Readings: 2 Corinthians 3:15-4:1,3-6; Psalm 85: Matthew 5:20-26
In the first reading, St Paul made a very profound statement on the connection between the Holy Spirit and true freedom. He says “Now this Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
The Spirit of the Lord brings true freedom to a soul. The Holy Spirit frees us from ignorance of the works, ways and word of God.
The Spirit frees us from the frustration and fruitlessness of trying to overcome sin, please God and be righteousness by our effort alone.
The Holy Spirit liberates us from the enslavement of trying to please people, trying to give a good impression, trying to be acceptable. This is the foundation of the virtue of the Pharisees, it is righteousness or virtue that is motivated by the desire to please people and create a good impression than it seeks to please God.
God expects more from us than this kind of Pharisaic virtue.
Such righteousness is subtle bondage because we become untrue to ourselves, we gradually lose ourselves and we end up failing to please people because no one can ever succeed in pleasing people for a long time, people can be pleased for a while but then they change again.
The Holy Spirit takes us beyond the sphere of trying to please people, beyond the scope of running our lives by people’s judgement, comments, criticism, praise and impression, He takes us to a place of true spiritual freedom, where all we shall seek would be to please Him who loves us unconditionally and immeasurably.
Sermon by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Baraka-Gukena Okami on June 10, 2021