist who hated the guts of Bible-toting Christians who knocked on my door to condemn me and my whole household to Hell, when I opened the door to see who was knocking vigorously on my door. I hated the condemning look in their unloving eyes when they saw the statues of idols in my living hall. And invariably shouted back at them to crawl back into Hell where they came from. If they still refused to budge from my doorway, I would tell my family to bring a broom to sweep these agents of Hell away from my doorsteps.

It was an entirely unique experience when the Holy Spirit impressed upon a long-lost acquaintance to call me when she saw me exercising in the courtyard of my public housing estate. I was in tears when we met in the garden where I was walking and explained that I was just discharged from the hospital after an acute right-brain stroke and was retraining my left leg to walk again. I also shared that my marriage was breaking apart and on the verge of a divorce. Now she started tearing up because she knew both me and my ex-wife, as we were in the same university together. Through her tears, she explained that she found peace in a guy called Jesus, after she invited Him into her life. She asked if I wanted to receive that gift too. I nodded my head as there were so many storms in my life then, that peace was the very thing I was seeking and nodded my head to signal yes, I desired that peace. I said the sinners' prayer by repeating after her. 

My marriage eventually broke apart and I was angry with God for not saving my broken marriage and threatened to leave Him too. But God the Father was ever patient and allowed me to leave His side, while He stood like the Prodigal Father, looking into the distance for the silhouette of His prodigal son, i.e. me.

Fast forward, three years after my conversion experience, I joined my uncle and his family to worship in a loving Christian community. I was moved by the Holy Spirit to sign-up for Baptism. As our church was undergoing renovations, we rented an office space and even rented a plastic tub for baptism services. I recall the peals of laughter when a youth who was about to be dunked into the plastic tub, remarked: " the tub looks just like a tomb, which means I'm going to die with Jesus".

I truly believe that it was the same Holy Spirit Who inspired St Paul to pen these words in Romans 6:4 and 11: 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.  11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 

I will close my short sharing, with this declaration by St. Paul in Romans 6 verse 6: For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.

The following beautiful hymn has so often brought a tear of gratitude to my eyes, whenever I ponder on God's Love through His Son, that I'm truly home with the Father in Heaven as His beloved child.

 

Father I Have Sinned

Verse 1 

Father I have sinned, 

help me find my way. 

Remember not my sins, 

Just let me hear you say: 

 

Chorus 

I forgive you, I love you 

You are mine, take my hand. 

Go in peace, sin no more, 

Beloved one. 

 

Verse 2 

Father I have turned, 

my back and walked away 

Depended on my strength 

and lived life my own way 

(Repeat Chorus)

 

Verse 3 

Father I have closed, 

My heart to those in need. 

Thought only of myself, 

A victim of my greed. 

(Repeat Chorus)

 

Verse 4 

Father I have loved, 

If love's the word to use. 

I've played so many games,

They've left me so confused 

(Repeat Chorus) 

 

Ending 

Father I've returned, 

I'm home with you to stay. 

Standing at your door, 

knowing that you'll say

(Repeat Chorus)

 

Youtube: https://youtu.be/5AM0N9VS9JI?si=MXw1H4gcYLt2TCPj 

Words & Music by Eugene O'Reilly 

© 2001 CJM Music (UK & Irelan) 

CCLI & OneLicense No. #646803

 

Reflection on Romans 6:1-11 by Chris Tan

Vivemus cum Christo | Live with him

But if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him – Romans 6:8

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In the Scriptures, Romans chapter 1 to chapter 5, the apostle Paul teaches us that Jesus Christ died for us, being justified by His blood. Now in Romans chapter 6, the apostle Paul writes that we died with Him. 

In today’s passage, the apostle Paul teaches us so many important concepts and principles:  we died to sin (6:2), were “baptized into his death” (6:3), were “buried with him by baptism into death” (6:4), and were “raised up from the dead” with Him (6:4). Our old self was “crucified with him” (6:6); we died with Christ (6:8); Christ was “raised from the dead” (6:9); and “he died unto sin once” (6:10).

