Obedience: The Authority of the Word

by Raniero Cantalamessa

There is a kind of obedience which concerns superiors and subjects, religious and lay people alike, and it is not the obedience of man to man but the obedience of man to God. This is the obedience which sustains and makes acceptable all other kinds of obedience, to parents, to civil and religious authorities, to rules and to "every human institution". It is precisely in order to make this obedience to law and visible authority flourishing again that we must start from obedience to God and to his Word. Obedience is not in fact renewed by law, but by grace; not by the letter, but by the Spirit. It is the Spirit - that is, Grace - which alone can give man both the command and the capacity to obey. "Law was given so that we may seek grace; grace was given so that we may observe the law", says St. Augustine. It is therefore to the Spirit that we entrust ourselves, so that he may take us by the hand and guide us in our quest to rediscover the great secret of obedience.

Genres: Theology

Paperback

First published December 1, 1991

About the author

Father Raniero Cantalamessa is a Franciscan Capuchin Catholic Priest. Born in Ascoli Piceno, Italy, 22 July 1934, ordained priest in 1958. Divinity Doctor (Fribourg 1962) and Doctor in classical literature (Milan 1966). Former Ordinary Professor of History of Ancient Christianity and Director of the Department of Religious Sciences at the Catholic University of Milan. Member of the International Theological Commission (1975-1981) and for 12 years member of the Catholic Delegation for the dialogue with the Pentecostal Churches.

In 1979 he resigned his teaching position to become a full time preacher of the Gospel. In 1980 he was appointed by Pope John Paul II Preacher to the Papal Household and confirmed in that position by pope Benedict XVI in 2005. In this capacity he preaches a weekly sermon in Advent and Lent in the presence of the Pope, the cardinals, bishops an prelates of the Roman Curia and the general superiors of religious orders. He is also frequently invited to speak in many countries around the world, both to Catholic and Protestant audiences.

He has received an Honorary degree in Laws from Notre Dame University (Indiana), in Sciences of communication from the University of Macerata (Italy) and in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville (Ohio).
In addition to his early scholar books on patristic Christology, Easter in the Ancient Church and other topics he has published numerous books on spirituality fruit of his preaching to the papal Household, translated in more than twenty foreign languages.
For 14 years, from 1994 to 2010 he has run a weekly program on the first channel of the Italian state television (RAI) on the Gospel of the following Sunday.

From 2009, when he is not engaged in preaching, he lives in an hermitage, at Cittaducale (Rieti) ministering to a small community of cloistered nuns.
The 18 July 2013 he has been confirmed by pope Francis as Preacher to the Papal Household.

Reviews

[Parmida R. A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

"He learned obedience from the things which He suffered." - Hebrews 5:8

[Patrick Santino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good, but nothing groundbreaking, not that I expected there to be either. To be honest a lot of it went in one ear & out the other, this is a “me” problem, so perhaps on a reread it could get up to 4-stars. Anyways, the parts I absorbed seemed pretty basic about Obedience to Christ above all else, especially over or in relation to worldly powers who circumstantially are worthy of our obedience. I found Chapter 5 the most interesting, especially the bit about the Magi example. Last couple of chapters were good too.

[Alberto Lagomarsini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es que no tengo palabras para tanta excelencia y sencillez para explicar algo que llevaba tiempo buscando. Es un top 5 que ya va llegando a top 10.