Obedience is a difficult and scary word in a world that
values autonomy, independence, and freedom of choice.
This first hurdle, in my mind and experience, is the highest
and most difficult hurdle. Obedience is the point of acceptance where I realize
my own necessity to yield myself to the figures of authority that God has set
before and over me both in the Church and in the world.[1]
The exercise of the human will in pursuit of autonomy,
independence, and freedom of choice will always be divisional and fractious. As
long as the human will is elevating and exalting the god of “I”, it will ever
be at odds with those whom we perceive as lesser and greater “I’s”. It will
always tend toward resentment and never see others as equals. It will always
lend itself in matters that create disharmony.
Tending and feeding the god of “I” generates a lot of
personal satisfaction and gratification. It will, however, in its disobedient
behavior, no matter how we cloak it to make it look socially (or even
religiously) acceptable, isolate us from others and separate us from God.
The whole of Christ’s teachings, the entirety of the deposit
of faith safeguarded by the Church, and the impetus of the Rule of Saint
Benedict are all designed to restore us to a condition of humility where we can
honestly, practically, and deeply live, move, and have our being in Christ.[2] Our own human will may indeed want to argue with what is presented in this
triad. Our own human tendency to pick and choose based on preferential biases
will run interference. It is here, nonetheless, where we prove that we are
Christ’s offspring – where we honestly experience and enjoy fellowship with
God.
Saint Benedict tells us, “The
first step of humility is unhesitating obedience, which comes naturally to
those who cherish Christ above all.”[3]
“This very obedience, however, will be acceptable to God and agreeable to men
only if compliance with what is commanded is not cringing or sluggish or
half-hearted, but free from any grumbling or any reaction of unwillingness.”[4]
“Obedience is a blessing to be shown by all, not only to the abbot but also to
one another as brothers, since we know that it is by this way of obedience that
we go to God.”[5]
I have, as an Oblate of Saint Benedict living in the world
outside the monastery, discovered a lot of freedom in this difficult and scary
word.
One of the lessons learned in this freedom is that obedience
fine tunes my focus and frees me from struggling against everything that I see
wrong in the world around me. Injustices in the world do not cease to exist.
They do, in fact, more obviously stand out as reflections of a world in dire
need of Christ. In this freedom I am able to more clearly see the world as
Christ sees it – a world of people in need of him – and, where personally
possible, reflect the light and love of Christ.
I remind myself that injustices existed before I got here
and will be here after I am gone. The world is, after all, a world governed by
the gods of “I”. Haranguing and condemning the world for being the world will
not accomplish one iota in changing the world.
It was into this needy world that Christ was born.
It is into this needy world that Christ, still today, comes
afresh to woo and win the hearts of people.
It is into this needy world where I am called to live and
move and have my being as a member of Christ’s Body and as an Oblate of Saint
Benedict representing my monk brothers and fathers in the monastery.
How can I possibly suggest to the world the benefits of
living under the authority of God, of Christ, and of his Church if I am not, first
of all, surrendered in obedience to the principles that I suggest?
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