Obedience Taught by the Church

The Church Fathers, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and the Holy Bible emphasize "obedience" because God prepares us for eternal life in Heaven.  Children are taught to obey and honor their parents.  Wives are instructed to obey their husbands for they are the head of the household. Priests make a vow of obedience to the Bishop and the Bishop obeys the Pope.  The Pope is also under authority.  As Vicar of Christ, he is subject under God.  God ensures that everyone is placed under some kind of authority to teach us humility....to be like Christ.  If one cannot obey the prophets, priests, or bishops whom God has sent, how can one then say that they obey God?  

According to St. Ignatius to the Syyrnaeans:    

See that you all follow the bishop, evan as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as you would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution of God.  Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop.  Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it.  Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.......

......It is well to reverence both God and the bishop.  He who honours the bishop has been honoured by God; he who does anything without the knowledge of the bishop does [in reality] serve the devil.   

These are very strong words from our Church Fathers, and it rings true.  When Martin Luther went against the Pope, what was the consequence? Martin Luther was the founder of Protestantism. Today, Protestantism is so fragmented and is in decline in the United States due to its existing fragmentation.  Francis of Assisi was placed in the same situation as Martin Luther.  The difference between them is that Francis of Assisi did not leave the Catholic Church.  He helped to reform the Church, but he did it with humility and obedience. 

The political life of the Church during Francis' time was in disarray.  There were many factions fighting each other, among priests, bishops, and even among laypeople.  There were shaken by the criminal sexual behavior of some of the clergy, which led to a lack of confidence among the flock.  There were struggles.  Yet, despite these struggles, Francis loved the Church.  He remained obedient to her pastors and was unwilling to be critical of the Church.  Instead of tearing her down because of the sins of some of her leaders, Francis chose to love the Church and serve her - and because of that love and by his simply living of the Gospel, he became the means God used for the conversion and renewal of a whole age of faith (See weblink below).


Francis as the Model of Church reform


Only God can see the future because He is the Master of History.  God has a plan for all of us.  Many times, our plans are not of God's plans.  So, when things don't go the way we want it to go, it is because He has something better for us.  And we are to trust God's plan for us.  As long as we obey the Bishop and Church teachings, God's plan for us will be fulfilled.  If we go against the Bishop and Church teaching, the consequences will not be good. But each person has a choice.  If one already goes against the Bishop, one already goes against Church teaching for Church doctrines does not favor disobedience unless it is contrary to the moral order (CCC 2256).  

CCC 1269  Having become a member of the Church, the person baptized belongs no longer to himself, but to him who died and rose for us.  From now on, he is called to be subject to others, to serve them in the communion of the Church, and to "obey and submit" to the Church's leaders, holding them in respect and affection. Just as Baptism is the source of responsibilities and duties, the baptized person also enjoys rights within the Church to receive the sacraments to be nourished with the Word of God and to be sustained by the other spiritual helps of the Church.