“Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me, I will love him and reveal myself to him.” – Jn 14: 21
“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.” – Jn 14: 23
Today we hear Jesus speak about love and obedience. Sometimes the word obedience can bring images of duty and coldness. We might picture a slavish obedience based on fear, but that is not the image our Lord intends.
Our Heartfelt Attention
The word obedience comes from the Latin obedire, which literally means to “listen to”, but more closely it means to “pay attention to”. In some etymologies, it even breaks the word down into “ob” meaning “to or toward” and “audire” meaning “to listen.”
Let that sink in….Jesus wants our attention. When we pay attention to someone, we do not want to miss a thing. In the case of Jesus, our Beloved, we are not merely listening just as a student listens to a professor to capture information to pass a test, although Jesus is indeed the Divine Teacher.
Rather the image is of one listening to the Beloved. We want to know the one speaking, and we do not want to do anything to hurt the One we love. We listen deeply, not out of fear or duty, but out of love. Picture Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus, her eyes fixed on Him, leaning towards Him, her heart loving him. This is heartfelt attention.
Today’s Gospel is taken from the Last Supper Discourses. This context is important as we consider when Jesus spoke these words. He is encouraging his apostles to obey, even as he prepares to live this same obedience to His Father by actively embracing the death he was about to receive. He gives this teaching in the face of His own sacrificial and loving obedience.
An Expression of Love
“It is not hard to obey when we love the One whom we obey.” This quote, often attributed to St. Ignatius of Loyola, sums up the internal disposition towards true obedience. Obedience is an expression of love; it is the fruit of charity.
At times in life, there will be circumstances and situations that make obedience difficult. There will be times when we will not understand what our Heavenly Father is doing and why we must bear a certain kind of suffering. It is in these times that we must remember to be like little children. Children cannot always understand the many rules parents give for their benefit, but they are called to trust in the ones who always have their good at heart. This beautiful surrender is exemplified in this obedience and childlike trust.
Let us resolve to live loving obedience today in both big and small ways. Let us lean towards Christ, look up into His eyes and pay heartfelt attention to all the ways He speaks to us today. Let us respond as trusting children who know our good is His sole intention.
