PERFECT AND IMPERFECT OBEDIENCE

Our Lord tells us in the Gospel: Everyone who does not renounce all that he possesses cannot be My disciple. And He who would save his life will lose it.

A man gives up all his possessions and loses his life when he is completely obedient to his superior. Anything good that he does or say that is not against the will of his superior is true obedience even if there may be actions that would be better and more profitable than what his superior commanded.

A religious who prefers to suffer persecution rather than be separated form this confreres certainly perseveres in true obedience, because he lays down his life for his brethren.

There are many religious who, under the pretext of doing something more perfect than what their superior commands,  look behind and go back to their own will that they have given up. People like these are murderers and, by their bad example, they cause the loss of many souls.

St. Francis of Assisi

(11-17-02)