Today’s first reading is from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, one of the most challenging and complex of all the New Testament books. The reading is from the opening of Romans and contains what is the most interesting of phrases: “obedience of faith.” How are we to understand this phrase?
The word “obedience” comes from the Latin oboedire meaning whose most fundamental meaning is to “hear through.” The implication is that the hearer commits to listen to the will and intent of the one asking the obedience. The Catholic Church understands the phrase “the obedience of faith” in Romans 1:5 as referring to the response of faith, trust in God, that is both intellectual and obedient. This means that faith/trust is not simply a passive belief or assent to certain truths, but it also involves an active response of obedience to our best understanding of God’s will. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) explains this concept in paragraph 143, which states: “By faith, man completely submits his intellect and his will to God. With his whole being, man gives his assent to God the revealer. Sacred Scripture calls this human response to God, the author of revelation, ‘the obedience of faith.’”
The Catholic understanding is that faith/trust in God is not just a matter of intellectual acceptance, but it also involves a surrender of one’s will to God. It is a response of trust and obedience to God’s revelation. And so, the actions that result ensure that faith is not divorced from works or obedience to God’s commandments. As stated in CCC para. 1815, “The gift of faith remains in one who has not sinned against it. But ‘faith apart from works is dead’ (James 2:26): when it is deprived of hope and love, faith does not fully unite the believer to Christ and does not make him a living member of his Body.”
Therefore, the obedience of faith encompasses both belief and action. It involves living out the teachings of Christ, following His commandments, and cooperating with the grace of God. It is through this obedience of faith that one participates in the saving work of Christ and grows in holiness.
Catholics are not always clear, but to be clear, good works of themselves, apart from faith, do not earn us heaven. But good works done because of obedience to faith, done because of our trust in Jesus, have their own reward:
Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. (Mt 25:34)
Does this mean these good works always have to be intentional? Sometimes the doers of them don’t realize that they have done anything good. Caring for other people is such a part of their redeemed nature that the caring acts come naturally, perhaps even unconsciously — like a good tree naturally producing good fruit. It doesn’t have to ‘think’ about producing fruit. They just happen. Such is holiness.
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ 40 And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Mt 25:35-40)
May the love of Christ poured into your heart lead you to obedience of faith and holiness.
Image credit: Pexels + Canva, CC-BY-SA 3.0