full obedience
“Hear the statutes and decrees which I am teaching you to observe, that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you.” —Deuteronomy 4:1
If we are to receive the awesome graces of justice, mercy, and freedom, we must obey the Lord:
- “carefully” (Dt 4:6), that is, in detail, for Jesus has come to fulfill even the smallest part of a letter of the law (Mt 5:18).
- zealously. It is our privilege to obey the Lord, Who for love of us obeyed the Father even to death on the cross (Phil 2:8). We must reject a minimalist aberration of Christian life, for “the written law kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Cor 3:6).
- joyfully. We delight in obeying the law of the Lord (Ps 40:9). We should give obedience to the Lord cheerfully, for the Lord loves cheerful givers (2 Cor 9:7).
Jesus said: “You will live in My love if you keep My commandments, even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and live in His love” (Jn 15:10). Through our love, let us carefully, zealously, and joyfully obey our way into freedom.
Prayer: Father, send the Holy Spirit to teach me to obey You according to Your standards.
Promise: “Whoever breaks the least significant of these commands and teaches others to do so shall be called least in the kingdom of God.” —Mt 5:19
Praise: Josh, a Bible student, studied Greek to learn the New Testament better. He was shocked to learn that the Greek text of John 6 supported the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. He repented of unbelief, joined the Catholic Church, and received the Bread of Life.
Reference:
Rescript: "In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from February 1, 2024, through March 31, 2024. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio June 7, 2023"
The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.