Obedience To God

But Peter and the Apostles said in reply,
“We must obey God rather than men.

Acts 5:29

When people in authority asks us to do something, we either comply because we know if we don't, we will get in trouble or we do it because we believe what they are saying or asking of us is truly for our good. The Fourth Commandment - "Honor your father and mother" is extended to teachers and other persons in authority. We must respect and honor our elders and listen to what they have to say, but we must make a decision whether what they are saying is congruent and consistent with what God may be telling us and if what they say point to the true, good, and beautiful. We are not called to just blindly follow and do whatever persons in authority tell us or ask of us - we must discern it and bring it to prayer.

In the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 5:27-33), the Apostles were again found preaching the Good News and telling people about Jesus and the authority figures said to them: "We gave you strict orders, did we not, to stop teaching in that name." And in reply, the Apostles said, "We must obey God rather than men." Were the Apostles being disrespectful and breaking the 4th Commandment? No. They were proclaiming the Truth. The Truth takes precedence. Jesus told them to go and proclaim the Good News to all peoples and sent the Holy Spirit to be with them. So, when men told them to do something that was inconsistent with what the Lord had said, they followed what the Lord said and not what the men said. Will the Apostles be persecuted and punished according to the local law by the authorities? Probably. Standing up for the Truth and doing what is right, even though it is what God commands, does not mean that we will be free from harm and everything will go smoothly. Human beings have the gift of free will and they may choose to exercise that in a way that is inconsistent with the Truth.

When we are faced with decisions, we must discern whether what we are choosing points to the Truth, the good and the beautiful. Even when there are people who challenge us and act in ways that are inconsistent with the Truth, we still must treat them with respect and love, for love is the greatest commandment. You do not need to agree with someone to love them.

Father, teach me how to discern well. Teach me to listen to the spirit of the law and to act with true love and charity. Give me the courage to live for the Truth and the wisdom to do so in love.

*This is a repost from 2021.

The Prison Was Empty Too

First published May 1, 2019 by Philip Cheung.

The Apostles were put into jail for preaching the Good News. But we are told in the Acts really why they were put into prison: "The High Priest rose up and all his companions...filled with jealousy, laid hands upon the Apostles and put them in the public jail" (Acts 5:17-18). They were jealous - jealous that even though they had seemingly put Jesus to death - for they denied His Resurrection - the people were still interested in this Jesus and what the Apostles had to say about Him. They couldn't understand why. The people were interested in the Truth, and it was this Truth that attracted the crowds.

Even though the Apostles were thrown into jail, they did not lose hope and give up preaching. In fact, an angel led them through the locked doors and encouraged them to go back to the temple area and preach! "Go and take your place in the temple area, and tell the people everything about this life" (Acts 5:20). Just as the tomb was empty, so was the prison cell. Truth cannot be contained, it must be lived and preached. They tried to kill Jesus and yet He Resurrected. They tried to lock up the Apostles and yet they stood preaching in the temple area.

After the Apostles were rescued from prison we might think they would rather go to a safe place and hide, just as they did when Jesus appeared to them after the Resurrection. But, no. They were commanded to and they willingly went back to the temple area and took their place there and preached the Good News. As followers and disciples, we must take our place and take our stand in the areas of our lives and proclaim the Good News. The Good News that Jesus died, descended to hell, and rose from the dead. The Good News that God sent His only begotten Son into the world not to condemn it but to save it, and to give all those who believe eternal life and not damnation. The Good News that the Father loves them and calls them His beloved sons and daughters.

Brothers and sisters, the tomb was empty. The prison cell was empty. We must allow God to free us from the prison cells that entrap us, the slavery to sin. May we ask the Father to lead us out of the prison cells of darkness and slavery to sin and into the light and freedom of the children of God, and so to preach His Good News to all peoples.

Through the Locked Door — Homily for Divine Mercy Sunday

Happy Divine Mercy Sunday, brothers and sisters! And Happy Easter!  We are still in the Easter Season. The Church gives us a special Sunday for the Second Sunday of Easter – Divine Mercy Sunday, a day to reflect and give thanks for the great love and mercy that God has towards us, so much so that He suffered and died for us. Last Sunday we celebrated the fruit of that suffering and death: the Resurrection, and today we give thanks for that.

Do we have any magicians here? Anyone know how to walk through walls or doors? In today’s Gospel we hear that the disciples were gathered in a room behind locked doors out of fear. What happened? Jesus appeared to them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus “came and stood in their midst,” we are told.  Jesus’s glorified body is different than our bodies. It is no longer bound by time and space. Jesus can even walk through locked doors! In other words, there is nothing that can stand in Jesus’ way, not sin, death, and not even locked doors. Jesus suffered, died, and rose from the dead so that the disciples no longer needed to stay in a locked room and be afraid. “Peace be with you,” He says to them. Peace, not fear. “There’s no need to fear, I am here.”

The disciples were afraid of the Jews perhaps because of what they might do to them now that their leader was dead (as far as they know). When Jesus was arrested the disciples fled and Peter even denied Him, and yet the first words Jesus spoke to the disciples were “Peace be with you.” Not “why did you leave me?” or “Why did you deny me? What happened?” But, “Peace be with you.” Jesus did not call out the disciples on their cowardice or weaknesses or abandoning of Him. Instead, he comforted them and calmed their fears, “Peace be with you.”

My brothers and sisters, Jesus says to us to today, “Peace be with you.” Is there something on our minds that causes us anxiety? Are we worried about something? Is there something that is causing us unrest? “Peace be with you.” Jesus went through the locked door and consoled the disciples. What are the barriers that are keeping us from living the life Jesus won for us with his Resurrection? Jesus can walk through those barriers too. He wants to give us peace so that we might live life fully and freely. Today we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday. God is very merciful. There is no sin that can keep us away from the love of God. Jesus did not hold their cowardice and denial against the disciples. Rather He went to them, comforted them, and gave them His peace, His very self. When we approach God with a humble and contrite heart, and when we are truly sorry for our sins and for the times when we have fallen short, God does not shun us, rather He embraces us, saying “Peace be with you. I love you.”

Jesus’ divine mercy is a mercy that can knock down locked doors and fortified walls. His mercy is free, unconditional, and unlimited. He suffered, died, and rose again so that we can have this gift, a gift that leads us to eternal life. Although we may not know how to walk through locked doors, Jesus does and that is what matters. He can and He wants to. He wants to knock down all those things in our lives that keep us from Him and His love, but we must invite Him in. Are our hearts open? Jesus comes to us and says to us today, “Peace be with you.” What is our response?

Not only does Jesus give us His peace and mercy, He also gives us His body. In just a few moments, right there on that altar, the very same Jesus who died for us and who went through those locked doors, will once again comes to us and be made present to us. He joins together heaven and earth so that we might hear Him say to us, “Peace be with you.” When we receive Him today may we thank Him for loving us so much and may we also ask Him to break down the locked doors in our hearts that may keep us from Him, because He can and wants to. Happy Divine Mercy Sunday.