13: HIDDEN LIFE AND OBEDIENCE

 

GOD OBEYS HIS CREATURES

Et descendit cum eis

   et venit Nazareth

   et erat súbditus illis.” (Lk 2:51)

 

JESUS OBEYS

“I must preach the kingdom of God.

I must abide in thy house.

I must do the works of him who sent me.

The Son of Man must suffer many things.

The Son of Man must be lifted up.

The Son of Man must suffer to enter his glory.

The Son of Man must rise again.

He always talked as one under orders.

Free from the compulsions of heredity, circumstances or family,

this Boy of twelve said that he was bound by heaven’s commission.

The only acts of Christ’s childhood which are recorded

   are acts of obedience—

   obedience to his heavenly Father and to his earthly parents.”

(F Sheen, Life of Christ)

 

“For just as by the one man’s disobedience

   the many were made sinners,

so by one man’s obedience

   the many will be made righteous.” (Rom 5:19)

 

THE RESULTS OF OBEDIENCE (& FAITH)

Abraham becomes the father of many

   by Hagar, Sarah and Keturah (Gen 12-25);

Moses frees the Israelites (Ex 14);

Joseph becomes the guardian of the Son of God (Mt 1-2);

Mary becomes Jesus’ mother (Lk 1-2);

the shepherds find Jesus, Mary and Joseph (Lk 2:18);

the Wise Men likewise (Mt 2:1-12);

the lepers are made clean (Lk 17:14);

the blind man is able to see again (Jn 9:6-7);

the wedding feast had better wine (Jn 2:3 ff).

 

YOU ARE THE BOSS!

Volo quidquid vis,

volo quia vis,

volo quómodo vis,

volo quámdiu vis.”

 

“I want whatever you want,

I want because you want,

I want the way you want,

I want as long as you want.”

(Prayer of Clement XI after Mass)

 

THE SACRIFICE OF WHAT IS MOST DIFFICULT TO LET GO OF

“The Lord loves obedience better than any sacrifice.’ (I Sam 15:22)

 

“Rightly is obedience set before sacrifice,

because through obedience we offer up our own will.”

(St Gregory the Great, Morals, 14)

 

UT IUMENTUM

Et ego insípiens factus sum, et nescívi,

ut iuméntum factus sum apud te.

Ego autem semper tecum;

tenuísti manum déxteram meam.

In consilio tuo dedúces me,

et póstea cum gloria suscípies me.

Quis enim mihi est in caelo?

Et apud te nihil vólui super terram.

Defécit caro mea et cor meum;

Deus cordis mei,

   et pars mea Deus in aetérnum.”

 

“I was stupid and ignorant,

I was like a beast [of burden] toward thee.

Nevertheless I am continually with thee;

thou dost hold my right hand.

Thou dost guide me with thy counsel,

and afterward thou wilt receive me to glory.

Whom have I in heaven but thee?

There is nothing upon earth that I desire besides thee.

My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart

   and my portion for ever.” (Ps 73:22-26)

 

SUPERNATURAL

“In the apostolate, obey without paying attention

   to the human qualities of whoever it is asks you to do something,

   or to the way he asks you.

Otherwise it is no virtue at all.

There are many kinds of crosses:

some have jewels or pearls or emeralds on them,

some are lacquered or made of ivory.

But some are made of wood

   like our Lord’s. …

Only after obeying, which is a sign of rectitude of intention,

may you make fraternal correction with the required conditions….”

(St Josemaría, Furrow, 373)

 

INTELLIGENT AND PONDERED

St Josemaría always taught that obedience be

   pondered, deliberate, fruit of the utmost act of the will—

   un querer libérrimo”—a wanting that is most free.

Once he told someone:

“In matters of obedience, I have to count on your will

   that has to be free, free, free …

(Urbano, Hombre de Villa Tevere, 221)

 

Feel free to express our thoughts,

   to give feedback,

   to point out problems or difficulties,

   to ask questions,

   to clarify.

 

ON GOOD GOVERNMENT

“Authority.

This does not consist in the one above

   yelling at the one below,

   and he in turn to the one further down.”

(St Josemaría, Furrow, 386)

“The good shepherd does not need to terrorize the sheep.”

(St Josemaría, Furrow, 404)

 

“The science of government is, in the last analysis,

   understanding and charity.” (St Josemaría. 194)

 

“To govern is to get people to work.

Good government is to get people to work

   methodically and happily.” (St Josemaría, 195)

 

THE STUBBORN AND BELLYACHING CHOSEN PEOPLE

“Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving;

and the people of Israel also wept again, and said,

‘O that we had meat to eat!

We remember the fish we ate in Egypt for nothing,

   the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic;

but now our strength is dried up,

and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”

 

“Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families,

   every man at the door of his tent;

and the anger of the LORD blazed hotly,

and Moses was displeased.

Moses said to the LORD,

‘Why have you dealt ill with your servant?

And why have I not found favor in your sight,

   that you should lay the burden of all this people upon me?

Did I conceive all this people?

Did I bring them forth, that you should say to me,

Carry them in your bosom,

   as a nurse carries the sucking child,

to the land which you swore to give their fathers?

Where am I to get meat to give to all this people?

For they weep before me and say,

Give us meat, that we may eat.

I am not able to carry all this people alone,

   the burden is too heavy for me.

If you will deal thus with me,

   kill me at once.’”

 

(The Lord distributes the burden).

“And the LORD said, ...

The LORD will give you meat,

   and you shall eat.

You shall not eat one day, or two days, or five days,

   or ten days, or twenty days,

   but a whole month,

until it comes out at your nostrils

   and becomes loathsome to you,

because you have rejected the LORD who is among you...”

(Num 11:4-6,10-15,18-20)

 

Mother,

teach me to detect God’s will

   whenever it comes,

   however it comes;

teach me to gladly do his will,

   whatever it be,

   because he wants it,

   the way he wants it

   as long as he wants it;

teach me to say ‘Yes’

   even when it is difficult;

teach me to stand by you and to stand with you

   in Bethlehem,

   in Nazareth,

   on Calvary.

 

C:\Documents and Settings\user\My Documents\RETREAT\crt_13HiddenLife&Obedience.rtf

Revised 25  March 2005