“I know the power obedience has of making things easy which seem impossible.” – St Teresa of Avila
Gospel text (Jn 14,21-26): Jesus said to his disciples:
“Whoever has my commandments and observes them
is the one who loves me.
Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”
Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him,
“Master, then what happened that you will reveal yourself to us
and not to the world?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;
yet the word you hear is not mine
but that of the Father who sent me.
“I have told you this while I am with you.
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit
whom the Father will send in my name
he will teach you everything
and remind you of all that I told you.”
Obedience is one of the main ways we express our love for God. The Lord gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him (Acts 5:32). The Lord reveals Himself to those obeying Him (Jn 14:21) and conceals Himself from the disobedient (see Lk 10:21). The obedient not only know God's revelation but even His dwelling within them (Jn 14:23). In obedience, love is expressed, the Spirit received, God revealed, and His indwelling received. Sin and death entered the world through disobedience, but salvation entered the world through Jesus' obedience (Rm 5:19), even to death on the cross (Phil 2:8).
Obedience is the essence of the Christian life and the heart of our relationship with the Lord. Obedience is one of the most important ways of imitating Christ. It is a prerequisite to exercising authority over the evil one (2 Cor 10:4-6). Obedience is one of our greatest privileges, for the Lord could have accomplished His plan of salvation without letting us participate through obedience. Obedience is a way of life (1 Pt 1:2) and the way of love. Love to obey.
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