Focusing today on Romans 6:8. Just as Christ died and was raised from the dead, so in His death and resurrection, every believer died to sin and arose to a new self, a new life. Our old self was crucified when Christ was crucified. The cross is the end of all that is old, the ending of sin. It is finished. Our Lord Jesus Christ died for our sin, once and for all. We are not bound by what we were. It was finished by our Lord Jesus on the cross. We are new! The old self died with Jesus Christ on the cross. Paul instructs us to put off the old man as something that is dead and not existing any more (Ephesians 4:22 and Colossians 3:9). The old man that Paul refers to means the old sinful nature, before conversion and accepting Jesus Christ. Anyone living in Christ, is a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

We are alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:11). Let us live as new people, since our old self is dead. The new man not only has life, he has eternal life!

Reflection on Romans 6: 1 - 11 by Hanne

(Listen to podcast here)

 

 

 

Fides | Faith

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ - Romans 5:1

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In this passage, it is focused how important is the Faith in our spiritual life. 

Happiness in our hearts is growing more and more due to daily research of love in every single action we usually do. 

It is also important during our walk through life’s path, agreeing to difficulties and issues that happen to us in every field, everyday. Because facing and solving problems and having a challenging attitude helps us to improve our skills and become better human beings. 

Another aspect is to avoid reacting negatively and feeling anger when dealing with things that happen to us. Being calm and trying to do our best to face problems with the same behaviour that Jesus Christ would had. 

Each person has the opportunity to make a difference doing small actions charged by love. When we do that, the Lord is really close to us. We can feel his presence because our heart is full of great feelings like gratitude, happiness, optimism.

Happiness is not to desire what you don’t have, but to desire what we have. The Lord has always been inside us and we only have to understand where is HIM and chasing his sweet light . Amen 

Reflection on Romans 5: 1 - 11 by Ivan

(Listen to podcast here)

Strong in his faith

"No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised." - Rom 4:20-21

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This passage speaks of Abraham's unwavering faith in God's promises. Despite the seeming impossibility of God's promise—that he would become the father of many nations in his old age—Abraham did not waver in unbelief. Instead, he grew stronger in faith, giving glory to God and fully trusting in God's power to fulfill His word.

Abraham's example challenges us to examine our own faith. Do we trust in God's promises even when circumstances seem hopeless? Faith is not just believing in favourable outcomes but trusting in God Himself—His faithfulness and power.

We often find ourselves struggling with doubt when circumstances do not align with what we hoped for or expected. It is easy to waver when faced with uncertainty, unanswered prayers, or trials that seem impossible to overcome. However, Abraham’s example reminds us that faith is not about having everything figured out—it is about trusting in God even when we do not understand what is going on and why, and when we cannot see the solution.

This passage also encourages us to glorify God, no matter what circumstances we are in. Instead of focusing on his limitations, Abraham magnified God’s ability, and this further strengthened his faith. 

Like Abraham, we should aim to grow stronger in faith by always giving glory to God, even more in difficult moments. Instead of focusing on own fears, doubts or limitations, we can choose to focus on God—His faithfulness, power, and love. He loves us and wants what is best for us. 

We can cultivate such trust through spending more time with God's Word, and through prayer and gratitude. Scripture not only reminds us of God's faithfulness, but helps us to know God personally and strengthen us in trials. In a prayer we can surrender our doubts to God, reflect and thank God for His past faithfulness and trust Him with future.

Ultimately, this passage encourages us to live with a strong faith—focusing not on our own understanding or lack of it, but always believing that God will fulfill His promises in His perfect timing. Like Abraham, we are called to trust, wait, and glorify God even in uncertainty, knowing that He is always faithful.

Reflection on Romans 4:13-25 by Agata

Iustitia | Righteousness | EN | IN

"Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." – Romans 4:3

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Justified by Faith

 

The Apostle Paul highlights two Biblical figures, Abraham and David, as examples in this passage. Advising others with mere words is easy, but these two figures not only gave advice but also lived by example.

Abraham, as the forefather (Romans 4:1), was highly respected and was justified by his faith and trust in God, not merely by his deeds (Romans 4:3). Similarly, David was justified by God not only because of his actions (Romans 4:6-8).

Our faith and trust in God are essential and are counted as righteousness before Him. Blessed are we who believe in the Lord our God. Let us reflect this faith and trust in our daily actions. Amen.

