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Love alone leads to perfection, but the three chief means for
acquiring it are obedience, chastity, and poverty. Obedience is a
consecration of the heart, chastity of the body, and poverty of
all worldly goods to the Love and Service of God. These are the
three members of the Spiritual Cross, and all three must be raised
upon the fourth, which is humility.
I am not going here to speak of these three virtues as solemn
vows, which only concern religious, nor even as ordinary vows,
although when sought under the shelter of a vow all virtues
receive an enhanced grace and merit; but it is not necessary for
perfection that they should be undertaken as vows, so long as they
are practised diligently.
The three vows solemnly taken put a man into the state of
perfection, whereas a diligent observance thereof brings him to
perfection. For, observe, there is a great difference between the
state of perfection and perfection itself, inasmuch as all
prelates and religious are in the former, although unfortunately
it is too obvious that by no means all attain to the latter. Let
us then endeavour to practise these three virtues, according to
our several vocations, for although we are not thereby called to a
state of perfection, we may attain through them to perfection
itself, and of a truth we are all bound to practise them, although
not all after the same manner.
There are two kinds of obedience, one necessary, the other
voluntary. The first includes a humble obedience to your
ecclesiastical superiors, whether Pope, Bishop, Curate, or those
commissioned by them. You are likewise bound to obey your civil
superiors, king and magistrates; as also your domestic superiors,
father, mother, master or mistress. Such obedience is called
necessary, because no one can free himself from the duty of
obeying these superiors, God having appointed them severally to
bear rule over us.
Therefore do you obey their commands as of right, but if you
would be perfect, follow their counsels, and even their wishes as
far as charity and prudence will allow: obey as to things
acceptable; as when they bid you eat, or take recreation, for
although there may be no great virtue in obedience in such a case,
there is great harm in disobedience. Obey in things indifferent,
as concerning questions of dress, coming and going, singing or
keeping silence, for herein is a very laudable obedience. Obey in
things hard, disagreeable and inconvenient, and therein lies a
very perfect obedience. Moreover, obey quietly, without answering
again, promptly, without delay, cheerfully, without reluctance;
and, above all, render a loving obedience for His Sake Who became
obedient even to the death of the Cross for our sake; Who, as
Saint Bernard says, chose rather to resign His Life than His
Obedience.
If you would acquire a ready obedience to superiors, accustom
yourself to yield to your equals, giving way to their opinions
where nothing wrong is involved, without arguing or peevishness;
and adapt yourself easily to the wishes of your inferiors as far
as you reasonably can, and forbear the exercise of stern authority
so long as they do well.
It is a mistake for those who find it hard to pay a willing
obedience to their natural superiors to suppose that if they were
professed religious they would find it easy to obey.
Voluntary obedience is such as we undertake by our own choice,
and which is not imposed by others. Persons do not choose their
own King or Bishop, or parents--often not even their husband; but
most people choose their confessor or director. And whether a
person takes a vow of obedience to him (as Saint Theresa, beyond
her formal vow to the Superior of her Order, bound herself by a
simple vow to obey Father Gratian), or without any vow they
resolve to obey their chosen spiritual guide, all such obedience
is voluntary, because it depends upon our own will.
Obedience to lawful superiors is regulated by their official
claims. Thus, in all public and legal matters, we are bound to
obey our King; in ecclesiastical matters, our Bishop; in domestic
matters, our father, master or husband; and in personal matters
which concern the soul, our confessor or spiritual guide.
Seek to be directed in your religious exercises by your
spiritual father, because thereby they will have double grace and
virtue;--that which is inherent in that they are devout, and that
which comes by reason of the spirit of obedience in which they are
performed.
Blessed indeed are the obedient, for God will never permit them
to go astray.
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