Chapter VI The Virtue of Obedience The Virgin’s Obedience, among her virtues the sixth mentioned in the Gospel, which you should possess and cultivate in three ways, in imitation of the Virgin. The Virgin Mary was always most obedient, not only to God, but for God’s sake, also to men. Out of her obedience in order to please God, she thought, spoke, and acted in the following ways: In obedience she conceived God, and when the days of her purification were completed [cf. Lk 2:22], she presented her Son in the Temple, there offering a pair of turtle doves or pigeons. In obedience to Caesar, she went to Bethlehem, and there she declared her submission to the Emperor [cf. Lk 2:1, 4-5]. According to the example and in imitation of the Virgin, devoted souls, in order to please Christ, must obey God by following the Ten Commandments, must offer turtle doves by making a confession of their sins, and must offer pigeons by loving God with their whole heart. At the completion of the day, before going to bed, they must present their work to God, rendering him an account of it. For God’s sake, they must therefore obey their Superiors, considering how the Virgin not only out of obedience conceived, but, while remaining in obedience to Caesar Augustus, gave birth to the Lord. Without obedience, man cannot conceive anything good or bring to completion any good work. In order to possess this virtue of obedience more perfectly, they must have one Head elected by the Chapter, and they must firmly obey him. Since this Head takes the place of the Virgin, it is expedient for him to be a vessel of Election [cf. Acts 9:15], of virtue, and of all perfection. Concerning local Superiorships and particular elections of community officials, let them observe their own Constitutions. Further, all should remember that when they entered this Order, they renounced their own wills on account of God, and to take back their own wills and inclinations would be sacrilegious. Appendix 316
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjI2Mw==