A Year with the Saints - 2 June

Obedience is, without doubt, more meritorious than any austerity. And what greater austerity can be thought of than that of keeping one's will constantly submissive and obedient? - Saint Catherine of Bologna

When Saint Mary Magdalen de' Pazzi was sick, she was accustomed to refuse any delicate food or costly medicine that was offered her; but if the bringer required her to take it as an act of obedience, she made no further objections; but saying only "Blessed be God." she would instantly take it.

As Saint Dositheus was not able to practice austerities or even the ordinary exercises of religion on account of his feeble health, he turned his attention wholly to the practice of obedience, and after five years spent in this manner it was revealed to him that a crown like that of the great Saint Anthony awaited him in Heaven. When some of the hermits who had been most fervent in penances and in all the other exercises felt aggrieved at this, Our Lord signified to them that they had failed to understand the full merit of obedience.

- text taken from A Year with the Saints, composed by an unknown Italian, translated by a member of the Order of Mercy; it has the Imprimatur of Archbishop Michael Augustine Corrigan, Archdiocese of New York, New York, 21 January 1891