Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Wednesday of the thirteenth week in ordinary time, July 1st, 2026

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. Amos 5: 14-15.21-24; Rs psalm 50: 7.8-9.10-11.12-13.16bc-17; Matthew 8: 28-34.PRICE OF A LIBERATION Our meditation today has the theme: Price of aLiberation. An act of liberation requires physical, mental and spiritualstrength. For example, the acquisition of land held by an unauthorized partyrequires the support of security and law enforcement. Liberation from ignorancerequires a level of knowledge and intellectual abilities from schools andstudies. Liberation from the power of evil spirits requires the power of theHoly Spirit from the almighty and heavenly God. The prophet Amos's prophecy during the exile of theIsraelites affirmed that God's people must free themselves from evil andblasphemous acts, so that the Lord of the universe may grant them justice andbe their helper for all times. Likewise, in the case of so many evil spiritsthat possessed the two persons, were driven out by Jesus and the two werefinally liberated. The evil spirits then were sent out to the pigs whichdrowned in the sea. The people in that area where Jesus was driving out demonsinsisted Jesus to immediately leave their place, because they were afraid thatJesus would bring other powerful forces to threaten them. The price of a liberation can be made throughpurification and selection which lead to a better progress. When there is nomore obstacle or disturbance, our life become safe and people will live inpeace. The growth in both physical and spiritual aspects has opportunity toprogress. Two persons who were freed from the power of evil spirits returned toa normal life and they proclaimed to others the glory and the goodness of theLord. However, there will be also negative effect that weshould be aware of. In any liberation act, there is always the excluded partythat will create a new problem. The one who is eliminated can be the weakparty, or those who might have the power to take revenge. New problems canarise because there are jealousy, anger and resentment that grow in those whoare the losers. For this matter, the price of liberation will be obviously bigand expensive. When conflicts come again, more victims will be the outcomes. When a liberation act is done in a proper way and inconcern with the principle of win-win solution, or not simply a losing andwinning game, the positive outcome will be certainly much expected and itbrings us joy and peace in our living together. But when a liberation act onlyfollows the principle of victory and defeat, a new problem is just awaiting forus soon or later. Jesus does not want to leave us problems withoutsolutions. He wants us not to give up in pursuing justice and seeking thetruth, even though we have to deal with obstacles until we are willing tosacrifice ourselves. This is the path chosen by the Lord Jesus. Let'spray. In the name of the Father ... O Lord, we pray that through Your wordtoday, we will not give up and back off with the problems we face, but we areready to face them. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit... In the name of the Father ...