Today April 21st is the Feast of St. Anselm, who according to St. Francis de Sales, was a fine example of one who submits to the Will of God, especially as it is manifested through other people.
In St. Francis’ Spiritual Conferences, Conference 15 to the Visitation Sisters, he tells this story:
I will tell you something that I have read lately in the Life of the great St. Anselm. We are told that all the time that he was Prior and Abbot of his Monastery, he was greatly loved by all because he was so condescending, and so yielding to the will of those about him, whether they were his monks, or only strangers. If any one said to him :Father, your Reverence ought to take a little broth,” he took it at once. If another person the next moment said : ” Father, that will be bad for you,” he left it instantly. Thus in all things in which there was no question of offending God, he submitted to the will of his brethren, who doubtless followed their own inclinations, as did still more seculars who turned him round their fingers as they pleased.
Now this extraordinary pliancy and condescension of the Saint was not approved of by all, much as all loved him. One day, therefore, some of his brethren came to remonstrate with him, saying that in their opinion this was not as it should be. They declared that he ought not thus to yield to every one’s will, but should make those over whom he was set in authority bend to his.
” My children,” said the Saint, ” perhaps you do not know why I do this. Remembering that Our Lord has commanded us to do to others as we would have them do to us, I cannot act otherwise ; for I desire that God should do my will, and therefore I gladly do that of my brethren and my neighbors, hoping that it may please God some times to do mine. Moreover, I have another motive, namely, that next to recognizing God’s will as made known to us, I cannot discover His good pleasure more certainly, than through the voice of my neighbor. For God does not speak to me Himself in words, still less does He send His Angels to make known to me His pleasure. Stones,plants, animals do not speak ; it is only man then who can declare to me the will of my God, and therefore I attach myself to that as closely as I can. God commands me to show charity to my neighbor ; now it is great charity to live in harmony with one another, and I find no better means of effecting this, than by being gentle and considerate.
Gentle and humble condescension ought to appear in all our actions. My chief reason, however, is that I believe God manifests His will to me through that of my brethren, and therefore that every time I comply with their wish in anything, I am obeying Him. Moreover, has not Our Lord said that unless we become as little children we shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven ? Do not wonder then if I am gentle and yielding as a child, since in being so I am only doing as my Savior has commanded.
It is of little consequence whether I go to bed or stay up, whether I go there or remain here, but it would be a great imperfection not to submit in such matters to my neighbor.”
So, my dear sisters, you see that the great St. Anselm submitted in everything not contrary to the Commandments of God, or of Holy Church, or of the Rules ; for of course to them obedience must take precedence. I feel sure that if they had tried to induce him to do anything in opposition to these, he would not have done it. But apart from this, in matters indifferent, it was his general rule to comply in all things and with the wish of all people.