In Jesus Christ, humanity returns to the Father
“He humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death - and death on a cross " (Flp 2, 8).
Who wants to be a capable and useful doctor or engineer, he submits to all the requirements set for him by the professor and the university. He doesn't feel humiliated, when he has to perform many tasks assigned to him. He knows perfectly well, that it does not diminish it, but the opposite, enriches with newer and newer experiences and prepares them to take on responsible tasks.
People are not afraid to submit to other people. Knowledge, that without cooperation in the community all progress and technical development, scientific or social are impossible. In a group, in which someone more skilled is chairing, and all its members perform their assigned tasks, great achievements and real discovery are the easiest ones to come to.
God wants the greatness of man, therefore she calls on him constantly to cooperate with himself, gives him a share in ruling the world. Yet people find it difficult to obey God. Who Can Teach Us True Obedience to God ?
Jesus obeyed the Father until death
Jesus Christ came into the world, to reconcile us to the Father. Thanks to his sacrifice, we have been gifted with God's forgiveness and love. What, however, was the most important in Christ's sacrifice ? "Therefore coming into the world, he says : You didn't want the sacrifice or the gift, but you formed a body for me ; Burnt offerings and sin offerings are not pleasing to You. Then I said : Here I go - in the scroll of the book it is written about me - to do your will, God.
Above he said : victims, gifts, You did not want burnt offerings and sacrifices for sins, and they are not pleasing to you, although they are made under the Law. Then he said : Here I go, that I may do your will. Removes one victim, to establish another. By this will we are sanctified by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all. True, every priest does his daily work, many times the same, making sacrifices, which by no means can take away sins. This is the opposite, having made one sacrifice for sins once and for all, he sat down at the right hand of God, expecting only, until his enemies become his footstool. For by one offering he has perfected these forever, who are sanctified " (Hbr 10, 5-14).
Old Covenant Law, which was binding on the chosen people, it commanded to offer atoning sacrifices to God of animals and the produce of the earth. The sacrifices of the people of Israel, however, could not take away human sins, and often they were not pleasing to God. Sometimes they lacked true love. People offered God material gifts, purely external. They were still in sin internally, in disobedience. They turned away from God. This is explained by the Letter to the Hebrews, who puts the words of the psalm on Christ's lips as the fundamental slogan of his life. Jesus Christ, coming to earth, spoke to the Father in a way : "Here I go, that I may do Your will ". He wanted to be obedient to the Father in everything. Hence he undertook everything with the greatest love, what the Father decided, what was His will. And it was God's will, that Christ, by his sacrifice of love and obedience, folded on the cross, he led all people to the Father. Christ fulfilled the will of the Father with love throughout his life. As a twelve-year-old boy in the temple in Jerusalem he translated to his parents, who searched for him for three days : "Why were you looking for me? ? Did you not know, that I should be in it, what is my Father's ?” (Luke 2, 49).
After talking with the Samaritan woman, he spoke to his disciples : “My food is to do the will of It, who sent me, and carry out His work " (J 4, 34).
He showed his obedience to the Father most perfectly during his passion and death on the cross. In Gethsemane, experiencing the fear of suffering, he was talking to the Father : ,,My father, if this cup cannot pass me by and I must drink it, let your will be done " (Mt 26, 42). He filled it down to the smallest detail, and as he died he could tell : "It is done" (J 19, 30). This is how the Son of God fully responded to the Father to His great love, shown to people. He saved the world by his obedience (by. KK 3).
Jesus as the new Adam
Christ's obedience is also explained to us by St.. Paul in his letter to the Romans : “For as by one man's disobedience all were made sinners, so by obedience to one all will become righteous " (Rz 5, 19).
It follows from these words, that, like all of us, we participate in the first human sin, in original sin, we likewise participate in justification, which we owe to Jesus' obedience. So we share in the love of Christ, which He showed to the Father. Together with him, we stand before the Father, to respond to his incomprehensible love for us. To the first man, with which original sin is associated, gives Scripture. name Adam. This name - of the first Adam - will always remind us of the catastrophe of sin, which also touched us. Our sanctification and reconciliation with the Father will always be linked to the name of Christ. Christ, then, is "the second Adam". Thanks to him, we were forgiven of our sins and we were united with him through baptism, we share in his obedience. We can answer God for His love. However, you have to make an effort, to live the spirit of love and obedience to the Father, as the Son of God did, Jesus Christ.
How will I answer God ?
W 4 Advent Sunday (year C) we read in the church the words from the letter to the Hebrews. They are a call to you to be united with Christ, to be obedient to the Father.
Should I not look at the cross and draw strength from it?, when it becomes difficult for me to obey God ? What is the most difficult for me to obey God ? At every Holy Mass. I will try to answer with full sense of responsibility : "Amen" - "Let it be so" - to the priest's words of devotion to the Father :
"Through Christ, with Christ and in Christ, To you god, Father almighty, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen”.
■ Think :
1. Co w ofierze Jezusa Chrystusa podkreśla List do Hebrajczyków ?
2. Jak w ciągu życia Chrystus okazywał swoje posłuszeństwo Ojcu ?
3. Jak przyjął Jezus Mękę i śmierć ?
4. W czyim imieniu Chrystus złożył ofiarę posłuszeństwa ?
5. Why is St.. Paul calls Christ "the new Adam" ?
6. Kiedy Chrystus włączył mnie w swoje posłuszeństwo ?
■ Remember:
38. W jaki sposób Jezus Chrystus naprawił nieposłuszeństwo ludzi wobec Boga ? Jesus Christ repaired people's disobedience to God by his obedience to the Father unto death.
■ Task:
1. Przeczytaj „Gorzkie żale” i wyszukaj miejsca, which speaks of Jesus Christ's obedience to the Father.
2. Wyszukaj w Ewangelii sceny, mentioned in "Bitter regrets".
3. Say, in which mysteries of the rosary do we contemplate the obedience of Jesus Christ ?