The WORD in Other Words by Fr Gerry Donato SVD (Philippines) for Wednesday 2nd Week of Lent
The word “ransom” caught my attention in today’s gospel. It is more often associated with paying a big amount of money to secure the release of a person who is taken forcibly by a criminal group.
How does this word apply to the Lord who declares himself as giving his life for the “ ransom” of many? JESUS gives his life as “ransom” or as “payment” to release and to save our life from sins and evil that separate us from God.
His mode of payment is his simple goodness and presence to us, like, his love, mercy, peace, compassion and forgiveness for each one of us. Is this a fact? When thousands were hungry for food in the desert, the Lord set them free from hunger through his compassion by multiplying the little bread and fish for allto eat. When a blind man shouted for his help, the Lord set him free throughhis mercy by restoring his sight. When a woman was caught in adultery and about to be stoned to death, the Lord set her free by forgiving her sins. In the end, the Lord has set all of us free from our sins, by giving his life to die for us on the Cross
Jesus is indeed a person whose mission in life is to give himself as a “ransom or as payoff” for our sins against Him so that each one of us is saved and have eternal life. Can we do the same way for others? Can we give more of ourselves to save and to set free a person or a family suffering from poverty, injustice, sickness, and abuses? Let us pray that we have the courage to do it like our Lord has done.
Source – The WORD in Other Words, Bible Diary 2020
