By a seeming coincidence, A few days later I was listening to the radio and a story was told of a Priest who was approached by a protestant sister who accused him of not having a personal relationship with Jesus because he was Catholic. She said to him that Catholics are not saved. He replied that he didn’t need a personal relationship with Jesus to be saved and that what he wanted and what he and all of us are called to, is much more than just a personal relationship with Christ. He said what we are all called to is “Union with Christ”. He said “I don’t just want to have a relationship with Him I want to be like him and to be Him for others."
His response was clever and it made sense, after all Jesus did say in Matthew 7:2121 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many [a]miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’
It should give us pause to think that we can deceive ourselves into thinking we are doing the work of Christ, we can call him Lord, and even cast out demons without being known by Christ. Obedience to Christ and His will is more evidence of our love for him then pious acts or the practice of our charismatic gifts.
Obedience has its rewards.
“If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:24). Now that's heaven!
A great site to read More on union and obedience can be found at the website below.
Read more: http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2010/02/01/does-christ-suffer-with-me-when-i-suffer#ixzz2wevL
