Itisasasacrifice，amodeof“mortification。”thatobedienceisprimarilyconceivedbyCatholicwriters，a“sacrificewhichmanofferstoGod，andofwhichheishimselfboththepriestandthevictim。Bypovertyheimmolateshisexteriorpossessions；bychastityheimmolateshisbody；byobediencehecompletesthesacrifice，andgivestoGodallthatheyetholdsashisown，histwomostpreciousgoods，hisintellectandhiswill。Thesacrificeisthencompleteandunreserved，agenuineholocaust，fortheentirevictimisnowconsumedforthehonorofGod。”[186]
Accordingly，inCatholicdiscipline，weobeyoursuperiornotasmereman，butastherepresentativeofChrist。ObeyingGodinhimbyourintention，obedienceiseasy。Butwhenthetext-booktheologiansmarshalcollectivelyalltheirreasonsforrecommendingit，themixturesoundstoourearsratherodd。
[186]Lejuene：IntroductionalaVieMystique，1899，p。277。
TheholocaustsimilegoesbackatleastasfarasIgnatiusLoyola。
“Oneofthegreatconsolationsofthemonasticlife。”saysaJesuitauthority，“istheassurancewehavethatinobeyingwecancommitnofault。TheSuperiormaycommitafaultincommandingyoutodothisthingorthat，butyouarecertainthatyoucommitnofaultsolongasyouobey，becauseGodwillonlyaskyouifyouhavedulyperformedwhatordersyoureceived，andifyoucanfurnishaclearaccountinthatrespect，youareabsolvedentirely。Whetherthethingsyoudidwereopportune，orwhethertherewerenotsomethingbetterthatmighthavebeendone，thesearequestionsnotaskedofyou，butratherofyourSuperior。Themomentwhatyoudidwasdoneobediently，Godwipesitoutofyouraccount，andchargesittotheSuperior。SothatSaintJeromewellexclaimed，incelebratingtheadvantagesofobedience，’Oh，sovereignliberty！Oh，holyandblessedsecuritybywhichonebecomealmostimpeccable！’