While We Were Enemies

A Reflection on the Second Reading for Sunday, June 18th, 2023:
​Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Romans
5.6-11

​Brothers and sisters: While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person — though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God.


For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

Saint Paul writes, “Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person – though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.”

I had to think about that for a while. In what circumstances would the average, everyday human being give their life for another? War, martyrdom, a mother giving her life for her child – these are examples that come to mind. Would I dare die for a good person? Honestly, probably not, if push came to shove. St. Paul is right: the circumstances are rare, and the giver of life even rarer. But God didn’t wait for the perfect circumstances. God didn’t even wait for us to be good, let alone righteous.

No, instead, Christ died for us while we were still sinners. He died for Peter, who denied him three times on the eve of His death; and He made Peter the head of His church. He died for Saul, who persecuted the early church; and redeemed him into the Saint whose words sustain our faith two thousand years later. He died for every person who has sinned (i.e., every person ever),  for everyone who has tried and failed to believe, who has given up hope, who has thought that God wasn’t listening, or doubted that God was even real. He died for us when we were at our worst. He didn’t wait for us to figure out our best selves, get our lives in order, have a change of heart. No, Jesus died for us as we were, in all of our flawed and broken humanity, and in the process, He reconciled us to the Father.

Here’s the kicker: Jesus Christ died for us while we were enemies. This line stopped me in my tracks:

“For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life.”

If a God who loved us while we were enemies to Him still sent His Son to be our salvation, then how much more does He love us when we are reconciled to Him? How impossibly perfect is His love for his prodigal children! How could anyone ever prove their love more absolutely than our God? God loves us so much that He gave us eternal life and an endless, open call to come home to His love. 

So let us run with great joy to our Father, knowing how deep His forgiveness, how selfless His giving, and how unconditional His love. Nothing can stand between us, for He has broken our chains.




Kim Tan

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