Day 5: Holy Spirit – Obedience to follow the commandments. 

John 15:9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

God calls us to remain in His love and Jesus taught us how to do this. Jesus says: “Keep my commands.” There is no other formula that will take us closer to the heart of the Father. 

Jesus modeled this all throughout His live and ministry. He obeyed God by refusing to listen to temptation, by boldly proclaiming the Gospel, by doing only what He saw the Father doing, by responding to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in love to serve and heal the outcast, the sick and the poor. 

Even when it was the most difficult thing to do, Jesus obeyed the will of the Father to the point of giving His own life for you. 

Will you remain in His Love?  

1 Samuel 15:22 Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to the LORD’s command? Obedience is better than sacrifice, to listen, better than the fat of rams.

Obedience is what led to the extraordinary legacy of Padre Pio. His mission in life was fulfilled through obedience and teaching others to be obedient. His obedience was grounded in patience and a trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Pio often taught those around him to be patient when they did not want to be and to obey when they wanted to fight. He first obeyed God and Church authorities. He understood that it was through obedience to the order and leadership of man which God had put in place that he obeyed God.  

Some remarkable instances that highlight his obedience: 

• In the early 1920s, accusations against Padre Pio led to restrictions on his ministry. His daily Mass times were changed unpredictably, and he was forbidden from answering correspondence seeking spiritual guidance. Padre Pio remained obedient, accepting the limitations placed upon him by the Holy See. 
• From 1924 to 1931, the Holy See questioned the supernatural aspects associated with Padre Pio, including the miracles attributed to him. In 1931, he was ordered to cease all ministerial activities except private Mass. Still, he obeyed without hesitation. 
• In 1961, the Holy Office prohibited priests from serving Mass for Padre Pio, and the Mass schedule was changed daily. Investigations and stringent rules continued, yet Padre Pio remained steadfast in his obedience to authority. 
• As Padre Pio worked to build a hospital, those jealous of his attention and following sought to steal the money and push Pio out of control of the leadership of the hospital. Pio remained silent and obeyed. He remained focused on the main thing, which was his personal obedience to God and others. 

Padre Pio still did not defend himself or fight back. He was obedient and as a result he was justified. His ministry was restored as well as his leadership of the hospital. He even received dispensation from his vow of poverty by Pope Pius XII to enable him to oversee expenses of the hospital. Pio, in another sign of obedience, gave the hospital to the Vatican.  

Pio gives us a modern example of how, even when we disagree or do not believe the decisions made are for the best, we should still obey.  

“Without obedience there is no virtue”- St. Padre Pio. 

St. Faustina wrote that Jesus Christ told her “the devil can imitate humility, but he cannot imitate obedience.” 

How can I grow in Obedience?   

Obedience requires patience and trust. Jesus fully trusted the Father and in the same manner we must fully trust Him. When life gets difficult and we don’t see a way out, or when it is difficult to obey just repeat: “Jesus, I trust in you.” 

This will align your heart to God’s and open wide the door of obeying His good plan for you. 

Invite the Lord to come and reveal to you in which areas you are resisting His love by lacking in trust and obedience. Ask Jesus… 

• Jesus, what areas of my life are in my control? 
• How are you calling me to surrender them to you and follow you? 
• How are you calling me to trust more in you? 

Prayer: Jesus, I surrender all my life to you: My thoughts, my desires, my intellect, my memory, my will and all my plans. I ask you to come and fill me with your peace and trust so I can fully obey and live out your good plan for me. Send your Holy Spirit to me so that I may always follow your commandments and remain in your love. I pray this in the Name of Jesus. Amen. 

“Lord, I am your treasured possession and I remain in your love… I am willing, I am prompt, I do not hesitate in observing your commandments and keep your covenant.”  -Based on Exodus 19:5, John 15:9, Isaiah 1:19, and Psalm 119:60 

Other scriptures 

• Genesis 22:18 “and in your descendants all the nations of the earth will find blessing, because you obeyed my command.” 
• Deuteronomy 6:18 “Do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD, that it may go well with you, and you may enter in and possess the good land which the LORD promised on oath to your ancestors.” 

Contributed by: Maria Guadalupe Sanchez and David Guerrero, HFK 

• Litany of the Holy Spirit
• 500 Praises to the Holy Spirit (Pray a few of them as you can)