No priest, therefore, can be true to his vocation, if he lacks this virtue. All his fervour, piety, chastity, detachment, zeal, (some of the qualities analyzed in the encyclical) will bear little or no apostolic fruit, if he is not an obedient priest. Let us then reflect a while on - the necessity, - the qualities, - the fruits of priestly obedience.
ITS NECESSITY
Obedience to God and to all authority established by Him is, of course, a virtue incumbent on all men: their very nature of creatures obliges them to do God's holy will. But priests, furthermore, are bound to this virtue in quite a special manner, on account of their priesthood. They have been ordained by holy Church for the purpose of exercising their ministry in dependence on their bishop on whom rests the chief responsibility of the pastoral office in the diocese. And immediately after ordination, the holy oil still fresh on their hands, they have solemnly promised him reverence and obedience.
On the priests' obedience depends that admirable unity of the hierarchical Church which binds together priests and bishops with the Vicar of Christ, for the exercise of her divine authority throughout the world: source of life and strength for her children, of fear and dismay for her enemies. Although, if this submission of inferiors to superiors were lacking, "the magnificent work of the Church would be sadly hindered" (Enc.).
Paramount, then, for the priests is the importance of this virtue. It must be stamped indelibly and visibly on their whole sacerdotal career. The Holy Father bids them look up to their model, the divine High Priest: and behold how He practiced obedience to His Father in His divine mission, and repeatedly made solemn profession of it, even in the act of offering up His life on Calvary: "on His very Cross He consecrated obedience" (Enc.).
* Have I a sufficient appreciation of the essential place obedience must hold in my priestly ideal?ITS QUALITIES
Have I lived up to my ordination promise of reverence and obedience to my bishop?
Let me review briefly my past in the light of that promise.
Do I give my flock the example of submission, so necessary to counter the present spirit of independence and insurbordination ?
Our obedience must be supernatural, i.e. proceeding from motives of faith: legitimate superiors hold the place of God for us; in obeying them, we obey God. This it is that makes obedience not only most meritorious, but also most reasonable, beautiful and ennobling: "Non. . . quasi hominibus placentes, sed ut servi Christi facientes voluntatem Dei ex animo." A vivid spirit of faith would silence all the objections and repugnances which crop up so easily, at times so fiercely, when man has the impression that he has to obey just another man. . .
If based on that principle of faith, our obedience will also be universal: it will extend to all legitimate commands from all legitimate authority. We will hear the voice of Christ in the voices of His Vicar on earth, of the bishop who rules the diocese in his name, and of those who share his authority immediately over us. How could there be question of picking and choosing, if in everyone of our obligations we see God's holy will?
Supernatural obedience will be whole-hearted too. Where we feel that God commands, we will do what we are asked to do, not only with external fidelity, but also with a sincere goodwill desirous, even, to go beyond strict obligation, and as much as is possible in the circumstances - with an internal assent of the mind inclined to approve and judge favourably the orders given: offering thus to God a complete surrender of our whole being, "oblationem et hostiam Deo in odorem suavitatis".
* Am I always actuated by thoughts of faith in my obedience, not by diplomatic and self-interested motives: "ad oculum servientes"?ITS FRUITS
Do I accept with equal readiness, as from the hands of God, every appointment and duty, whether pleasant or unpleasant, easy or difficult?
If I feel hurt at times by the spirit of carping criticism of my flock, am I not bringing it upon myself perhaps by a similar behaviour towards my own superiors?
To encourage ourselves in the practice of this virtue, often as difficult as it is necessary, let us reflect on some of its fruits:
God's blessings on our ministry cannot possibly fail us (whatever be the apparent result), if He sees in our work the fulfilment of His own will and purpose, if our zeal is controlled by obedience. "Vir obediens loquetur victoriam." God will work with us; our work will be a collaboration: " Qui misit me, mecum est et non relinquit me solum, quia ego quae placita sunt ei facio semper" (John 8:29).
Then, the greatness of our own merits in such a life of obedience is obvious from the many virtues it makes us practice: a constant spirit of faith, genuine humility, frequent self-denial (at times in a heroic degree), above all, loving conformity with the holy will of God.
And in what peace and tranquil serenity does the obedient priest not live? Whatever place is assigned to him, whatever duty imposed, whether success or failure and disappointments attend his efforts: through it all he knows that he treads the path mapped out for him by God and that his every step in it brings him closer to His divine Heart.
* Let me again dedicate whole-heartedly my priestly life to the perfect accomplishment of God's holy will in the fulfilment of all my duties.
Renew, with deep sincerity, my ordination promise of reverence and obedience to my bishop, with all that it implies.
And pray that the" Pax tecum", which followed it, may indeed fill my soul at all times and help me to be steadily faithful to my promise.
"Descendi de caelo, non ut faciam voluntatem meam sed voluntatem ejus qui misit me."
"Non mea voluntas, sed tua fiat."
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(Enc.) Pope Pius XI, Encyclical on the Catholic Priesthood, Ad Catholici Sacerdotii
(Dec 20, 1935)
Adapted from Alter Christus, Meditations for Priests by F.X. L'Hoir, S.J. (1958)
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