Lest You Remain

“ difficult and weighty matters” , and is only possible when, it is fulfilled sensibly and methodically ( ratione) , with love ( studio) and with fervor ( fervore). This vision of this vow of obedience, causes the function of the superior to take on a specific character, one, which as the author teaches, becomes for his sub- ordinates “ Christ like” ( instar Christi ), present in reality within the community . 7 Obedience is furthermore, a yearning for the person to subordinate himself firstly before God; the relationship with one’s superiors becomes secondary, and a practical realization of the religious brother’s initial subordination. II. Chastity Complete devotion to God’s plans, leads a person to take up a life of perfect chastity, which manifests itself as a specific sign of complete love for God above all else. Chastity gives the person freedom of heart, so as to love God even more fully, and through Him one’s neighbor, as well as deepening and strengthening one’s ini- tial choice . 8 In this way, the religious person, through his religious vow of chastity, unites his life with Christ in a special way. Here, we also find the source of the nup- tial vision of spirituality which the author often underlined in Inspectio Cordis. In his teachings on chastity, which fulfills such a pivotal role in the religious life, Father Papczy<ski claims that every religious brother is obliged to keep it for three reasons: because of natural law, because of God’s law and through the power of the vows taken. Understanding these conditions according to the Founder, should help in maintaining “spotlessness”. They also show the fundamental and deciding role of God’s grace rather than of human efforts. Man alone is “ poor and weak ”, especially in “these gifts” , and that is why he exists on “ God’s most benevolent graces and his foreseeing powers ” Papczy<ski is also convinced that the religious brother will either enter a life of virtue, or will “ sink in uncleanliness” , for “ fragile is the vessel, that carries such fragrant and expensive fluid” . Faithful adherence to the vow of chastity, leads to a permanent penchant for the realization of the obligations involved in fulfilling the virtue of chastity . 9 L EST Y OU R EMAIN W ITHOUT W ORK IN THE V INEYARD OF THE L ORD 228 7 Inspectio Cordis, 60, 160-163. 8 Ref: Decree of the Second Vatican Council, Decree on the Up-To-Date Renewal of Religious Life, Perfectae Caritatis, nr 12 . 9 In praising virginity and chastity in Prodromus reaginae atrium (p 64-65), Papczy<ski , in some way, identifies with the virtue of chastity and states that, chastity is a condition for looking at “the