Thursday of the Second Week of Easter

But Peter and the Apostles said in reply, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

God is our master. Of that there should be no doubt. If the choice is between God and anything or anyone else, we must choose God. It is to Him that we owe our existence and it is to Him that we should give our obedience. Sometimes doing God’s Will means suffering for and dying to something. We might suffer for proclaiming the faith as the disciples did, doing good works, and giving witness to the Word of God. We might be called to die to our worldly possessions, our bodily passions, and our selfish inclinations. We might even be asked to make the ultimate sacrifice... laying down our lives for our family, friends, and neighbors. Thankfully, we do not have to do all these things alone. God has given us His Holy Spirit to enlighten, guide, and protect us so that we choose to obey Him above all.

Do we obey God to the best of our ability? If not, then how can we become better witnesses to the faith? What can we do to allow the Holy Spirit to think, speak, and work through us?

O Lord, we promise to obey you above all else.

Amen.