Reflection from Romans 4:1-12 by Meist

(Listen to podcast here)

Indonesian version: Kebenaran

Lalu percayalah Abraham kepada Allah dan Allah memperhitungkan hal itu kepadanya sebagai kebenaran - Roma 4 : 3

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Dibenarkan melalui Iman

Rasul Paulus mengangkat dua tokoh alkitab yaitu Abraham dan Daud untuk dijadikan teladan dalam perikop ini. Ketika kita menasehati orang lain akan sangat mudah dengan hanya menggunakan kata-kata saja tetapi kedua tokoh ini menasihati dan menjadi pelaku dengan memberikan teladan. 

Teladan yang diberikan oleh Abraham antara lain Abraham ialah bapa leluhur (4:1) yang sangat dihormati, dan dibenarkan karena iman dan kepercayaannya bukan hanya karena perbuatannya (4:3). Demikian halnya dengan Daud, yang dibenarkan Allah bukan hanya karena perbuatan yang dilakukan (4:6-8).

Iman dan kepercayaan kita kepada Tuhan merupakah hal yang penting dan diperhitungkan Tuhan sebagai kebenaran. 

Berbahagialah kita yang percaya kepada Tuhan Allah kita, dan marilah kita merefleksikan iman dan kepercayaan ini dalam perbuatan kita setiap hari. Amin. 

 

Refleksi dari Roma 4: 1-12 oleh Meist

(Dengarkan podcastnya disini)

Non est iustus | No one righteous

"There's no one righteous, not even one." - Romans 3:10

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A lot of people anywhere in the world like to do good things for various reasons. Usually because they are a part of the humanity, they feel better in doing it. The other reason is mostly for a religious purpose. 

Religions often suggest people to do certain good things to impress God and perhaps open the heavenly door. It could be to live in poverty and refuse much pleasure in order to achieve a level of perfection in life, to collect good deeds to be eligible for an eternal life, to live a kind of holy life and do good things to earn a certain predicate, etc. This is on the contrary to Isaiah 64:6 that portraits our righteousness as filthy rags.

As Christians, we preach Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross for redeeming the mankind from the wrath of God. Isaiah 53: 5-6 says, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." 

On the other side, we often have people say, "I am a good person. I don' t need God". And this is exactly what the Devil wants as this attitude will keep these people away from the love of God in Jesus Christ and thus cannot be saved. They fall into arrogance and self dependence. 

In today's passage, verse 10, it says, "There's no one righteous, not even one." Nine verses (verse 10-18) there consecutively describe how fallible human beings are. Nothing to brag about, to rely on, or to secure us. 

But God understands our weaknesses. He knows we are only dust. That's why Jesus was close to many sinners who came to Him for a new hope. Sin is not a difficult thing to Jesus. Because He would redeem every one who believes in Him. But those who rejected and do not believe Him that He criticized that they would die in their sins (John 8:23-24). 

Verse 20 says, "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin." As we try to be perfect by ourselves in performing all the laws and rules, at some point we come to realize how imperfect we are. Heaven is too high, too holy, too difficult to claim easily.

Jesus says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." He is the Only One who reconciliates us with God the Father so we can enter the rest in the heavenly kingdom. Let's believe and rely on Him and not on ourselves. 

Reflection on Romans 3: 1-20 by Desire Litaay

(Listen to podcast here)

By His grace

“being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” – Romans 3:24

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God's Grace, Not Our Effort 

Life often feels like a competition. In school, at work, or in friendships, people try to prove their worth. Society tells us that success comes from working hard and doing good things. If we fail, we feel unworthy. Many people live with the pressure to be perfect.

Paul's message in Romans 3:19-31 reminds us that we cannot earn God's love by following rules or doing good deeds. The law shows us our mistakes, but it cannot save us. Just like in life, where we sometimes feel we are not good enough, we also fall short before God. But here is the good news—God does not love us because of what we do. He gives us His love and forgiveness as a gift.

Imagine a student who always struggles in school. No matter how hard they try, they feel like a failure. Then, a kind teacher steps in, helps them, and encourages them. The student succeeds; not because they were perfect, but because someone cared for them. This is what God does for us. He helps us, saves us, and gives us a new start; not because we deserve it, but because He loves us.

This passage also teaches us to treat others with kindness. If God accepts us, even with our mistakes, we should not judge others harshly. Instead, we should show grace and forgiveness, just as God does for us.

Romans 3:19-31 reminds us that we don't have to work for God's love. He gives it freely. Instead of trying to be perfect, we can trust in His grace and live with peace and joy.

