Spirit of Obedience

If we are to live our Faith, then we must do so by a spirit of filial obedience, unless we have this obedience to God revealed through His Word and the Teachings of the Church are we not just empty cymbals devoid of all meaning? Through the Word of God we learn what it means to live the meaning of Scripture, for as it says in John, "Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it. "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you....Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him."

As the above Scripture reminds us, God wants more than 'duty' from us He longs for a relationship with each of us, but one cannot have a relationship if we disrespect the one who loves us. Even though many may think themselves 'great Catholics' is this possible if the Commands of God are disregarded and then discarded? Unless we are obedient to what the Scripture and the Church teaches we are little more than puff and wind, which is blown around in all directions. The foundation of our beliefs will sink if we base it within our own power and intellect, and think that doing our will is the same as being obedient to God's Will. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us, "To obey in faith is to submit freely to the word that has been heard, because its truth is guaranteed by God, who is Truth itself. Abraham is the model of such obedience offered us by Sacred Scripture. The Virgin Mary is its most perfect embodiment."

At times we can become confused in whether we are doing God's Will, this is why it is vital to not only study the Bible but also alongside it to learn the Catechism, for if one is ignorant of both, then they are ignorant of God Himself and also lack any grasp of the Church's Teaching through the Magisterium. We also must be careful not to fall into legalism thereby making our Faith a chain around our neck which will lay a heavy burden upon us instead of enlightening our spirits to the Will of God. We were not created to follow a legalistic Law but rather to follow and be at one with Love, and that love being Divine, from the Triune Spirit. This Love becomes fulfilled in the soul that obeys the Law of Love taught by Christ and handed down to us through the Church. True freedom lay not in doing our will but in doing God's Will irrespective of our personal position in life, for God does not measure mans love for if that were so we would all be found bankrupt. St. Thomas Aquinas explains it in these words, "If you seek an example of obedience, follow him who became obedient to the Father even unto death. "For just as by the disobedience of one man," namely, Adam, "many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one man, many were made righteous."

It is not enough to say ' I believe in God' as if that were sufficient in and of itself, it would be better to say 'I live what I believe through the Grace of God'. Once again St. Thomas teaches us, "Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you." How much we love God will be defined by how much we live our Faith for unless we seek to do the Will of God, then who's will are we following? Being that we are all imperfect people, it follows that obedience at the beginning will be difficult, but that should not stop one from the practice of obedience for when practiced enough it soon becomes second nature. It is when those who claim to be Christian yet their actions speak the opposite that conflict arises as these very people follow their uncontrolled passions rather than practice self control by seeking Gods Grace.

To not know Gods Will is to live a life of deliberate folly, for those that do not know His Word nor the Catholic Catechism run the risk of being a law unto themselves! We cannot say we love God and then fail to follow God's Commands, if so is this not mere empty rhetoric? This should not lead us into despondency for God knows our hearts and He knows how imperfect we are, hence God Himself will give us the Graces needed through the Sacraments of the Church which will enable us to live God's Will. As St. Thomas Aquinas explains, "Believing is an act of the intellect assenting to the divine truth by command of the will moved by God through grace." This great Saint of the Church understood that if we truly love God we will do His Will even by default, in that God will give us the Grace needed to return His Love to its source, the Triune Spirit.

To live the Will of God does not mean we negate our very essence that which makes us unique it simply means that we become incorporated into the Divine by Grace alone, to quote St. Thomas, "The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods." Can we say that we live our Faith if our hearts are embroiled in worldly pursuits, as we try and straddle the fence of Faith and Mammon? As another great Saint of the Church St. Augustine said very simply, "What do you possess if you possess not God?" This son of the Church knew better than most the temptations of the world yet through the Grace of God, he was able to overcome all his worldly leanings and instead to become obedient to God through the Church. It is while looking at St. Augustine we can see the transforming Power of God's Divine Love for as he said, The love of worldly possessions is a sort of bird line, which entangles the soul, and prevents it flying to God. St. Augustine had learnt that one cannot embrace the world and still hope to live a devout life he knew the two were incompatible, therefore he surrendered himself to the Divine Will.

In order for us to live God's Will does not mean we must become airy fairy and go through life as if living in a bubble removed from reality. The Saints of the Church were people of great common sense, who lived life simply and hardily. This form of lifestyle was embraced by St. Teresa of Avila, who knew that God being within Himself Divine and in no need of us, offered this advise to her Sisters, "Prayer is an act of love, words are not needed. Even if sickness distracts from thoughts, all that is needed is the will to love." We do not have to impress God with our deeds for did not God give us these Gifts to begin with? God asks for our love which is shown through obedience to Him and the Magisterium, He has no needs of empty words, for God is the Word!

To live our Faith, means to be obedient to God even if it costs us as it cost the Son of God, for our salvation is not guaranteed if we live outside of Gods Commands and the Teachings of the Church. We also need to look at The Blessed Virgin Mary who exemplifies true obedience as the Catechism teaches us, "The Virgin Mary most perfectly embodies the obedience of faith. By faith Mary welcomes the tidings and promise brought by the angel Gabriel, believing that "with God nothing will be impossible" and so giving her assent...Throughout her life and until her last ordeal when Jesus her son died on the cross, Mary's faith never wavered. She never ceased to believe in the fulfillment of God's word. And so the Church venerates in Mary the purest realization of faith."

What finer example do we need than to emulate the Faith as shown by The Blessed Virgin Mary, who pondered many things in her heart. When we look at the example provided by Mary we see the benefits of prayer working within the soul, for Mary prayed from a spirit of love and obedience to God as did her most noble spouse, Joseph. Unless we pray with our heart and seek to do Gods Will, we will run around in circles in a vain attempt to avoid that which must be present, obedience to the Word of God and the Church.

Peace of Christ to ALL

Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.