lectures11-13-第16章
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Add self…despair and the passion of self…crucifixion to this; and
obedience becomes an ascetic sacrifice; agreeable quite
irrespective of whatever prudential uses it might have。
It is as a sacrifice; a mode of 〃mortification;〃 that obedience
is primarily conceived by Catholic writers; a 〃sacrifice which
man offers to God; and of which he is himself both the priest and
the victim。 By poverty he immolates his exterior possessions; by
chastity he immolates his body; by obedience he completes the
sacrifice; and gives to God all that he yet holds as his own; his
two most precious goods; his intellect and his will。 The
sacrifice is then complete and unreserved; a genuine holocaust;
for the entire victim is now consumed for the honor of God。〃'186'
Accordingly; in Catholic discipline; we obey our superior not as
mere man; but as the representative of Christ。 Obeying God in
him by our intention; obedience is easy。 But when the text…book
theologians marshal collectively all their reasons for
recommending it; the mixture sounds to our ears rather odd。
'186' Lejuene: Introduction a la Vie Mystique; 1899; p。 277。
The holocaust simile goes back at least as far as Ignatius
Loyola。
〃One of the great consolations of the monastic life;〃 says a
Jesuit authority; 〃is the assurance we have that in obeying we
can commit no fault。 The Superior may commit a fault in
commanding you to do this thing or that; but you are certain that
you commit no fault so long as you obey; because God will only
ask you if you have duly performed what orders you received; and
if you can furnish a clear account in that respect; you are
absolved entirely。 Whether the things you did were opportune; or
whether there were not something better that might have been
done; these are questions not asked of you; but rather of your
Superior。 The moment what you did was done obediently; God wipes
it out of your account; and charges it to the Superior。 So that
Saint Jerome well exclaimed; in celebrating the advantages of
obedience; 'Oh; sovereign liberty! Oh; holy and blessed security
by which one become almost impeccable!'
〃Saint John Climachus is of the same sentiment when he calls
obedience an excuse before God。 In fact; when God asks why you
have done this or that; and you reply; it is because I was so
ordered by my Superiors; God will ask for no other excuse。 As a
passenger in a good vessel with a good pilot need give himself
no farther concern; but may go to sleep in peace; because the
pilot has charge over all; and 'watches for him'; so a religious
person who lives under the yoke of obedience goes to heaven as if
while sleeping; that is; while leaning entirely on the conduct of
his Superiors; who are the pilots of his vessel; and keep watch
for him continually。 It is no small thing; of a truth; to be
able to cross the stormy sea of life on the shoulders and in the
arms of another; yet that is just the grace which God accords to
those who live under the yoke of obedience。 Their Superior bears
all their burdens。 。 。 。 A certain grave doctor said that he
would rather spend his life in picking up straws by obedience;
than by his own responsible choice busy himself with the loftiest
works of charity; because one is certain of following the will of
God in whatever one may do from obedience; but never certain in
the same degree of anything which we may do of our own proper
movement。〃'187'
'187' Alfonso Rodriguez; S。 J。: Pratique de la Perfection
Chretienne; Part iii。; Treatise v。; ch。 x。
One should read the letters in which Ignatius Loyola recommends
obedience as the backbone of his order; if one would gain insight
into the full spirit of its cult。'188' They are too long to
quote; but Ignatius's belief is so vividly expressed in a couple
of sayings reported by companions that; though they have been so
often cited; I will ask your permission to copy them once more:
'188' Letters li。 and cxx。 of the collection translated into
French by Bouix; Paris; 1870。
〃I ought;〃 an early biographer reports him as saying; 〃on
entering religion; and thereafter; to place myself entirely in
the hands of God; and of him who takes His place by His
authority。 I ought to desire that my Superior should oblige me to
give up my own judgment; and conquer my own mind。 I ought to set
up no difference between one Superior and another; 。 。 。 but
recognize them all as equal before God; whose place they fill。
For if I distinguish persons; I weaken the spirit of obedience。
In the hands of my Superior; I must be a soft wax; a thing; from
which he is to require whatever pleases him; be it to write or
receive letters; to speak or not to speak to such a person; or
the like; and I must put all my fervor in executing zealously and
exactly what I am ordered。 I must consider myself as a corpse
which has neither intelligence nor will; be like a mass of matter
which without resistance lets itself be placed wherever it may
please any one; like a stick in the hand of an old man; who uses
it according to his needs and places it where it suits him。 So
must I be under the hands of the Order; to serve it in the way it
judges most useful。
〃I must never ask of the Superior to be sent to a particular
place; to be employed in a particular duty。 。 。 。 I must
consider nothing as belonging to me personally; and as regards
the things I use; be like a statue which lets itself be stripped
and never opposes resistance。〃'189'
'189' Bartoli…Michel; ii。 13
The other saying is reported by Rodriguez in the chapter from
which I a moment ago made quotations。 When speaking of the
Pope's authority; Rodriguez writes:
〃Saint Ignatius said; when general of his company; that if the
Holy Father were to order him to set sail in the first bark which
he might find in the port of Ostia; near Rome; and to abandon
himself to the sea; without a mast; without sails; without oars
or rudder or any of the things that are needful for navigation or
subsistence; he would obey not only with alacrity; but without
anxiety or repugnance; and even with a great internal
satisfaction。〃'190'
'190' Rodriguez: Op。 cit。; Part iii。; Treatise v。; ch。 vi。
With a solitary concrete example of the extravagance to which the
virtue we are considering has been carried; I will pass to the
topic next in order。
〃Sister Marie Claire 'of Port Royal' had been greatly imbued with
the holiness and excellence of M。 de Langres。 This prelate;
soon after he came to Port Royal; said to her one day; seeing her
so tenderly attached to Mother Angelique; that it would perhaps
be better not to speak to her again。 Marie Claire; greedy of
obedience; took this inconsiderate word for an oracle of God; and
from that day forward remained for several years without once
speaking to her sister。〃'191'
'191' Sainte…Beuve: Histoire de Port Royal; i。 346。
Our next topic shall be Poverty; felt at all times and under all
creeds as one adornment of a saintly life。 Since the instinct of
ownership is fundamental in man's nature; this is one more
example of the ascetic paradox。 Yet it appears no paradox at
all; but perfectly reasonable; the moment one recollects how
easily higher excitements hold lower cupidities in check。 Having
just quoted t