Reflection on Romans 3:19-31 by Marlon Bobier Vargas, SVD

Benignitas Dei | God's kindness

"Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?" – Romans 2: 4

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Dear friends in Christ Jesus, in this Bible passage St. Paul is reminding us about the righteous judgment of God. St. Paul is reminding us that either Jews or Greek when it comes to judgment, God shows no partiality (Rom. 2:11). All of us would agree with the fact that our God is a loving and merciful God. At the same time we are also reminded in this passage that we should not take God's mercy for granted.

God always allows us to get closer to him and have a deep relationship with him. We also make him disappointed by our sins and shortcomings. But always God wants us to repent for the wrong that we have done and again go back to him. We should not have the attitude that God is merciful so I can go on committing sins and after all he would forgive me all my sins. He gives us opportunities to repent and get back to him. So we just can't go on testing his patience.

The scripture says that God will repay according to each one's deeds. We read in Romans 2:7-8 –"to those who by patiently doing good and seeking for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; while those who are self - seeking and who obey not the truth but wickedness, there will be wrath and fury." 

Therefore my dear friends, let us not despise the kindness and forbearance and patience of God. Let us lead the path of repentance and give respect to God's mercy.

 

Bible Reflection on Romans 2: 1-16 by Fr. George Joseph SVD

(Listen to podcast here)

Figura futuri | A pattern of the one

“Adam is a pattern of the one to come” (Romans 5:14).

Who, then, is man? What is the true dignity of the human person? We may often feel our weakness and fragility. Yet, through divine grace, we are children of God, created in His image and likeness. This is a profound truth that should shape our understanding of ourselves and our purpose.

Like Adam, we are all subject to sin. We are, indeed, children of Adam, inheriting the consequences of his fall. However, we must never despair. As St. Paul also reminds us, 'where sin increased, grace increased all the more' (Romans 5:20). This is the heart of the Gospel: the boundless mercy of God, always offering us hope for holiness and chastity.

The season of Lent is a sacred time, a time for introspection and conversion. It calls us to examine our hearts and to turn away from sin. It is a time for personal transformation. We are called to change our ways of thinking, our attitudes, and our actions. This conversion, this turning back to God, is the most powerful solution to the conflicts that plague our world, our societies, our families, and our communities.

We are not alone in this journey. Jesus Christ is with us, always. Through our obedience and good example, as St. Paul says, 'many can be made righteous' (Romans 5:19). This echoes the teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which states that "Christ's redemption won for us a new possibility: that of living in the Spirit of his love (CCC 1741)."

Do not be discouraged by past failures. Do not say, 'I have tried and failed.' Perhaps this very moment is your moment of grace. The grace of God desires to reign through you, in the world, in your family, and in your community. Jesus Christ desires to live through you in this present time.

We know that sin will always be present in the world. But the grace of God is infinitely more powerful. As St. Paul writes in Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Though we may experience the death of sin, we can also experience the resurrection of grace. This victory is not achieved through our own strength or wisdom, but through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As Pope Francis has reminded us, “God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking his mercy.” Let us, therefore, embrace God’s mercy, allow His grace to transform us, and become instruments of His love in the world. Amen.

Reflection on Rom 5:12 – 21 by Józef.

(Listen to podcast here)

Did not honor him

So they are without excuse;  for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened - Romans 1:20-21

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Reflecting on my own Christian journey, and the verses from Romans 1:20-21 So they are without excuse;  for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened, and verses 24-25: Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves,  because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever.

I too was once trapped in the bondage of a dark & hidden sin that ultimately destroyed my marriage. It gave me a depraved mind and an unrepentant heart that refused to submit to God's Will, even though I thought I was faithfully serving in church and even able to quote Bible verses. Out of sinful human pride, I had continued to indulge in that shameful habit.

God the Father in His infinite mercy, saw through the wretched state of my sinful heart, did not give up on me. But He sent to my aid, counsellors, therapists, and godly friends who were able to help me to uncover the root cause of these deeply rooted dark habits. Slowly but surely with His refining fire, helped to burn away the dross of impure thoughts, words and actions. Just like the Divine Potter who breaks His clay repeatedly, until it is molded into His desired useful shape.

As St Paul wrote in Romans 8:28:  We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. Or as the prophet Jeremiah reminded all of us in Jeremiah 29:11:  For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.

God the Father had allowed the fiery trials of a physical, mental and emotional breakdown to shape my body, soul and spirit, more into the likeness of His one and only Begotten Son, our LORD Jesus Christ.

