Third Sunday of Ordinary Time [C]


THIRD SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME [C]


On New Year’s Day, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered an edict that would become known as the Emancipation Proclamation. This declaration would alter the legal status of roughly 3.5 million slaves, releasing them from a state of bondage, clearing the way so that they could eventually be granted the full rights of citizenship. Having been emancipated, they would now have the opportunity to transition from one way of life to another way of life. 


Essentially, we are talking about liberation—liberation on a grand scale. Similarly, when the Israelites depart from Egypt, this represents an Old Testament example of liberation taking place on a grand scale. Likewise, when the time of Babylonian exile comes to an end, this marks yet another case where liberation is taking effect on a grand scale. In Nehemiah chapter eight we are allowed to look in on the freshly liberated Jews as they commit themselves to the process of reconstruction. Their prayers have been answered; now it’s time to “seize the day.”  


What happens on a grand scale can also happen on an individual scale. Think about your personal life. Suddenly you find yourself in a state of bondage. You’re not being oppressed by Egyptians or by Babylonians. Rather, you’ve fallen victim to habits, to patterns, to impulses, to interior voices, to dependencies. They dominate you. They don’t just sound off, they don’t just influence; they actually are to the point of governing you. They rule over you. It becomes clear: you stand in need of liberation. 


In the Old Testament period, the solution was prayer. Upon being enslaved by the Egyptians, the Israelites resorted to prayer. At a later stage, they will be forced into exile by the Kingdom of Babylon. In response, they once again dedicate themselves to the practice of prayer. In each case, the Lord delivers. He knows how to liberate. It’s something he can do. And furthermore it’s something he wants to do. He wants to bring grand-scale relief to the Israelites. And he wants to bring personal relief to you. 


Jesus outlines his mission in Luke chapter four: I have come to proclaim liberty to those who are being held captive. He pays attention when the Israelites are being enslaved by the Egyptians. He pays attention when the Jews are forced to live as exiles within the Kingdom of Babylon. In much the same way, he pays attention when you are being overcome by your impulses, your habits, your dependencies, your inner voices. Call out to him. Dedicate yourself to prayer. Acknowledge the Lord as he needs to be acknowledged—acknowledge him as your Liberator. 


Through the course of the liturgical year we celebrate the Lord as Good Shepherd, as Lamb of God, as the Light of the world, as the Bread of Life. These are perfectly valid titles. But don’t overlook his capacity as Liberator. Acknowledge him as he needs to be acknowledged. And furthermore, he also needs access. Welcome him into your life. Avoid leaving him to drift out there on the peripheries. Remember this principle: the degree to which you give him access directly determines the extent to which he will make a difference in your life. 

 

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