Of the Need That We Have of the Virtue of Obedience

THE blessed St. Jerome, exhorting religious to obey their superior, the better to persuade them shows at length by many examples the need there is in all cases of following and obeying one superior. In the political constitution of the world we see that there is one emperor, one king, one supreme judge of a province. When Rome was founded, even by two brothers, a joint reign of them both was found impossible, but one slew the other. Jacob and Esau, even in their mother’s womb, wrestled and warred with one another, which was to come out first. In the ecclesiastical hierarchy we see that all is reduced to one vicar of Christ, and in every district and diocese there is one sole bishop and prelate. In all things we see the necessity of this subordination and subjection to one. In an army, however great it may be, there is always one captain general, whom all obey; on board every ship there is one captain, and there would be great disunion and confusion in the crew, nor would they ever reach port, if everyone sought to steer and guide the ship according to his own fancy, and there were not one whose word was law. And even in the smallest house, though it be but a poor cottage, there must be one whom the rest obey; and without that provision nothing can be preserved, nothing last long, neither house, nor city, nor kingdom. Every kingdom divided against itself shall be left desolate (Luke xi. 17). And we see this in all things, not only in rational creatures, as in men and angels —in the latter there is subordination of one hierarchy to another—but also among brute beasts, who have a captain and guide whom they follow. Bees have their officers, and one is the chief, the queen bee, whom they all acknowledge and obey. Going as far as cranes, we find that those birds form up in a squadron and fall into rank, making a letter Y, or Greek capital Upsilon, and so they go, all following one. The heavenly spheres also are under the primum mobile, or prime mover, and follow its movement. And not to weary you with more examples, says St. Jerome, what I want you to gather from all this is that you should understand how it behooves you to live under the obedience of a prelate, and in company with many religious brethren, servants of God, who by their example help and encourage you to your end.

Our Father, though he would have us grow in all virtues and spiritual graces, in this particularly demands of us great perfection. He desires that, as other orders are marked and distinguished, some by poverty, others by penances and austerities, others by choir, others by enclosure, so the Society should be distinguished by the virtue of obedience, and that we should all make it our endeavor to mark and render ourselves conspicuous thereby, understanding that on this single point pivots all the good of the Society. And with much reason does our Father ask that of us; because the end of the Society, after its own perfection, is the spiritual advancement of its neighbor, and to help souls to salvation all the world over. Then its members must be ready and on the alert, always and instantly to go all the world over to exercise their ministries, like light horsemen riding to the rescue where the need is greatest. And this is the meaning of the fourth vow which the professed make of obeying the sovereign pontiff in regard of missions; that is, to go to any part of the world where the sovereign pontiff sends them, whether it be to a Christian land or among infidels or heretics, without making any excuse and without asking for their journey-money. And all must show this promptitude and indifference, not only for the missions to which the sovereign pontiff sends them, but also for wherever their immediate superiors send them. And besides that, they must be ready to take up any office or ministry, and do anything else commanded them. For this a great stock of obedience is necessary, seeing that in the Society there is such a diversity of occupations, ministries, and grades, some higher than others. It was a marvelous artifice and contrivance of our Father to insist so much on obedience, and ask us to signalize ourselves and come forward in that line, because he knew that many difficulties would cross our path, and that we should be pulled in all directions, and many a hash would be made of us.

A father of the Society used to say a thing that I wish we could all say and feel. He said: “I am not afraid of any order of obedience, because I am ready and prepared to do anything whatsoever that obedience shall command me.” He said well, and it is a truth well borne out by experience. A religious who is mortified, prompt and indifferent to do anything that they may command him, has nothing to fear from any order of obedience or from any superior, nor does he mind whether his superior be Pedro or Sancho, or of this or that condition of life. A good religious is independent of these things; to be dependent upon them and afraid of them argues imperfection. On the saying of St. Paul: Wouldst thou not fear the justice? Do well, and thou shalt have praise from him (Rom. xiii. 3-4), St. Chrysostom says: “The thief and the malefactor is afraid of the justice and turns pale at the sight of the constable, thinking that he is after him; but it is not the prince or the justice that causes this fear, but only his own wickedness and evil conscience. Would you have no fear of king or justice? Live a good life, and not only shall you not fear him, but you shall have much praise from him.” So it is also here in religion. Those fears and alarms are not caused by the superior, but by your own imperfection and want of mortification. Would you be fearless and never panic-stricken in religion? Be thoroughly obedient and aim at thorough indifference and resignation in all things. He who lives in this way shall enjoy much peace, great rest and tranquillity, and religious life will be for him a paradise on earth.