:tiphat:Br JR has had much (name removed by moderator)ut for us on the other threads where SSPX was the topic, and his information on obedience is of essential value. Perhaps Br JR would be kind/patient enough to say more on this subject. From my lay perspective, all I know is that Obedience is above all other virtues and consideration in the Catholic Faith.
I can’t add anything new here. However, I would remind all of us, including me, that the call to live the Gospel is a call to obedience.
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul tells us **“He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross.” (Phil 2:8) ** Redemption is brought through an act of obedience. We can’t separate the Gospel from obedience. Otherwise, the cross is indeed foolishness.
Some will argue that one has to obey God before man. This is true; but this has to be taken in context. This takes us back to **“Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Lk 20:25b) ** Human authority has legitimate claims on our obedience.
St. Benedict is probably the greatest spiritual master on obedience. All founders refer back to him when writing their statutes on obedience. Benedict recognizes that there is a legitimate obligation to obey human authority, especially ecclesial authority.
**RULE OF ST. BENEDICT
CHAPTER V.
Of the obedience of disciples.
The first degree of humility is obedience without delay.
Benedict’s theology is incredible. Watch this. This obedience will then be acceptable to God and pleasing to men, if what is commanded be not done fearfully, slowly, coldly, or with murmuring, or an answer showing unwillingness; because the obedience which is given to superiors is given to God, Who hath said: “He that heareth you, heareth Me.”113 Hence it ought to be done by the disciples with a good will, because God “loveth a cheerful giver”114 If the disciple obey with ill-will, and murmur, not only in words, but also in heart, although he fulfil what is commanded him, it will not be acceptable to God, Who considereth the heart of the murmurer. For such a work he shall not have any reward, but rather incurreth the penalty of murmurers, unless he amend and make satisfaction. We don’t score any points when we obey reluctantly. There is more to it than compliance. Soldiers do that. Our obedience must be like that of Christ. It must be out of love.
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Benedict does two very interesting things in this chapter of the rule. First, notice that he refers to it as the “obedience of disciples”. In other words, obedience is a quality of one who calls himself a disciple of Christ. The second important point is that obedience is the first degree of humility. In the 13th century, St. Francis of Assisi would once again address the issue of obedience as part of his reform of the Church of the time. He would live out obedience as the first expression of detachment. Both of these great spiritual masters are very consistent with Paul’s assessment of Christ the one who obeyed.
There are arguments that at times there is a legitimate reason to disobey. There are a few problems with this argument. The first problem is that this argument is a complete misinterpretation of something that Aquinas said. Here is where it’s important to take things in context. If we read what Aquinas says against blind obedience and we read how Aquinas lived obedience, we find that there is a chasm between our interpretation of what he wrote and how he lived what he wrote.
Aquinas was one of the docile sons of St. Dominic. He obeyed his priors, bishops and poe even in the most foolish commands. Therefore, his behavior tells us that his statement on blind obedience is not a justification of disobedience. He never disobeyed. It was a condemnation of a sinful use of power. When a person in authority uses his power in a sinful manner, which obviously leads another to sin, then the subject cannot close his eyes and go along. You see, there is a context here.
When Aquinas superiors used their authority in what one might perceive as a foolish manner or even a manner that was not as efficient as another, St. Thomas never refused to obey. Why not? Because they were not using their authority in a sinful manner. Foolish and inefficient, maybe, but not sinful.
St. Francis said something very similar in his admonitions.
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The Lord God said to Adam: “Of every tree of paradise thou shalt eat. But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat.” 1 Adam therefore might eat of every tree of paradise and so long as he did not offend against obedience he did not sin. For one eats of the tree of knowledge of good who appropriates to himself his own will and prides himself upon the goods which the Lord publishes and works in him and thus, through the suggestion of the devil and transgression of the commandment, he finds the apple of the knowledge of evil; wherefore, it behooves that he suffer punishment.**
And if at times a subject sees things which would be better or more useful to his soul than those which the superior commands him, let him sacrifice his will to God, Here’s that Pauline idea again. Obedient unto death. let him strive to fulfil the work enjoined by the superior. This is true and charitable obedience which is pleasing to God and to one’s neighbor. Obedience fulfills the first and second commandment. It is a show of love for God and man.
When Pope Paul writes about obedience, he is within his right to demand obedience, because he is not acting sinfully. If he’s not acting sinfully, it is impossible for him to be calling another to sin.
and does not cause offense
