July 27
How To Obey Well
Preparation. - The very best means of acquiring perfect obedience, taking the Child Jesus as a Model, is the spirit of faith. In the first place, we should behold God in our superiors, and secondly, we should highly esteem the virtue of obedience. After considering these truths we shall resolve often to make acts of faith in these words of St. Paul: “There is no power but from God” (Rom. 13. 1).
I. We Should Behold God In Our Superiors
St. John Climacus relates that the abbot of a monastery, wishing to edify a visitor, sent for one of the monks, who was eighty years old, and let him stand before him without saying a word to him. The truly obedient monk, being asked later what he had been thinking of all that time, replied: “I fancied myself before Jesus Christ, and receiving that humiliation from Him; hence I did not even think of disobeying.”
Such is pre-eminently the best means of rendering our obedience perfect, to behold Jesus Himself in the person of our superiors. Did not our Saviour say to all who command: “He that heareth you, heareth Me” (Luke 10. 16)? “Obey your masters as Jesus Christ,” says St. Paul (Eph. 6. 7).
From this principle naturally flow all the qualities obedience must have. In fact, if we truly consider Jesus in our superiors, we shall be induced to respect and love them, to execute their orders, not only without discussion or murmur, but also promptly, punctually, simply and generously.
St. Peter Claver, when in the presence of his superiors, took the most humble posture, with eyes cast down, his cap in his hand, and his mind attentive to the least sign of their will, in order at once to execute it. Thus he behaved towards every one who had the least authority over him. Were such a one the last of the community, he beheld in him the person of the Saviour; it was this that rendered his obedience so perfect towards all as to be truly heroic. Whenever St. Alphonsus Rodriguez received any order whatever, he replied interiorly: “Yes, Lord Jesus, I am going to do what Thou requirest, or desirest of me.” And at once, forgetting the person of his superior, he set himself to execute what the Saviour had commanded him through his representative. Let us at in like manner, and the virtue of obedience will become easy for us, sanctifying and meritorious.
O Jesus, far from complaining of the orders given me, I should rather rejoice at the thought of serving Thy divine Majesty in the person of my superiors. Enable me always to carry out their directions promptly and cheerfully, after the example of the heavenly messengers, who hasten withersoever Thou sendest them. “Obey as you would Christ, in the simplicity of your heart.”
II. It Behooves Us Highly To Esteem Obedience
How many motives have we not for esteeming this virtue! Those who always obey in a spirit of faith are directed by God Himself, for, in order to reward them, He enlightens in their favor those who direct them. Moreover, their prayers are always heard. “Besides the grace they merit by practicing obedience,” says St. Vincent de Paul, “the Lord delights in also doing the will of those who, for love of Him, subject their will to that of their superiors.” “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you,” says our Lord, “you shall ask whatever you will, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15. 7).
A profound peace is also the fruit of the obedience which harmonizes our inconstant will with that of God, the source of lasting contentment. Hence, even in the very anguish of agony, the docile and submissive soul feels secure at the thought of not being obliged to render an account to the Lord of her actions performed through obedience, for this account shall be demanded of the superiors, who are responsible for the souls of their subjects (Hebr. 13. 7).
How wise were the saints in so highly esteeming the virtue of obedience. St. Gerard Majella had learned by heart the Rule of his Congregation, in order to conform to it in even the slightest details. St. Anselm, St. Alphonsus, and so many other saints, when superiors, sought to subject themselves to some of their subjects in order to have the merit of obedience.
Whence does it come that this virtue has so little attraction for us? Undoubtedly we too often forget its excellence and salutary effects. Wherefore we are wont to execute an order only after discussing it, criticizing it, showing our repugnance to it, instead of at once performing it punctually and cheerfully, as if our Redeemer had personally come out of the tabernacle to give it to us.
O Jesus, O Mary, help me to resolve henceforth to perform all my actions with the intention of obeying; to rise in the morning, to meditate, hear Mass, receive holy Communion through obedience; to labor, to pray, take my meals, my rest, for the sole motive of accomplishing Thy divine will. I repent of having in the past so often resisted Thy wishes, which were always so conformable to my welfare. Hence I will wholly subject myself to Thee, so as to render my prayers efficacious, to enjoy the peace of docile hearts, and to imitate Thy true servants, who obeyed, after Thy example, until death in every detail of their conduct.
