Table of Contents
THE
EVANGELICAL COUNSEL OF OBEDIENCE
1.1 The Origin of Evangelical Counsels
1.2 Church Teaching on
the Evangelical Counsels
1.3 The Evangelical
Counsel of Obedience
Obedience in the works of St. Teresa of Avila
2.3 Obedience in the Carmelite Constitutions
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
Jesus Christ in the Gospels laid down certain rules of life and conduct
which must be practiced by every one of His followers as the necessary
condition for attaining to everlasting life. These precepts of the Gospel
practically consist of the Ten Commandments. Besides these precepts which must
be observed by all in order to gain eternal life, He also taught certain
principles which He expressly stated were not to be considered as binding upon
all, or as necessary conditions without which heaven could not be attained, but
rather as counsels for those who desired to do more than the minimum and to aim
at Christian perfection, so far as that can be obtained here upon earth. Thus
when the young man asked Him what he should do to obtain eternal life; Christ
bade him to “keep the commandments.”[1]
The three evangelical counsels when accepted with free will, binds the person
and helps one to offer one’s life to God in imitation of Christ our Lord.
This assignment mainly focuses on the vow of obedience. Having its roots
in the life of Christ, how it has its impact on St. Teresa’s life as seen in
her writings. The roots of evangelical counsels are found in the life and
teaching of Jesus Christ. Christ was so obedient that he humbled himself even
unto death.
THE EVANGELICAL COUNSEL OF OBEDIENCE
1.0 Introduction
This chapter deals with the origin of the evangelical counsels. What
does the Church say about them, how they flow from the life and teaching of
Christ. How the promise of obedience, which was found in the ordinary life of
early Christians, gradually turns out to be the vow of obedience.
1.1 The Origin of Evangelical Counsels
The origin of evangelical counsels is found in
the teaching and example of Christ Jesus. They are gift of God, which the
Church has received from her Lord and which by His grace the Church safeguards.[2] It was the Church, which discovered
in Jesus the three counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience as the three
conditions of evangelical life. In the Gospel itself there is a quite explicit
call to poor[3] and to chastity.[4] There could not yet be such an
explicit call to obedience included in the master’s very pressing invitation to
Mathew “follow me”[5] in the course of time the Church
summed up Jesus’ way of life in the three counsels and interpreted their
practical application.
1.2 Church Teaching on the Evangelical Counsels
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches
that Christ proposes the evangelical counsels, in their great variety, to every
disciple. the perfection of charity, to which all the faithful are called,
entails for those who freely follow the call to consecrated life the obligation
of practicing chastity in celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom, poverty and
obedience. It is the profession of these counsels, within a permanent state of
life recognized by the Church, which characterizes the life consecrated to God.[6]
The consecrated must therefore more closely follow Christ who prays, or
announces the kingdom of God, or does well to people, or lives with people in
the world, yet who always does the will of the Father. [7]
1.3 The Evangelical Counsel of Obedience
From the ordinary Christian obedience founded
on the doctrine of New Testament, the ideas of religious obedience gradually
emerged. In the East St. Basil and in the West St. Benedict stressed the need
of obedience in the monastic communities. But obedience was considered
inclusive of other vows, such as poverty and chastity. In the course of time
most of the monks took just one vow and later on even some of the mendicants
explicitly professed the vow of obedience.[8]
In those days other than the promise of obedience there was no explicit
promise of poverty or chastity in Latin monasticism. This triad took shape
later with the Canons Regular, a ninth century reform movement of priestly
communities, in which the vows of celibacy and obedience were required. It was
in the thirteenth century that pope Innocent IV gave a definite shape to the
religious vows and told that obedience, poverty and chastity were essential
components of every religious community and this obedience became incorporated
in their Rule.[9]
1.4 Conclusion
The origin of
evangelical counsels is found in the life of Christ. The church’s teaching on
the evangelical counsels is found in the catechism as well as in the code of
Canon law. From the beginning of Christian times obedience has be regarded as
high value.
Obedience in the works of St.
