2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time – International (Cycle C, Year I)

Community Word:Christ is the revelation of God’s glory to the world.

Theme: God’s glory is revealed when we are obedient to pastoral authority.

Promise: “You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the Lord.”(Is 62:3)

Reflection:
Despite reminding His mother that it was not yet time to make His ministry known, Jesus transformed water to wine at the behest of Mother Mary. She simply told the stewards – “Do whatever He tells you,” (Jn 2:3-5). These are profound and powerful words which can easily serve as the foundation of our spiritual lives. We know that both the Blessed Mother and Jesus speak these words to us, for no matter what we face in live, both Mother and Son continue to invite us towards this glorious commandment of obedience and love.

Anyone who is serious in obtaining everlasting life in Heaven will do all he can to constantly live in the virtue of obedience. Without it, one will never please God who is our benevolent Creator and compassionate Master. Indeed, we are obliged to be obedient; it is our solemn obligation. In our faith journey, it will help us attain the crown of perfect beatitude, the unending face to face vision of the Most Blessed Trinity in paradise.

As we render obedience to God, His promise to give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation will surely unfold in us through the Holy Scriptures and traditions, continuously enriching our knowledge of Him (cf. Eph 1:17). This knowledge brings us to God’s call to obey others whom He appoints in authority – our parents, teachers, spiritual authority in church and community, people in government. By obeying them, we follow the example of Jesus who was obedient to Joseph and Mary (cf. Lk 2:51) and ultimately being obedient even if it meant His death on the cross (cf. Phil 2:8).

The Catechism of the Church explains the 4th Commandment – Honor your father and your mother: “As long as the child lives at home with his parents, the child should obey his parents in all that they ask of him when it is for his good or the good of the family.”“Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord,” (Col 3:20).“Children should also obey the reasonable directions of their teachers and all to whom their parents have entrusted them. But if a child is convinced in conscience that it would be morally wrong to obey a particular order, he must not do so.” (CCC No 2217).

We are also called to obey our political leaders, as shown by the example of St. Joseph who traveled to Bethlehem for the ordered census (cf. Lk 2:1-4). St. Paul teaches us, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgement,” (Rom 13:1-2).

Within the life of the Church, St. Paul instructs the Christians, “Obey your pastoral leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your soul, as men who will have to give account.” (Heb 13:17). Our Catechism addresses the virtue of obedience as doing it above duty: “The duty of obedience requires all to give due honor to authority and to treat those who are charge to exercise it with respect, and, insofar as it deserved, with gratitude and goodwill.” (CCC No. 1900).
However, when human authority commands something that is against God’s law, one should refuse to follow that order. Authentic authorities are those whom God has delegated part of His authority. If they misuse such authority by enjoining others to do what is contrary to human nature and divine law, we are bound not to follow. When this happens, “we must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29).

God desires that we grow in obedience because it is by the virtue of obedience to Him and to His appointed authority that His glory will be revealed. Our obedience to Jesus, the Eternal High Priest, who was deeply obedient to the Father, and to His earthly parents, Joseph and Mary,will bring us to our final joy in heaven. The Lord gives us this promise: “You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the Lord,”(Is 62:3).

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, grant me the necessary graces that I may imitate the heroic obedience of Your Son, Jesus, our Mother Mary, St. Joseph and all the Saints, who dedicated their lives in loving surrender to Your Holy Will. Help me to grow continuously in the virtue of obedience and persevere in it even in the midst of pervasive disregard, dishonor and disobedient towards Your Holy Name. Amen.

Reflection Guide Questions:
1. Am I continuously growing in the virtue of obedience to God?What steps am I taking in order to improve in my obedience to God and authority?

2. As a BLD Community member how is my commitment towards obedience to my pastoral head?

This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
January 20, 2018 (Sun)- Is 62:1-5/Ps 96:1-3, 7-10/1Cor 12:4-11/Jn 2:1-11
January 21, 2018 (Mon) – Heb 5:1-10?ps 110:1-4/Mk 2:18-22
January 22, 2018 (Tue) – Heb 6:10-20/Ps 111:1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10/Mk 2:23-28
January 23, 2018 (Wed)- Heb 7:1-3, 15-17/Ps 110:1-4/Mk 3:1-6
January 24 2018 (Thu) – Heb 7:25-8:6/Ps 40:7-10, 17/Mk 3:7-12
January 25,2018 (Fri) – Acts 22:3-16/Ps 1171, 2/Mk 16:15-18
January 26, 2018 (Sat)- 2Tm 1:1-8/Ps 96:1-3, 7-8/Lk 10:1-9

“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”