Meditation for July 14, Obedience

St. Mechtilde in her Book of Revelations relates that God showed her one day tbe procession of the virtues. They were per­sonified by virgins standing before the Most High. One of them was kneeling, offering to the Lord a cup of gold into which each virgin poured, in her turn, a precious liquor. Astonished at this vision, the saint dared to ask for an explanation. Our Lord told her:

"The Virgin who is kneeling is Obedience;, she alone can give Me to drink because Obedience contains in itself the richness of the other virtues; true obedience must necessarily be the ensemble of all the virtues."

And in tbe light of grace, the Saint saw how true it was.

"Teach me, as You taught St. Mechtilde, O Divine Master, the price and dignity of obedience. Show me that to practice obedience means to practice a multitude of other virtues, patience, humility, faith, con­fidence, docility--that it is to give to my religious life, its strength, its reward, its value.

"I do not want my taste for obedience to diminish, as I advance in years, but on the contrary I want it to become more entire, more uni­versal, more intelligent, more supernatural.

"Grant, O Lord, that in all the difficult moments, when self love re­volts, when I find reasons and pretexts, I remember the virgin with the golden cup who on her knees presents to You the perfume of the other virtues, that not a drop be lost; that all be gathered to honor You as You deserve.

"O God, Lover of obedience, make me obedient!"

_________________
Adapted from Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)