The Rule of Life

16 5. You should always be mindful of the works of mercy 6 which, done to his members, are done to Christ the Head. On all (cf. Mt 25:31-46) occasions you will not neglect to show outsiders every possible love. You will surround with devoted love not only those you find benevolent to you, but adversaries as well, and enemies (whom our Lord rightly commanded us to love). These works alone will triumph at the final Judgement. 7 (cf. Mt 5:44; Lk 6:27-35) C HAPTER T HREE O BEDIENCE , P OVERTY , C HASTITY 1. In first place you ought to obey God, the Roman pon- tiff, the bishops, Superiors of your Order; then, their vicars, local officials, the bell calling you to common exercises. This you ought to do quickly, promptly, perfectly, patiently, humb- ly, decisively, perseveringly. Nor should you be ashamed to be subject – to men, since the Apostle [Peter] would wish us to be subject to all creatures, more so to every authority (cf. Rom 13:1-7; 1 Pt 2:13; 1 Tim 2:2). For there is no authority, he says, unless it is from God. He who resists this authority re- sists the divine Will and that is the highest form of stupidity. You should assume the motive and example of obedience of our Redeemer Himself, who “humbled Himself, being made obedient unto death, even death on the Cross” (cf. Phil 2:8) He who would refuse to imitate [Christ] would appear not to want to reign with Christ if he did not obey due authority who takes the place of Christ. The following order must be kept in obeying: the lesser power should yield to the greater power, nor should that lesser power attempt to weaken the greater. [Concerning what has been ordered:] if a previous order will clearly have been revoked, a later order should be given adher- ence. You should all respect the Ordinaries of the locality with 6 Cf. Mystical Temple of God , Ch. 21. 7 For the sake of clarity the sentence order was rearranged in this para- graph.