Sin can feel powerful and complicated. In Romans 6, Paul warns us not to let sin control our lives or actions. At its core, his message seems to be: Choose God! We all face the decision of which master we will serve.
This passage reminded me of one of the meditations in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. I encountered it through Kevin O’Brien, SJ’s book The Ignatian Adventure, which includes George E. Ganss, SJ’s traditional translation of the Principle and Foundation from the Spiritual Exercises. It begins:
“Human beings are created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by means of doing this to save their souls.”
I am struck by the clarity and directness of this statement. I was fortunate to be introduced to the Spiritual Exercises at my place of employment—what a blessing!—and guided through them by two wonderfully wise men. Why do we make life so complicated? The straightforward yet profound purpose of this meditation resonated deeply with me.
So much so, in fact, that I have framed in my office a related reflection inspired by the Exercises:
“What have I done for Christ? What am I doing for Christ? What ought I do for Christ? May all decisions and actions help me praise, reverence, and serve God.”
For me, returning to these questions helps keep my focus where it belongs. If I use them as a touchstone, it becomes much harder to serve any master other than the Lord. Of course, living this out is easier said than done. But this simple reminder has become both powerful and comforting in my own life.
Paul’s reminder in Romans 6 and the wisdom of the Spiritual Exercises both seem to call us to the same truth: real freedom comes from choosing God and living as His servants.
