A message from the Bishop of Rome

“It is by relying, not on our own strength, but on that of holy obedience that we can undertake everything with joy and happily achieve it”. These words, pronounced in the 19th century by Saint Michael Garicoits, were echoed in the words of Pope Francis addressed to the participants of the Jubilee of Consecrated Life.

Men and women religious, that is men and women consecrated to the Lord’s service, who in the Church pursue this path of arduous poverty, of a chaste love that leads to a spiritual fatherhood and motherhood for all the Church, of obedience. . . . There is always something lacking in our obedience, because perfect obedience is that of the Son of God, who emptied himself, who became man out of obedience, unto death on the Cross. There are men and women among you who live out an intense form of obedience, an obedience — not military, no, not that; that is discipline, another thing — an obedience of giving of the heart. This is prophecy. “Don’t you wish to do something, something else?. . . ” — “Yes, but according to the rules I must do this, this and this. And according to regulations, this, this and this. And if I don’t see something clearly, I speak with the superior and, after the dialogue, I obey”. This is prophecy, as opposed to the seed of anarchy, which the devil sows. “What do you do?” — “I do whatever I please”. The anarchy of will is the daughter of the demon, it is not the daughter of God. The Son of God was not an anarchist, he did not call his [disciples] to mount a force of resistance against his enemies; he said to Pilate: “Were I a king of this world I would have called my soldiers to protect me”. Instead, he was obedient to the Father. He said only: “Father, please, no, not this chalice. . . . But Thy will be done”. When out of obedience you accept something which perhaps often you do not like. . . [he makes a swallowing gesture]. . . that obedience must be swallowed, and it is done. Thus, prophecy. Prophecy is telling people that there is a path to happiness and grandeur, a path that fills you with joy, which is precisely the path to Jesus. It is the path to be close to Jesus. Prophecy is a gift, it is a charism and it must be asked of the Holy Spirit: that I may know that word, in the right moment; that I may do that thing in the right moment; that my entire life may be a prophecy. Men and women prophets. This is very important. “Let’s do what everyone else does. . . ”. No. Prophecy is saying that there is something truer, more beautiful, greater, of greater good to which we are all called.

Speech on Monday 1st February
(Extract)