The Vow of Obedience with Kristofer
In this four week video series, Kristofer has been reflecting on the promises he made last week as part of his formation in the Order of St. Francis. In this Profession of Vows (that took place Friday), his two-year period of the novitiate came to an end. You are invited to listen in, as Kristofer discusses the promises we make to God. In today’s reflection, he will share more about his understanding of the Vow of Obedience, how it takes form in this uniquely Anglican/ Episcopal way of being, and explore with you about how this value may have meaning in your own life and ministry as part of St. Francis Episcopal Parish & Community Center.
See below for an excerpt on The Vow of Chastity from the website of the Order of St. Francis: https://www.orderofsaintfrancis.org/vocation
The Order of St. Francis : The Profession of Vows -- The Vow of Obedience
“...To observe the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, living in obedience without anything of our own, and in chastity. Brother Francis promises obedience and reverence to the Lord Pope Honorius and his canonically elected successors, and to the Roman Church; and the rest of the brothers are obliged to obey Francis and his successors.” (Rule of 1223)
Religious obedience is that general submission which religious vow to God, and voluntarily promise to their superiors in order to be directed by them in the ways of perfection according to the purpose and constitutions of their Order. It is composed of three elements:
• the sacrifice offered to God of his own independence in the generality of his actions, at least of such as are exterior;
• the motive, namely, personal perfection, and, as a rule, also the performance of spiritual or corporal works of mercy and charity;
• the expressed or implied contract with an Order (formerly also with a person), which accepts the obligation to lead him to the end for which he accepts its laws and direction.
The religious is bound morally to obey on all occasions when he is bound canonically, and whenever his disobedience would offend against the law of charity, as for instance by bringing discord into the Order. By reason of the vow of obedience and of the religious profession, a deliberate act of obedience and submission adds the merit of an act of the virtue of religion to the other merits of the act. This extends even to the obedience of a counsel which goes beyond matters of regular observance, and is also limited by the prescriptions of higher laws whether human or Divine.
In its simplest of terms, the vow of obedience exemplifies “humility” on the part of the Brother, both in his actions within the Order, his community, and with the world at large. He humbly accepts the decisions of the Order, his peers and mentors, the discipline of the Church, other pastoral officials, and of the utmost, the will of God.
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