True Spirit of Obedience
I … from a spirit of true obedience, will obey readily, exactly, happily and simply anyone who requests, or even commands something from me, whether he is great, small, noble, … superior, inferior, or even [the one] under my care. (OOCC, X, p. 149; STA, 216)
Besides cultivating the right attitude in obeying, St. Vincent Pallotti lived out the true spirit of obedience. For him, true spirit of obedience has two aspects. First, a person obeys an order readily, exactly, happily and simply. Readiness in obeying involves the preparedness and the disposition to accept and fulfil the command given. The person does not show any sign of reluctance in obeying. Exactness in obeying means that a person does not change the given order to suit his convenience, but performs it in the same way it is given. Happiness in obeying implies that a person feels within himself a great satisfaction in having obeyed the given command. There is no sign of sadness in the person as he set out to execute the order. Simplicity in obeying requires that the person places no conditions when he obeys. The person shows total generosity in executing the given order as he places no conditions for obeying the order. Second, living the spirit of obedience calls for a person’s readiness to obey any person, whether he is small or great, noble or plebeian, inferior or superior. St. Vincent Pallotti was ever ready to obey any person, even a person who is under his care. In this manner, he lived the true sprit of obedience in its twofold aspects.
Do I have the true spirit of obedience? Do I obey readily, exactly, happily and simply? Am I ready to obey any person through whom God demands of me obedience in a given situation?
Now if you will obey me and keep your part of the contract with you, you shall be my own little flock from among all the nations of the earth; for all the earth is mine. (Ex. 19: 5)