Obedience.
“All, therefore, they shall say to you, observe and do.” — St. Matt. 23:3.
EIGHTEENTH DAY.
The excellence of obedience does not consist in doing the will of a Superior who is sweet and good, who commands more by asking as a favor than by authority, but to be ever submissive to the yoke of one who is imperious, rigorous, severe, of an ill-humor, who never seems to be satisfied. — St. Bernard.
St. Jane Frances often said that she would have had much more satisfaction in obeying the least one among the Sisters, who would do nothing but contradict, and command with harshness, than in obeying the most learned or experienced in the Order. “The less of the creature the more we shall find of the Creator,” she added.
St. Catharine of Bologna desired that her Superior always treat her harshly, and command the most difficult things. She had learned by experience, she said, that it is good to obey in things easy, but that nothing so enriches the soul with virtue in so short a time, noting unites it more closely to God, than to obey joyfully a Superior whose manner was harsh and repugnant to our nature.
Prayer.
My God, what wilt Thou that I do? Make it known to me by those who hold Thy place. I will obey Thee in obeying them, no matter what it cost.