Teresa of Avila
2.0 Introduction
This chapter is an
attempt to bring out the importance of vow of obedience in the writings of St.
Teresa of Avila. Being a Carmelite nun she has drawn her inspiration from the
life of Christ as well as the Carmelite Constitutions.
2.1 The Life and Works of St Teresa Of
Avila
St Teresa was born in Avila, Spain on 28th March 1515. Her parents were
both pious Catholics and in some ways inspired their daughter to take up a life
of prayer. She became a nun of the Carmelite Order. At the age of 43, she decided she
wanted to found a new order recommitting to the values of poverty and
simplicity. She devoted much of the rest of her
life to travelling around Spain setting up new convents based on the ancient
monastic traditions. She died on October 4 at the age of 67. She was one of the great Christian
mystics. Overcoming physical ailments, she became fully absorbed in her
devotion to God.[10]
In 1562 she wrote The book of her
Life. In 1566 she wrote Way of
Perfection, to tell the nuns how to reach their goal. In 1580 she wrote
what is considered her greatest work: Interior
Castle. This involved describing the various stages of spiritual evolution
leading to full prayer; she wrote Foundations
from 1573 to 1582.[11] She has also written some poems and
Soliloquies.
2.2 Obedience in the Works of St. Teresa of Avila
The books of St. Teresa were written out of obedience to her confessors.
It seemed improbable to her that a person like herself so imperfect and
untalented could write anything worthwhile that would help others. St. Teresa
felt that she would be better employed behind the spinning wheel than writing.
Yet at the command of obedience she put her heart and soul into her writing
trusting that God will give her the grace and strength to fulfill the wish of
her confessors. [12]
In fact Teresa begins
the prologue asserting the good that comes to a soul when it does not turn
aside from obedience. Some of the good that one obtains through obedience is:
one advances in virtue and gains humility, we walk along the path of life, one
obtains peace of soul, one obtains freedom from the devil’s attacks, one
conquers one’s flesh etc. [13]At the same time one needs to be
prudent and well informed by learned men on matters that one is obliged to obey
or else one may lose merit rather that gain merit.[14]
2.2.1 The Book
of Life
Teresa herself asserts
that the safest course to take in order not to be deceived is to obey one’s
confessor who for her took the place of Christ. “The safest thing, as the Lord
told me, is to make known to my confessor the whole state of my soul and the
favours God grants me, that he be learned, and that I obey him. It is what I
do, and without doing so I would have no peace….”[15]
“Whenever the Lord gave
me some command in prayer and the confessor told me to do something different,
the Lord Himself would speak to me again and tell me to obey Him; and His
Majesty would then change the confessor's mind so that he came back and ordered
me to do the same thing.”[16] This shows her utter obedience
God’s word.
2.2.2 The Way of Perfection
The Way of Perfection was written by St.
Teresa in response to her nuns requests. In fact St. Teresa saw this work as a
call from obedience and thereby sought enthusiastically to fulfill the nuns
requests and with the pure intention to help them live as perfectly as possible
the way of perfection.
St.
Teresa counsels her nuns that in all matters one must be guided by the counsel
of learned, holy and experience confessors. Obedience to them must never be
compromised. “One should seek always that there be nothing contrary to
obedience, for there are ways and means for everything. And so it is good that
in all possible ways one seek such counsel that is so much valuable to souls.” [17]
The
genuine mark of a soul advancing in the way of perfection is that she is docile
and obedient to her superior who takes the place of God. “This attitude
includes the great virtues of humility and mortification, careful obedience by
not in any way going against what the superior commands, for you truly know
that God, in whose place the superior stands, commands it.”[18]
Even if a person were not under the obligation
of the vow and is desirous of contemplation, she will not make any progress
unless she submits her will with determined determination to a confessor.
