TO FOLLOW AND OBEY

March 26, 2025 – Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent

Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032625.cfm)

When we are told to only “do this” and to “do that” as well as “don’t do this” and “don’t do that,” how do we react? How do we respond? Wherever we are, whether at home, at school at work or in an organization or community, we find rules and regulations being implemented. Our nation and the church is also being guided by laws and decrees that we have to follow. With all of these, are they restricting and limiting us? Do they give us rather more freedom and protection?

When I was also younger especially in high school and college, I would always look at rules and regulations as something that put limitations to what I can do. These were mostly expressed or stated like, “you shall not,” or “don’t.”

These rules and regulations were reinforced by my strict parents, siblings and teachers at schools. I was taught indirectly to be fearful. If ever I disobey, then, there will be a consequence, a corresponding punishment whether corporal or verbal.

This formed me be to obedient. Yet, I was also a very fearful boy. I followed every rule. I was never been late in school and had only one absent in my entire high school. And that was when I was very sick. I was obedient to the rules and regulations, to teachers and other persons of authority. And it was because I fear them. Only later that I realized that I was relating in a very unhealthy way. I felt so unfree because of my fear of being punished. I saw authority figures as merely who executed and deliver painful and shameful punishments.

Yet, I also realized that this was not the right attitude. Rules and regulations, or even Church laws are originally designed to make us free. As we relate with one another, laws and decrees are meant to protect us rather than harm us. We feel them restrictive to our freedom only when we lack the right attitude. Self-expression suffers if we do not respond properly to laws or rules and regulations.

Our Gospel today reminded us of the right attitude towards laws. Jesus himself told us that he has come not to abolish the law and the teachings of the prophets. Jesus was to fulfill them.

Hence, it is in fulfilling the law or commandment of God that we find joy and peace, security and life.

So how, what kind of attitude then? We find it in Jesus’ relationship with his Father in heaven. Jesus trusts completely the Father. He never doubted his intimacy with the Father and the Father’s love for him. He is indeed secured in the Father’s love. This was manifested and clear when Jesus was on the cross, in pain and was about to die. Despite his confusions and questions in his own suffering, he trusted the Father as he offered his life.

The invitation for us now is to take confidence in God’s tremendous love and affection for us. It is only by being confident that we also learn to follow God’s commands because we know that we respond in love and not in fear.

To follow and obey out of love will make us Christians who are free; Christian who live not in the fear of being punished or being limited by many restrictions and “don’ts.” We are rather, Christians who are confident and assured of being loved and cherished by God. Hinaut pa.