Why do Marists give up their personal freedom when they vow obedience to God through the community under the leadership of its superiors?
Marists take a vow of obedience. It means sincerely seeking to discern God’s will as it is expressed through the interplay of one’s desires, prayer and opinions with that of the wisdom of the community as expressed through its leadership and through its understanding of its mission and charism. A Marist is not free to do as he pleases any more than would be any other adult. It can be said that Marists give up a certain kind of individual freedom in order to find a more profound freedom in community. They obey the decisions of the community and its superiors in order to respond to the needs of others more effectively and to unite themselves with their fellow Marists.
