Thursday 6 October 2022

Today is Thursday the 6th of October, in the 27th week of Ordinary time.

Salt of the Sound sings, ‘When I Survey’.

When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of glory died,
my richest gain I count but loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.
See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were a present far too small.
Love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all.

Today’s reading is from St Paul’s letter to the Galatians.


Gal 3:1-5

Law or Faith
You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited as crucified! The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? Did you experience so much for nothing?—if it really was for nothing. Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?

Paul really knows how to begin to sermon: “You foolish Galatians!” He has a strong message:


For Paul, and also for St Ignatius, the dynamic of grace is: God loves you, you experience that love, you are filled with gratitude for the gift, you find yourself wanting to be generous.

It’s completely understandable that when we mess up we ‘feel less loving towards ourselves’. However, we are invited to hold firmly onto this article of faith: God could not love me any less than fully.

Listen again and enjoy Paul’s energy and uncensored irritation as he corrects the Galatians who so want to earn God’s love.

There is nothing you can do to make God love you less, and there is nothing you can do to make God love you more. Spend a moment resting in the reality of that remarkable love of God for you right now, just as you are.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.