Let us notice some terms in the Greek original, such as “pneuma douleia” and “pneuma hiuothesia”. Pneuma means spirit, doulos means slave. So it is said that we did not receive the spirit of bondage (slavery). Huios means son, hiuothesia means adoption as sons. It is said that we did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear. The term “to fear” is expressed with the words “eis (unto, towards) phobos”. The Greek word “phobos” is used internationally to denote fear – phobia. We received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out – Greek “krazomen”. Krazo literally means cry aloud. In the Gospel of St Matthew we read that as Jesus was dying He cried out with a loud voice – “krazomen” (Mt 27:50). The word “Abba” is Hebrew for a diminutive form of ‘Father’, like “Daddy!” The Greek original uses the word “elabete” twice. Lambano (elabon) – to take, receive. It is written here: “you did not receive the spirit of bondage, but you received (elabete) the Spirit of adoption”. So much, briefly, for the explanation of terms.

Now let us realize the spiritual content, and this is the main thing to reveal the depth of certain truths. The word ‘receive’ (labein) is very important. The Scripture says that as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God (Jn 1:12). And here we are to realize that we did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear. We physically receive for example gifts, food… We receive either good or bad things. To receive poison means death. Spiritually, we receive good or bad thoughts. We receive them with our mind. But we also receive certain spiritual realities through faith. We either receive God’s sonship and become children of God through faith, or one can receive demons through a false faith in a lie or in some apparent good for example through different forms of occultism which manifest themselves primarily in neopaganism connected with yoga, martial arts and various magic or divination practices. So it is very important to know what we receive.

It is said here that we did not receive the spirit of bondage. It means that we no longer need to be slaves of the flesh with its passions, nor slaves of ideologies that are regarded as high in social prestige – and woe to him who opposes this false public opinion! They keep their system under the whip of fear. But we need not fear anything, not even death or God’s judgment. Why not? Because we received the Spirit of adoption – in other words, we were adopted as sons of God. Jesus is the Heavenly Father’s own firstborn Son, true God and true man, and through faith in Christ we receive adoption as sons, we become children of God. As it is written in the following verses, we are heirs of God, heirs of God’s kingdom, and so we can call God our Father like Jesus, and even intimately “Abba”, “Daddy”. This is great dignity! But there is one problem – we always forget who we are. We forget who created us, who our true Father is. We also forget at what price we were redeemed from sin so as not to be its slaves anymore, and we forget our ultimate end, our true homeland and true home which Jesus prepared for us in heaven. He Himself said: “I go to prepare a place for you.” We keep our eyes down, focused on vanities, and that is why we are encouraged in the Holy Mass: “Lift up your hearts!” The Mass also reminds us ever anew that the Lord is with us! But we forget it again and again. Therefore, again and again, we need to return to these most essential truths to be aware who we are, who our Father is, who redeemed us and where our true home, our true homeland is. We need to be always mindful of this or, in other words, to enter into these truths with our mind and spirit and to take them seriously, because we are only guests on this earth. We know neither the day nor the hour when the Lord will call us. Our life is just a period of testing; this earth is not our true home. We must not lose this true home at any cost, even if we should die martyrs for Jesus and for the salvation of souls.

We are going to repeat the word “Abba, Father”. Jesus uttered this word at the moment of His death. Those of you who pray the prophetic prayer according to Ezekiel 37 at least once a week are already familiar with the revised version, where we remember Christ’s suffering on the cross in the words “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani” and then we slowly experience union with Christ’s death when we breathe out the intimate “Abba”. First we breathe out the vowel Aaaa in a long breath and we realize our union with the moment of Christ’s death as well as the fact that it is being offered at this very moment for the specific Mystical Body of Christ on the territory for which we are praying. Breathing out the syllable baaa, we also abide in this truth which we were immersed into through baptism. At the same time, we realize the mystery of baptism. Through baptism we became part of the Mystical Body of Christ, the Head of which is Jesus, we are members, and the Mother of Jesus who is also our Mother is the heart of this Mystical Body. The prophet Ezekiel says: “I will give you a new heart.” (Ezek 36:26)

It is said that we cry out (krazomen). It does not mean that we have to cry with a voice; we cry out Abba with our spirit and outwardly with our breath.

Download: Reflection on Rom 8:15