From Paul: “So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
How did Christ show His Love to the Father? Through His obedience, even unto death. Without obedience, Love is nothing.
So, would it have been appropriate for the faithful to follow the Arian Bishops, since they were the vaste majority of the hierarchy ( 97%)? Would God have been pleased with the faithful if they denied the divinity of Jesus through “obedience” to their authorities?
You mentioned faith, hope, and charity. These are the three theological virtues, which are the highest of the virtues, and without which we cannot be saved.
The theological virtue of Faith is the foundatin of the supernatural life. Without faith (the Catholic faith) we cannot have supernatural charity (which is grace). And, as we know, without charity we cannot be saved. These virtues are the highest virtues and are absolutes.
Obedience is a moral virtue. Moral virtues are not absolutes, but are a balance point between two extremes: excess and defect. A person can sin against obedience either by not obeying when they should,
or in obeying when they should not.
So, for example, if we refuse to obey a just command we sin; likewise, if we obey a sinful command we also sin, and obedience does not excuse us. So, for example, the German Soldiers during WWII were guilty of sin when they obeyed their superiors commands and put the Jews (and Catholics) to death. They were put on trial after the war, and the excuse of obddience did not save them.
Now, since faith is greater than obedience, we should never obey a command that goes against faith. So, for example, we should never deny the Divinity of Jesus simply because we were commanded by the authorities to do so.
Likewise, we should not deny any other dogma of the faith simply because those in authority have denied that dogma and are teaching it.
Faith is greater than obedience; and if we are ever in a position where the two seem to be undermining one another (or in contradiction to one another), we should always hold fast to the faith, and never deny it through “obedience”.
No saint has ever advocated disobedience, even in the face of truly corrupt superiors.
We should not refuse to obey simply because a superior is corrupt. That is no excuse. However, if the superior is commanding things that are contrary to the faith, or a danger to the faith, we should not obey, since, as we know,
faith is greater than obedience.
Two examples comes to mind: Joan of Arc, and St. Athanasius. Athanasius lived during a time when the faith was being denied and undermined. He stood firm for the truth even though he was banned from his diocese 4 times and excommunicated by the Pope. His disobedience was justified, and even necessary, because it was in defence of the faith.
Am I saying that the Church is corrupt? No, of course not. I am merely pointing out that the SSPX are not following the example of the Saints give us.
The situation with Athanasius is virtually a direct parallel to today. The only difference is that in St. Athanasius’ day the error only affected a certain portion of the Church, whereas today it is affecting the entire Church.
Bishop Rudolph Graber of Regensburg: “What happened over 1600 years ago [at the time of the Arian heresy] is repeating itself today, but with two or three differences: Alexandria [the patriarchal see of St. Athanasius] is today the whole universal Church, the stability of which is being shaken, and what was undertaken at that time by means of physical force and cruelty is now being transferred to a different level. Exile is replaced by banishment into silence of being ignored; killing, by assassination of character.” (Athanasius and the Church of Our Time, p. 23):
If you will know a tree by it’s fruit, than I know that SSPX is not a “good tree,” for the fruit of disobedience never comes from the Love of Christ.
Except when one is disobeying for the sake of the faith, then it is for the love of Christ. The SSPX is holding fast to what the Church has always taught and refuses to accept the errors that have been repeatedly condemned by the Popes over the past 150 years. For this, they are persecuted and hated. But they endure it all for the love of God and for the faith.
In time, the Church leaders will thank them for their faithfulness, just as the leaders later thanked Athanasius.
As as for the fruits? The fruits are a strong faith and an unwillingness to compromise. Thanks to the SSPX, and its strong stand for the Mass, the Old Mass is now making a comeback. If it wasn’t for the SSPX, it would be a thing of the past.
God has used the SSPX as a primary instrunment in this day to persevere the faith “whole and inviolate”.
Security was quickly called and they were kicked out. Do you know why they were kicked out? Because they were said to be “schismatic”. But what about the Orthodox and the Protestatns who absolutely reject the office of the Pope? There was no porblem with them, only with the SSPX.
First Rome admits that pro-multis should be translated “for many” and NOT for all, which only the SSPX and other like minded “radical traditionalists” had maintained for years; and now the Pope admits that the old Mass had never been abrogated, which only the SSPX and other likemininded Traditionalists had maintained for years.
