Obedience

 

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away; for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day.”

If I were a gambling man, I’d bet that the number of views today’s reflection gets will rank among the lowest. And why do I say that? Because it’s titled “Obedience”. We hate the idea so much, we don’t even like the word. Yet, obedience is perhaps the most important element in the Christian journey, and there are so many things that are dependent on it. For instance, a relationship with Jesus. 

One day Jesus was with his disciples when someone came to tell him that his mothers and brothers were outside waiting to see him. “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:33-35). 

Our salvation, too, is dependent on obedience.  In one of his sternest warnings, Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21).

The apostle James adds his bit, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.” (James 1:22-25).

We all want to be blessed, and the way to blessings is obedience. You will find God saying this numerous times through Scripture: obey and be blessed. And if we want a role model, look at Jesus. As he says in today’s passage, he came down from heaven, taking on the form of mortal man, not to do his own will, but the will of his Father who sent me. And he was obedient unto death (see Philippians 2:8).

Let’s be obedient. And be blessed. And let us also share this reflection. I’d love to be wrong about that count.