Obedience 8: Orionine obedience
The obedience in Don Orione
Don Orione, following the culture of his time, used very strong words about obedience. He tells us that we should be like rags in the hands of the superiors, fully open and available for whatever the superiors want. In telling us that, he wants to teach us to become humble, to trust more in God and to be real family. But he himself showed us what obedience meant when, in several occasions he had to obey to the Bishop who was putting obstacles to his work. One day, when the bishop ordered him to close a house, he answered: “Excellency, I now go and close that house, but I think that in conscience tomorrow you should not celebrate the Holy Mass”. The courage to talk but also the readiness to obey made the bishop to understand his mistake and retract the order. The house remained open.
We have to be rags but in the hands of God, willing to do any service needed in silence and humility, but also with hard work, happiness and commitment. He wanted us to feel the belonging of the family. He wanted us to be creative, ahead of times, to do the best service for the poor. So his obedience has never been mechanical or blind.
Highlights of Orionine obedience
This chapter is taken from the Formation Plan for the Sons of Divine Providence.
St. Luigi Orione practised obedience in a heroic manner. This is apparent in numerous circumstances of his life. Alongside his very eloquent words we have the model of his life and in a special way that of humble, filial and heroic obedience towards his Bishop and the Popes of his time. Here are some highlights of his obedience taken from his writings:
According to the words of Don Orione our obedience must be:
Holy: "His solid foundation is his faith in Divine Providence: obedience sees and follows God.
Humble: "Cheerfulness of face, gentleness of speech and a subdued voice are a great embellishment to obedience and reveal a good inner disposition."
Prompt: "Be careful of 'ifs'. You must obey without 'ifs and buts'."
Blind: "Obedience is blind when it carries out what is ordered without stopping to argue and to make judgements on the order, when it is accepted that God is giving the order. We therefore obey without any further consideration."
Intelligent: "I am not saying to you that you cannot be honest with the superiors and say: 'I don't feel like it for this and that reason...' Do that, but then obey."
Filial: "The superior must be considered as a loving father: let us obey him as sons in the Lord, with a joyful spirit."
Not servile: "We will not obey reluctantly, nor through servile fear, but joyfully in the Lord and with a generous and liberal heart."
Cordial and happy: "And I say 'with a joyful spirit', because obedience should always make us happy, whatever the sacrifice it involves. If obedience does not make us happy, but saddens us, we are a long way from perfection."
Confident: "Conceal nothing; never keep things hidden! Do not act in stubbornness, but walk in docile obedience, with loyalty and simplicity. You must have confidence in your superiors."
Simple: "If this simplicity is a humble sincerity of the heart, you will have it every day, and if you nourish it with humble, constant prayer you will become holy."