THE THIRD SIGN OF INSPIRATION: HOLY OBEDIENCE TO THE CHURCH AND THE SUPERIORS
Most holy humility is inseparably joined to the peace and tranquillity of heart. I do not consider as humility ceremonious profusion of words, gestures, kissing of the earth, show of respect and bowings. These are not expressions of humility when they are done, as often it happens, without any interior disposition of one’s own lowliness and due respect for the neighbour. For all these are mere show of weak persons. These should be termed phantoms of humility rather than humility itself. I speak of a noble, real, deep-rooted, solid humility which makes us open to correction, flexible and prompt in obeying.
When Simeon Stylites was a novice at Teleda,[1] he was not docile to the advice of his superiors. They wanted to prevent him from practising so many austerities, as he was cruel towards himself without any moderation. Finally, he was expelled from the monastery for being incapable of the mortification of the heart and too much given over to that of the body. Soon afterwards he became aware of himself, more devout and more wise in spiritual life. He behaved himself quite differently as the following incident shows.
The hermits scattered all over the neighbouring deserts of Antioch came to know the extraordinary life Simeon was leading on his pillar. On it, he was like an earthly angel or a heavenly man. They sent him a delegate from among them. They gave him this mission to speak to him on their behalf: “Why, Simeon, have you left the great path of devout life traced by so many great saintly predecessors? Why do you follow another path unknown to humans and so far removed from all that has been seen, yes, till now? Leaving this pillar, Simeon, come and join us in the way of life and the method of serving God common among us according to the custom of the good fathers, our predecessors." Suppose Simeon accepted their demand showed himself ready to come down immediately. If so, they charged the delegate to leave him the freedom to persevere in this kind of life that he had begun. These fathers said that by his obedience we can know well whether he undertook this form of life by divine inspiration. On the contrary, imagine that he opposed and despised their advice and wished to follow his own will. Then they decided that he should be brought down by force and made to leave his pillar.
The delegate came to the pillar. As soon as he gave the message, the great Simeon, without delay, without reserve, without any retort whatever began to come down. It was an obedience and humility worthy of his rare holiness. Seeing it, the delegate said: “Stop, O, Simeon. Stay there. Persevere with constancy. Be of good courage. Follow bravely your undertaking. Your stay on this pillar is of God."
See, Theotimus, I beg you, how these ancient fathers and hermits in their general gathering found the most sure sign of heavenly inspiration in obedience. They found it in such an extraordinary matter as the life of this Stylite. They saw him simple, gentle and docile to obedience. God also blessed the submission of this great man. He gave him the grace to persevere for full thirty years on a pillar of thirty six cubits[2]. He had already spent seven years on other pillars of six, twelve and twenty feet high. Before that he had spent ten years on the small peak of a rock in a place called Mandra54. Thus this bird of paradise lived in the air without touching the earth. It was a spectacle of love for angels and admiration for humans. All is safe in obedience. All is suspect outside of obedience.
When God sends inspirations to a heart, the first one he sends is that of obedience. Was there ever a more famous and unmistakable inspiration than that was given to the glorious St. Paul? The important inspiration was that he should go to the city. There he would learn from the mouth of Ananias what he was to do (Acts 9:7). This Ananias was a very famous man, was bishop of Damascus as St. Dorotheus tells us. Whoever says that he is inspired and refuses to obey his superiors and follow their advice is an imposter. All the prophets and preachers who were inspired by God always loved the church, always followed her teaching and was approved by the church. They never announced anything more strongly than this truth: The lips of the priest keep wisdom and we should learn the law from his mouth (Mal 2:7). Hence extraordinary missions are diabolic illusions and not heavenly inspirations unless they are recognized and approved by the pastors who have the ordinary mission. Moses and the prophets agree to it. St. Francis [of Assisi], St. Dominic and other founders of religious orders were called to the service of souls through an extraordinary inspiration. But they submitted to the sacred hierarchy of the Church all the more humbly and whole- heartedly. To sum up: The three best and most certain proofs of lawful inspirations are:
1. Perseverance against inconstancy and fickleness.
2. Peace and gentleness of heart in contrast to anxiety and restlessness
3. Humble obedience against stubbornness and self will.
We conclude all that we have said about the union of our will with the declared will of God. Almost all the herbs which have yellow flowers and even the wild chicory which has blue flowers turn them towards the sun. Thus they follow its course. But the sunflower does not only turn around its flowers but also all its leaves, following this great luminary. In the same way, all the elect turn the flower of their heart, which is obedience to the commandments, towards the divine will. They not only look at the divine goodness by obedience to the commandments but also by the union of all their emotions. They follow the course of this divine Sun in all that he commands, counsels and inspires them without any reserve or any exception whatever. So they could say with the holy Psalmist: Lord, you have held my right hand and you have led me according to your will; you have received me with much glory (Ps 72:24)[3] I have been like a horse towards you, and am always with you (72:23)[4]. It is easy to manage a well trained horse. The rider who mounts on it can gently and easily turn it in all directions. So, too, the loving soul is so pliable to the will of God that he can do with it as he wishes.
______________________________________
[1] A monastery in Syria. Kerns, TLG, p.349.
[2] About 50 feet
[3] It is direct translation from the original. French text of the Treatise as it does not correspond with English translations. Ps 73:24: You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me with honour (NRSV
[4] Ps 73:23: Neverthless I am continually with you; you hold my right hand (NRSV).