Thirtieth Monday of Ordinary Time

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, "Abba, Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

As Christians, our relationship with God is more than just Creator and created, but Father and child. As long as we accept our dependence upon God and join our sufferings with Christ, then we are co-heirs to His Kingdom. By living Christ-like lives, we cast off the spirit of slavery to sin and receive the spirit of adoption by our Heavenly Father, who knows, loves, and protects us as His Own Beloved Son. However, being co-heirs with Christ doesn’t mean we won’t be faced with trials and sufferings. Instead, it means embracing our troubles out of love for God and a desire to do everything we can to make our Father proud of us. It means being willing to sacrifice ourselves to do God’s Will so that we might be glorified through glorifying Him.

Do we take seriously our relationship with our Heavenly Father? What do we do to prove our faith in, hope in, and love of God? How can we live out our calling to be co-heirs to the Kingdom?

O Lord, you are our Father and our hope.

Amen.