To many people, “law” and “morality” may seem rather “restrictive” than “liberating”. But, as you come to know St. Alphonsus Ligouri, who is a doctor of the Church for his great contribution in moral theology, you may find the law and morality salvific and redemptive! It is because Alphonsus Ligouri’s teaching brought the liberating presence of Christ to those who had been put down under the law and ostracized for seen as immoral to let the Law of God be fulfilled also in them by Christ.
As both the First Reading (Romans 8:1-4) and the
Gospel Reading (Matthew 5:13-19) of the memorial feast of St. Alphonsus Ligouri
reflect, what characterizes his teaching is that the law and morality are
ultimately meant to free us from the bonds of sin, because the incarnated
Christ, Jesus, came to fulfill the Law in us, as we turn to him, who made this possible
for his passion and death on the Cross and resurrection.
Alphonsus’ moral theology directs us to live a life of
freedom, namely a life in Christ, which is also a life in the Holy Spirit and a
life benefitted by God’s grace. Then, we come to appreciate the law and
morality as our aids to live a life of virtues, away from a life of vices.
St. Alphonsus Ligouri started his career as an attorney in Naples. He had never lost his cases in court until he erred on a piece of evidence in a property dispute case. It turned out to be his first and last lost case, as he exited from the practice of law upon losing that case and engaged in intense prayer. It was when he was surrounded by a mysterious light and heard a voice, calling, “Leave the world and give yourself to me”. It was Christ’s invitation to him to work for him, who came to fulfill the higher Law, namely, the Law given by God to us through Moses. This experience of encountering Christ led him to become a priest and to chosen to be a bishop.
As a priest of Naples,
St. Alphonsus preached the Good News of Christ to people from all walks of life
in a way of rubber meeting the road. He always reached out to those who were in
most need of God’s mercy and those were marginalized. Ultimate purpose of his
pastoral ministry was to save and redeem as many souls as possible from the
grip of sin, as Jesus reached out to sinners, because, as he said, “Those who are well do not need a physician,
but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not
sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners” (Matthew
9:12-13). And for this, Christ came to fulfill the Law (Matthew 5:17), and the
Law is fulfilled in us, as we live according to the Holy Spirit and with the
right things of the Spirit (Romans 8:4). The right things of the Spirit are the
multifaceted fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) against vices
(Galatians 5:17-21). This way, we can live as the salt of the earth and the
light of the world (Matthew 5:13-16). And this is what the living in the light
(Ephesians 5:6-20) is about.
St. Alphonsus Ligouri left
his practice of civil law in Naples and served
as an efficacious agent of Christ to fulfill the Law above all laws through his
salvific and redemptive ministry, rooted in his moral theology.
Let St. Alphonsus Ligouri
help us enjoy the salvific and redemptive benefits of the Law as it is fulfilled
in us, by seeking Christ and his grace through the Holy Spirit.
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