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Sessione 3
You are here:Home / Family News / NEF 2015 / Family News - 2015 May 14th / Practicing the Rule
May 14, 2015

Practicing the Rule

Ob-audire

Practicing the Rule

In religion, obedience is not a shield that comes adorn a good deed, but a disposition of the mind and heart that does not hesitate. Basically, the etymology directs us: Obey, from the Latin ob-audire = to listen to someone.

Still, talk of obedience is not easy. Imagine when it comes to write articles of the Rule of Life on the subject for the Betharramites of today and tomorrow! Having worked in this mission with other members of the Commission for the revision of the said Rule, Fr. Beñat Oyhénart SCJ back here to the source of their inspiration.

«Fortunately, there is the good Lord! «
It had to happen, it had to happen to me! Speaking of obedience when, too often, I noticed that those who talk about it the most, or the best, are too often those who act as they please ...

So, obedience...let’s talk about it!

The first vow of a Betharramite? In the aftermath of a French Revolution that deconstructed the Church and society, Michael Garicoits saw bishops crying over the disobedience of many priests; from this sprang one of his intuitions to create a Congregation. Father Auguste Etchécopar, in Thoughts and Father Pierre Duvignau in The Spiritual Doctrine, devoted the longest chapters to obedience!

Our Rule of Life has balance in presenting the vows: 16 articles for «consecrated chastity,» 12 for «evangelical poverty» and 14 for «Betharramite obedience»; and the choice of adjectives is not just chance! Chastity, poverty, obedience, Vatican II presents the vows in that order; so does Bétharram. And that’s right! Love, only the love which gives meaning to the vow of chastity, can justify poverty and obedience. It is even said in article no. 64: «We live our religious obedience in the perspective of the mystery of Incarnation. [We are] united with Christ by the offering of our whole selves in love ... «

Let us never forget: with Michael Garicoits, everything starts from the contemplation of God’s Love which manifests the incarnation of the Son. The one who says «Here I am,» sacrificing himself through love until death, the most shameful death, that of the cross. At the sight of this marvelous spectacle we feel drawn to consecrate ourselves through our vows. Being obedient is not out of date! Talking of self-sacrifice is still relevant today! We cannot suppress or silence the passages of the Word of God.

In his founding document, Michael Garicoits leads us to the hymn of the letter to the Philippians: “But Jesus Christ emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming as men are; and being in every way as men are, he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross. And for this God raised him high, and gave him the name which is above all other names; so that all beings in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld, should bend the knee at the name of Jesus and that every tongue should acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord, to the glory of God the Father. So, my dear friends, you have always been obedient; your obedience must not be limited to times when I am present. Now that I am absent it must be more in evidence, so work out your salvation in fear and trembling. It is God who, for his own generous purpose, gives you the intention and the powers to act.” (Ph 2, 7 ff)

Doubtless, obedience is not without suffering. Even for Jesus: ‘My Father,” he said, “if this cup cannot pass by without my drinking it, your will be done!” (Mt 26:42) But what sovereign freedom Jesus has in the Passion according to the gospel of St John! And this extraordinary verse, “Before the festival of the Passover, Jesus, knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He had always loved those who were his in the world, but now he showed how perfect his love was.” (Jn 13:1)

To Sister Marie-Raphaelina, daughter of the Cross, superior of the community, Michael Garicoits recommends, “The Lord has destined them (your sisters) to work in his service, not as slaves, but freely from love. Begin then by winning their hearts and their trust. Make sure they know how much you love them..(...) Love them without limits, and because God loves them and because they are made to love him, always act with gentleness.” In the same way, further on, he insists and underlines: “THROUGH LOVE!”

Everyone has the right to be loved; everyone has the duty to love. With Michael Garicoits we see again “how we should look at things: there is a need to exercise the enormity of charity in the limited circle of our work.” If eveyone really takes time to listen to each other - not just when the wind changes or once in passing - then wouldn’t life together be easier (in community, in vicariate etc)? Trust: wouldn’t that be another name for obedience? Yes, “fortunately there is the good Lord” and he loves us!

Beñat Oyhénart, scj


Articolo 64 - We live our religious obedience in the perspective of the mystery of the Incarnation. United with Christ by the offering of our whole selves in love, we become free, in giving up even our most legitimate aspirations by fidelity to the mission of the community. Thus we truly become disciples of Jesus “who walk with hearts quickened by a holy joy, running and leaping in God’s service.”

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