Although God gives us liberty, He does not mean to relinquish His rights over us. We belong to Him, we are His; and should we endeavor to free ourselves by disobedience, which is a true robbery of God's goods, a denial of His rights, we then declare war against God. God has then to declare anew His right to possession, and He does so by chastisement. Would He allow the revolt to go unpunished, He would no longer be God.
--St. Peter Julian Eymard
