Tuesday of the Third Week of Holy Lent

The Gospel according to St. John (8:31-39)

    ”Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.” They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.“

    “Whoever commits sin is a slave of sin… Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

    Recall what Satan demanded of Christ when he showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory and promised to give to Him. He said: “If you fall down and worship me”. Satan seeks that everyone submits to his will. He wants to tie everyone with the chains of darkness and deprive them of life.

    How did the Lord answer him and put him to shame?

    “For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” (Mat 4:10). We are servants of Christ who indeed made us free. Any submission to sin or to Satan’s illusions will certainly make us fall back into bitter servitude.

    +When we contemplate on these verses -in light of the Lord’s temptation on the mountain-we immediately recognize how the Son of God has given us true freedom when He broke down the snares of the adversary by which he hunts the race of humankind and shackles them with the chains of sin. Christ has in truth set us free and we are no longer called servants but children of the living God.

    Satan waged his warfare using these words: “If you were the Son of God”. The Son of God indeed defeated him soundly. He cast him out and made a public spectacle of him triumphing over him in every aspect and every temptation. If we live as children of God, we -through the grace of sonship that He bestowed up us- shall conquer and triumph tasting the gift of truth which will set us free.

    + The Jews took pride that they are Abraham’s descendants. On the other hand, as Christians we boast in the cross of our Lord Jesus, with which He crushed Satan and freed the sinners.

    +As of now, we are “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,” and “partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. “(1Peter 2:9 and 2 Peter 1:4). Satan has no power or authority over us. Thank God for what He generously did for us.

    +Now let us turn to what the Lord said: “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.” He is commanding us persistently saying:’ if you are the children of God, you would do the works of God”. If indeed He set us free, then we are no longer in bondage. Let us live “in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 1:5)

Fr. Louka Sidarous

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