The perfect model for us in the virtue of obedience is
none other than the Lord Himself whose example Teresa tried to follow and who
places before us the Lamb of God as our exemplar too. “He gave Thee such full
obedience and surrendered Himself to us with such great love.”[19] Teresa even
prudently counsels her daughters that after communion they are to heed first
the command of obedience even if it means leaving the solitude of the chapel
but all awhile maintaining inner solitude. “If you are compelled by obedience
to do something else, try to leave your soul with the Lord.”[20]
Even in matters pertaining to mortification, fasts and
penances either extreme or moderate Teresa is very firm that all be done with
the consent of the spiritual director to whom she counsels complete obedience
as the devil is always waiting to deceive us.
2.2.3 The Interior Castle
Even in this book Teresa asserts that
obedience has the power of making things easy which seem impossible. She
counsels spiritual persons that they will grow in prayer by practicing prompt
obedience. Therefore she advices one to choose a spiritual director and to obey
his guidance. She counsels them “never to follow their own will, which is the
cause of most of our ills.”[21] For “if we would merit fresh favours and
avoid losing those we already possess, our only safety lies in obedience and in
following the law of God.” (V:3:2)
The
confessor or spiritual director for Teresa took the place of God Himself. So in
follow his advice we can never err. And therefore “it would be very dangerous
to act against our confessor’s advice and to prefer our own opinions in such a
matter.” [22]
In
this book too Teresa looks upon Christ as the prefect model of obedience. The
complete obedience of Jesus to the will of His Father in heaven is a real
inspiration to her. Thus she presents His example to us that we may follow the
way walked by Jesus and thus become like Him.
2.2.4 The Book of Foundations
Teresa advises us not
to be discouraged when obedience compels us to be involved in exterior
occupations for she says that, “Know that if it is in the kitchen, the Lords
walks among the pots and pans helping you both interiorly and exteriorly.” [23]
For St. Teresa
obedience is the quickest and best means of reaching the state of union with
God. The advice that she gives in order to attain the grace of obedience is to,
“to dig and labour for it in the mine of obedience; and the more we shall dig,
the more we shall find, and the more we subject ourselves to men (having no
other will but that of our superiors), the more we shall be masters of our
will, to conform it to that of God.”[24] While obeying one must be prepared
to suffer and for a truly obedient spirit it is a great joy to suffer while obeying.
2.3 Obedience
in the Carmelite Constitutions
The Carmelite constitutions
given by St. Albert of Jerusalem, clearly shows how a Carmelite needs to live
the vow of obedience.
You, brother B., and whoever may succeed you as prior, must always keep
in mind and put into practice what our Lord said in the Gospel: Whoever has a
mind to become a leader among you must make himself servant to the rest, and
whichever of you would be first must become your bondsman. You, other brothers
too, hold your prior in humble reverence, your minds not on him but on Christ
who has placed him over you, and who, to those who rule the Churches, addressed
the words: Whoever pays you heed pays heed to me, and whoever treats you with
dishonour dishonours me; if you remain so minded you will not be found guilty
of contempt, but will merit life eternal as fit reward for your obedience.[25]
The above quoted passage from the Carmelite constitutions convinces us
of how much importance it gives to the vow of obedience. “Authority, whether
religious or secular, is a gift of God; ‘Everyone is to obey the governing
authorities, because there is no authority except from God... So anyone who
disobeys an authority is rebelling against God’s ordinance.’ Like other gifts,
it is meant to serve others in the community.”[26] It is true that obedience is
greater than sacrifice. A Carmelite is expected to live a life allegiance to
Jesus Christ.
2.4 Conclusion
St.
Teresa was born in a devout family. She has written four main works. She has
emphasized the virtue of obedience in all her works. Even the Carmelite
Constitutions give importance to the vow of obedience.
GENERAL CONCLUSION
In all her works St. Teresa has
highlighted the importance of the evangelical counsels either explicitly or implicitly.
The advice that she gave her sisters so many centuries ago is still very much
relevant to us today. The reason for this is that Teresa was a very practical
person gifted with prudence and wisdom. She saw things as they were and she
realized the consequences of every action. Her only aim was to please our Lord
by fulfilling His commandment of love. The evangelical counsels are the means
towards fulfilling this end that we may be united with our Lord.
The virtue of obedience was exercised by St. Teresa not merely in her in
spiritual life nor in the work of writing but also when starting foundations.
