COLLOQUY XL
True Obedience is like Death
The holy Father once commanded a disobedient Religious to be stripped of his garments, placed in a deep pit, and covered with earth. When the Brethren were fulfilling this order, and only the head of the offender remained uncovered, the compassionate Father drew near, and said : ‘Art thou dead, Brother? art thou dead ?’ The disobedient Friar, now penitent, replied : ‘Yes, Father, I am now indeed dead.’ ‘Rise, then,’ said the Saint, ‘if thou art truly dead, and henceforth obey the command of thy Superior, as thou oughtest, and show no repugnance to anything he enjoins, any more than a corpse would do. I wish my followers to be dead, not living.’