This is my prayer, that all of us at the end of running this race called life, may stare with unveiled faces at the fullness of God's glory in His Heavenly Court, and echo what St Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4:7-8 : I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

I'll close my short sharing with this song of thanksgiving which always brings a tear to my eyes whenever I hear or sing it in church:  "Thank You Lord (For the Trials That Come My Way)."

Thank You Lord (For the Trials That Come My Way)

Verse 1

Thank You Lord

for the trials that come my way.

In that way I can grow each day

as I let You lead,

And I thank You, Lord,

for the patience those trials bring.

In that process of growing,

I can learn to care.

 

Chorus

 

But it goes against the way I am

To put my human nature down

and let the Spirit take control of all I do.

'Cause when those trials come,

My human nature shouts the thing to do;

And God's soft prompting

Can be easily ignored.

 

Verse 2

 

I thank you, Lord,

with each trial I feel inside,

that You're there to help,

lead and guide me away from wrong.

'Cause You promised, Lord,

That with every testing,

That Your way of escaping is easier to bear.

 

(Repeat Chorus)

 

I thank You, Lord,

For the victory that growing brings.

In surrender of everything

Life is so worthwhile.

And I thank You, Lord,

that when everything's put in place,

Out in front I can see Your face,

And it's there You belong 

Youtube: https://youtu.be/RkzLQojR8Rg?si=TorlwhXImziZ8d7S © 1972 by Lexicon Music Inc Writer: Dan Burgess CCLI #15276   Reflection on Romans 1:18-32 by Chris

Sine prohibitione | Without hindrance

“With all boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:31).

Brothers and sisters, our passage concludes the book of Acts with a powerful image: the Apostle Paul, under house arrest in Rome, "proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance."

Paul is literally chained to a Roman guard, confined to a rented house, awaiting trial before Caesar – and yet Luke describes his ministry as "without hindrance." What a remarkable paradox!

This challenges our natural assumption that freedom means the absence of limitations. Paul found his greatest freedom precisely when his external circumstances were most constrained.

I'm reminded of the remarkable story of Joni Eareckson Tada. As a teenager in 1967, Joni dove into shallow water, broke her neck, and was paralyzed from the shoulders down. She initially fell into deep depression, struggling to find purpose in a life now severely limited by her physical condition.

But something extraordinary happened. Joni began painting by holding a brush between her teeth. Her artwork gained attention, opening doors for her to share her faith. She founded Joni and Friends, a ministry that has provided wheelchairs to thousands of people with disabilities in developing countries and established retreats for families affected by disability.

Through her books, speaking, advocacy, and ministry, Joni has touched millions of lives around the world – all from the confines of a wheelchair. Despite chronic pain and numerous health challenges over five decades, she has recorded several albums, written over 50 books, and become one of the most influential Christian voices on suffering and disability.

Joni once said, "I really do believe that God uses brokenness, such as my quadriplegia, as a vehicle through which His power can be displayed." 

Like Paul in that Roman house, Joni discovered that limitations don't have to hinder God's purposes. In fact, her limitations became the very vessels through which God's power was most clearly displayed.

Paul's example reminds us that the gospel cannot be chained. Throughout Acts, we've seen how persecution, imprisonment, shipwreck, and now house arrest all served to advance rather than impede God's mission. 

And notice what Paul does during these two years of confinement. He doesn't complain about his circumstances or lobby for his release. Instead, he welcomes visitors, teaches Scripture, and proclaims Christ. He transforms his limitation into an opportunity.

Each of us faces limitations – physical constraints, financial restrictions, family obligations, health challenges. The question is not whether we will face limitations, but how we will respond to them.

Will we, like Paul and Joni, discover that God's power works most perfectly in our weakness? Will we find, as they did, that our greatest ministry might happen not despite our limitations but through them?

As we close the book of Acts, remember that while the narrative ends, the mission continues. The same Spirit that empowered Paul empowers us. The same gospel that could not be hindered then cannot be hindered now.

Whatever chains you face today, whatever limitations confine you, know this: God's purpose for your life remains unhindered. Your circumstances may restrict your movement, but they cannot restrict God's movement through you.

May we all find, like Paul in his chains, the freedom to proclaim Christ with boldness, without hindrance, right where we are.

Reflection on Acts 28:17 – 31 by Józef.

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