Life of Christ: Our Fundamental Rule
Living the life of Our Lord Jesus Christ is the fundamental rule of our little Congregation. (OOCC, III, p. 42)
For St. Vincent Pallotti, the fundamental rule of the Society he founded is the life of Jesus Christ. Every member of the Society is called to live the life of Jesus in order to be a true member of the community. According to St. Vincent, if a person does not focus his life on the life of Jesus and does not live the spirit of Christ, he cannot truly be called a member of the Society. Hence, the imitation of the life of Jesus is vital for being an authentic member of the community St. Vincent founded. The manner of imitation, for St. Vincent, must be one of humble confidence. A person must live the life of Jesus in all humility, always being aware of the fact that he is the most unworthy person to live it. Yet he must make every effort to live it joyfully and totally, having complete confidence in God. Imitation consists of all the actions Jesus performed in his hidden and public life. A person must attempt to live in the manner in which Jesus lived his hidden and public life. The hidden life of Jesus refers to the years he lived in Nazareth before his baptism in the Jordan. The public life refers to the last three years of his life during which he manifested the glory of his Father by living his life as the Apostle of the Eternal Father. Thus, for St. Vincent, when a member of his community lives the private and public life of Jesus in his own life and bears fruit for God and his people, that member truly lives the life of Jesus as the fundamental rule of the Society.
Do I accept the life of Jesus as the fundamental rule of the Society? Do I live the life of Christ in humble confidence? Am I ready to live the hidden and public life of Jesus? Do I bear fruit like Jesus by living his life as the fundamental rule?
He [Christ] himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. (I Pet. 2: 24)