Unless governed by obedience she would not venture to carry out a new
enterprise on her own. “I did nothing without asking the opinion of learned
men, lest in any way whatever I should act against obedience…Had they told me
that there was the slightest imperfection in this, I think I would have given
up a thousand convents, let alone a single one.”[27] If
we turn the pages of the history of the church, the virtue of obedience has
been highly exalted. Form the time of Old Testament, obedience has been
considered as something that brings one closer to God.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Monis, Antony Barnabas. Religious Consecration; A Historical
Perspective. Mysore: Dhyanavana Publications, 2005.
Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Bangalore: Theological Publications in India, 2013.
Devadat, Cletus. “Whoever Does the Will of God Remains Forever.” In
Christo, Vol. 56, No. 4 (2018): 171-182.
Discalced Carmelites Constitutions and Norms. Trivandrum: Carmel International Publishing House, 1988.
second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium; Dogmatic
Constitution on the Church. Edited by Austin Flannery. Vatican
Council II: The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents, Vol. 1. Bombay: St.
Paul Publication, 1992.
St. Teresa of Avila. Interior Castle, Vol. II, Translated by Kieran Kavanaugh. (Kerala:
Carmel International Publishing House, 2013.
St. Teresa of Avila. The Book of Her Foundations, Vol. III. Translated by Kieran Kavanaugh.
(Kerala: Carmel International Publishing House, 2013.
St. Teresa of Avila, The Book of Her Life, Vol I. Translated by Kieran Kavanaugh. (Kerala:
Carmel International Publishing House, 2013.
St. Teresa of Avila, Way of Perfection, Vol II. Translated by Kieran Kavanaugh. (Kerala:
Carmel International Publishing House, 2013.
The code of Canon Law. New
Revised English Translation. Bangalore:
Theological Publication in India, 2015.
[1] Matthew 19:17, NRSV
[2] second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium; Dogmatic
Constitution on the Church, ed. Austin Flannery, Vatican Council II:
The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents, Vol. 1 (Bombay: St. Paul
Publication, 1992), 43.
[3] Mt. 19:21.
[4] Mt. 19:12.
[5] Mt. 10:21.
[6] Catechism
of the Catholic Church, (Bangalore: Theological Publications in India,
2013), 915.
[7] The code of Canon Law; New
Revised English Translation (Bangalore:
Theological Publication in India, 2015), 577.
[8]
Antony Barnabas Monis, Religious Consecration; A Historical Perspective, (Mysore:
Dhyanavana Publications, 2005), 40.
[9]
Ibid., 41.
[10] St. Teresa of
Avila, The Book of Her Life, Vol 1
trans. Kieran Kavanaugh, (Kerala: Carmel International Publishing House, 2013),
3.
[11]
Ibid., 6.
[12] Ibid.,
98.
[13]
Ibid., 32.
[14]
Ibid., 130.
[15]
Ibid., 134.
[16]
Ibid., 143
[17] St. Teresa of Avila, Way of Perfection, Vol II trans. Kieran Kavanaugh, (Kerala: Carmel
International Publishing House, 2013), 46.
[18]
Ibid., 116.
[19]
Ibid., 214.
[20]
Ibid., 228.
[21] St. Teresa of Avila, Interior Castle, Vol. II trans. Kieran Kavanaugh, OCD, (Kerala:
Carmel International Publishing House, 2013), 305.
[22]
Ibid., 316.
[23] St.
Teresa of Avila, The Book of Her Foundations,
Vol. III trans. Kieran Kavanaugh, (Kerala: Carmel International Publishing
House, 2013), 3.
[24]
Ibid., 18.
[25] Discalced
Carmelites Constitutions and Norms, (Trivandrum: Carmel International
Publishing House, 1988), 25.
[26]
Cletus Devadat, “Whoever Does the Will of God Remains Forever,” In Christo, Vol.
56, No. 4 (2018), 179.
[27] St. Teresa of Avila, The Book of Her Life, Vol 1 trans. Kieran Kavanaugh, (Kerala:
Carmel International Publishing House, 2013), 230.
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