The Need for Obedience of Faith

Reflection on Today's Readings, 13th Week in Ordinary Time Year II, Wednesday 1st July, 2020
Texts: Amos 5:14-15.21-24; Ps. 50: 7.8-13,16-17; Mtt. 8:28-34
Today's Readings bring to mind what we call obedience of faith. "To obey in faith is to submit freely to the word that has been heard, because its truth is guaranteed by God, who is Truth itself. Abraham is a model of such obedience offered us by Sacred Scripture. The Virgin Mary is its most perfect embodiment" (CCC no: 144). Making profession of faith is one thing, obeying it or acting accordingly is another thing. Making a profession of faith without obedience to it is living a life of hypocrisy. Life of hypocrisy is of the demon, it is not of God. In today's gospel, the evil spirits profess Jesus as the Son of God and acknowledge his Lordship over them as they cried out, "What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come to torment us before the time? ..... If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine". This reminds us of the words of St. James: "It is by deeds I will show you my faith. You believe in the one God - that is creditable enough, but even the demons have the same belief and they tremble with fear" (2:18,19). Obedience of faith is living out what we believe. Obedience of faith manifest in deeds.
The first reading condemns the life of hypocrisy of the people of Israel. It reads: "'I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your cereal offerings, I will not accept them, and the peace offerings of your fatted beasts I will not look upon. Take away from me the noise of your songs; ..... But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream', says the Lord".
However, we need to ask a question: what time did the demons refer to in the gospel? Perhaps, the end of time. Evil will continue to exist till the end of time. Jesus did not destroy them but cast them out; that the swine perished, did not mean that the demons perished. One will have to seek outside the the text the benefits it had for the demons to be driven into the swine.
Jesus Christ came to drive evil spirits from our hearts, to free us from demonic possession. He did not free us only, he gave us power over evil spirits; by our obedience of faith in him we conquer evil spirits (Mk 16:17). Let us live true to our faith and stop being hypocrites.

Lord Jesus, grant us obedience of faith and may we find joy in keeping our faith. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke