Today’ readings express our desire to be free from whatever is tying us up, whatever is keeping us in bondage. St Paul tells us that we groan inwardly as we wait to be set free. The responsorial psalm recalls a time when the Lord freed the people from bondage: “It seemed like a dream”, the psalmist writes, “then was our mouth filled with laughter, on our lips there were songs”. A few verses later the psalmist cries out once again, “Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage as streams in dry land”. This serves to remind us that the journey into freedom of the children of God is a life-long journey. The bigger the obstacle the more strength we need to climb it. The more serious the issue, an even greater faith would be required to overcome it. The more serious the sin the more faith we need to be forgiven. We are reminded in the Gospel proclamation that we need to be patient with ourselves and have faith that, like a mustard seed that grows into a tree, our journey into freedom will progress over time nourished by the outrageous grace of God.

Prayer: Abba Father, deepen my faith in your amazing grace. Amen.