|
|
by Rev. Fr. V.V. Paulose, Toronto, Canada
“Loose thyself from the bonds of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.” (Isaiah 52:2).
Do you want to enjoy the fresh air of freedom?
Mary, the 82 years old aunt, used to say, “I would have divorced long back if
the bible and the church permitted to do so.” Those who are under suppressions
and exploitations are always longing for the removal of the chains they wear.
Slavery of all types is wrong. For various reasons the people are on bondages.
Jesus set us free to stand firm, not be subject to a yoke of slavery. The real
freedom comes when we come under the love of God and when we follow him thick
and thin. Those who follow Christ never make others into shackles. Instead, they
stand for freedom and fight for freedom. We are conditioned by our DNA and by
our circumstances. So in the name of racism, family honor, religious purity,
superiority of intelligent or vicarious satisfaction, people make others subject
to bondage forever. Christ gives us freedoms; but we cannot do anything we want
to do because that would lead us back to slavery to our selfish desires. We
should have a vigilant prayerful mind. We should not tolerate any types of
captivity. Jesus says, ”He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be
released …and the oppressed will be set free.” (Luke 4:18).
The Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu felt liberated from the Apartheid - (one of the
most notorious systems of racial segregation the world had ever seen) - when he
got an opportunity to study in London, the city of freedom. Later he said, it
helped him to become a more fully human. Once Tutu was standing in line at a
British bank when a white man suddenly cut in front of him. The teller told the
man that he would have to wait his turn because Tutu was there first. Tutu could
hardly believe his ears. Such respect was denied to blacks back in his home in
South Africa.
Tutu recalled an aspect of life in Britain: "When we walked about in London, if
we saw a policeman we would cross the road to ask him the way, even if we knew
where we were going, just for the pleasure of being called ‘Sir” and “ Madam”.
In South Africa, we would have been asked for our passes and run the risk of
getting arrested.”
All those who are liberated from sins and its byproducts of bondage, stand for
freedom. They should help loose the shackles of others.
Jesus, you are the fountain of liberation. We pray for those who are in chains and sufferings. Deliver us from all types of bondages - in houses, in countries, in job centers. We ask this in the name of Jesus.
Amen.
Yesterday | Today with Jesus Archives | Next
Library - Home | Baselios Church Home
-------
Malankara World
A service of St. Basil's Syriac Orthodox
Church, Ohio
Copyright © 2009-2020 - ICBS Group. All Rights Reserved.
Disclaimer
Website designed, built, and hosted by
International Cyber Business Services, Inc., Hudson, Ohio
