Wednesday of the
Thirty–first Week in Ordinary Time
(Romans 13:8-10; Luke 14:25-33)
The territory of Utah before statehood was rife with polygamy
and slavery. There was no law to prohibit
these practices. Gradually submitting to
federal control, Utah banned both. Its experience
exemplifies what St. Paul has shown in his Letter to the Romans. Without law everything is permissible. Once law is established, it condemns people
for evil acts. But it does not make a
people good. They need more than prohibitory
statues. They need the Holy Spirit.
Today’s first reading speaks of divine love as the
fulfillment of the law. Love is the work
of the Holy Spirit moving adherents to practice virtue. They do no one any harm. More characteristically, divinely inspired love
moves those affected to care for others.
In the gospel Jesus gives the same testimony. He sees love of God and of neighbor as the
basis of all righteousness.
Love takes effort.
For this reason the Holy Spirit is involved. The Spirit prompts us with its gifts to do
what is just and helpful. We ask the
Spirit’s help to fulfill what is known its “law”; that is the law of love.
