The Virtue of Obedience

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darcee

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I am troubled frequently by the way obedience is portrayed so negatively especially in American society.

I see it on both ends of the Catholic spectrum. There are those who think obedience is almost a crime and that one should follow one’s conscience exclusively (ie. pop-culture) on the other end are those who seem to pick and chose who they will be obedient too, such as those who are deny the validity of the pope, following only what their own judgement deems good instead of submitting to the Church.

I am sure I am not the only one to be bugged by this.-D
 
It’s been my experience most Catholics I know (friends, family, co-workers) are ignorant to the Churches teaching that we are obligated to the doctrine of our Faith. The term “cafeteria Catholic” applies here. Picking and chosing doctrine to suit what is comfortable.

Pro-choice, pro-same-sex marriage, pro-divorce, then get up and receive Holy Communion. Many (most) Catholics do not see a contradiction here. They (I’d have to assume) believe they are free to pick and chose doctrine of choice and yet are still worthy of receiving Holy Communion. It’s ignorance to the most basic Doctrine.
 
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darcee:
I am troubled frequently by the way obedience is portrayed so negatively especially in American society.
I see it on both ends of the Catholic spectrum. There are those who think obedience is almost a crime and that one should follow one’s conscience exclusively (ie. pop-culture) on the other end are those who seem to pick and chose who they will be obedient too, such as those who are deny the validity of the pope, following only what their own judgement deems good instead of submitting to the Church.
I am sure I am not the only one to be bugged by this.-D
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Funny I was just writing about my own struggles with this in another thread. As I continue my journey into the Church I hit stumbling blocks to my understanding of various points. “Because I said so” has never worked very well for me, I want to know why. The attraction of Catholicism is, in part, the why is there. Sound reasoning and centuries of theology back the positions of the Church in every case so far. It is my responsibility to seek it out.
I know that I am not owed an explanation, for instance my boss at work can tell me what to do and she doesn’t have to explain why. That knowledge however, does not always make it easy to swallow. As a relatively new Catholic I want to do this right, I want to give my whole body, mind and soul to Christ so I have to be honest when I hit these stumbling blocks. I have to ask for help, not easy for me either. I guess in these ways being very bright is my cross to bear.
 
“Because I said so” has never worked very well for me, I want to know why. The attraction of Catholicism is, in part, the why is there.
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This is why the Church can require obedience. A faithful Catholic knows that the Church is infallible in matters of doctrine. Understanding this, a Catholic can (and should) readily submit to the Church, even while struggling to understand the why and wherefore of Her teaching.
 
This is a huge problem across the spectrum. When you have a President who thumbs his nose at the truth and the courts by perjuring himself, and then tries to wriggle out of a perjury charge by claiming that it “depends on what the definition of is, is” then we know we have an immense gulf to cross.
 
Obedience is one the most maligned virtues in today’s society.

Obedience to lawful authority is freeing, particular when the lawful authority feels an obligation for your best interest.

Obedience to the Church is very freeing for me.

I have written an article on the Freedom of Obedience. You can see it at URL: stobie.home.sprynet.com/religion/Obedience.htm

Enjoy.
 
Obedience is very important for our salvation, but the Church never says you must believe “this” without documention and reasons she proposes these things for our belief. Even the beliefs that are mysteries (the Trinity, transubstantiation, Assumption of Mary) are all based in reason that we can read and understand. There are times we must make a leap of faith but nothing She teaches is based on nothing. :o In the end we have to believe that the Catholic Church is the Church Jesus established and that She is without error because Jesus told us the gates of hell will not prevail against her. To not accept the truths the Church teaches is in the end to question Jesus. Unthinkable for most Catholics 🙂
 
Obedience to the Church, yes, but what/who is the Church? When our Bishop gave us new rules about standing instead of kneeling, bowing the head instead of genuflecting or kneeling, & so on, I thought I should do as told out of obedience.

But I just couldn’t! It felt wrong! So now I am disobedient to our Bishop (I wrote him a letter to explain & I know he read it - he is a long-time acquantance of my dh!) and our priest who tried to enforce what the Bishop said we are to do.

So am I out of line? Am I just another cateteria Catholic? 😦
 
You are compelled under Holy Obedience to listen to the voice of the Church represented by her priests and bishops, even is so is not in concord with your heart.
The virtue of Obedience is the key to humility, by blindly giving up our own will to the will of God voiced out the voice of the Church we humble ourself and free us from potential errors.
It’s a virtue every good Catholic should have :cool:
 
Because I said so" has never worked very well for me, I want to know why. The attraction of Catholicism is, in part, the why is there.
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Me too. I think that’s why our priest tried to kick me out - I asked “why” way too often to suit him! Never got an answer, either, other than, “because I said so”. I asked why he was adding & subtracting from the liturgy, I asked why he refused to let the K of C be in the parish, I asked why he thought it was ok for non-Catholics to recieve the Sacraments, I asked why I was being told I should not kneel or genuflect, I asked why…well - you get the picture!

I happen to think it’s our priest & Bishop who are the real cafeteria Catholics, & I see no reason to obey them. 😦
 
If someone in authority over us told us to commit a sin, we would be morally obligated to disobey that authority.

Absolute obedience is only due to God.
 
Obedience is not popular because it does not fit in with the popular culture. Individualism and relativism have inundated the culture. If we have no genuine standards then there is no reason for obedience. Unfortunately, “culture creep” finds it way into the thoughts and attitudes of catholics and non-catholic christians just as it does society at large.

Obedience is truly a virtue. When we surrender ourselves to Jesus Christ and his church, we begin to experience true freedom.
 
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