Tonight I would like to continue what we have started in the Verity's Jumping Course in making sure we have our concern for a better understanding also of our own monastic formulas. Now we have all realized that It may have been this era of the Second Vatican Council, an era in which, in a certain sense, the Church feels that she is being reborn again. And all these life-giving words of the Second Vatican Council, like a level setting of the process of universal fermentation.

[01:11]

And I have this fine cloth and I have a little feeling that maybe our friends, people from the outside, guests, priests who come here, may think that we here in our city are too remote from a scene of actual change and become a part of this rebirth, or at least of the path which comes. Of course, we feel completely and truly a part of it. I mean on the river that we also feel in the land. We ask ourselves, what is our part in it? What does the spirit tell us in this mirror?

[02:18]

Now in a very deep sense I think, especially in reading again in the doctrines and reading them slowly and medically, meditatively, I think we feel that in a very deep and true sense we can consider this as our Council. Why? Because it is the Council of the Risen Savior. is the Council of the Church, the Church of the True, of the Paschal, of the people of God, of mercy, of true catholicity to the sense of openness, openness in the ecumenical sense, openness in the cosmic sense, openness in the eschatological sense.

[03:26]

And each one of these terms indicates a theme which in the history of the Councils is new, but not in the history of monasticism. And certainly not in the history of monasticism in this 20th century. Still quite fresh in our memory is the shock which was felt, I think, in the whole church during the first weeks of the council, when one realized that the Fathers were quite unsuspectingly being confronted with problems which require not so much an instant of ability, nor the knowledge of canon law, but that kind of wisdom which rises out of the contemplation of heavenly beings.

[04:39]

Now, by his very nature, the monk feels always at home there where this miracle happens. His whole statement of a monk is not based on documents. But it is, first, his spirit is alive, demands to be lived. It's ruled by first of all the words of eternal life, which proceeds from above, of the sin. And with a lot of reads the constitutions and declarations of the Second American Council, indeed he feels guilty at all. And now let us proceed and further investigate the texts, and let us try to confront them and to work

[05:41]

in the work of our hearts as if we see the words of eternal life. Do you remember when we had been speaking about the first chapter of the church? I must say I can't just calculate every detail, but I want to call your attention to the conclusion of this first chapter, which runs this way. Just as Christ carried out the work of redemption in poverty and under oppression, so the Church is called to follow the same path in communicating to men the fruits of salvation. Christ Jesus, though divorced by nature of God, emptied himself, taking the nature of and being rich, he became poor.

[06:43]

Thus, although the Church needs human resources to carry our nation, she is not set up to seek earthly glory, but to proclaim humility and self-sacrifice, even by her own example. Now that is why, for us, that is a tremendously important guide, a light, and we are not unfamiliar with it. And still, it is for us, a constantly renewed challenge for the individual as well as for the monastic community. And I think in a special way also for the Benedictine community. Because we are all, for instance, we see that in our own life, all of us in one way, as the community of England alone.

[07:45]

relatively so unimportant and insignificant community or churches, Monsignor is. Still there is, coming up right, a certain propaganda saying, Spirit of Rome, somehow. This Spirit of Rome, it dignifies the kind of competitiveness Africa. And by the way, one compares oneself with others, other communities. And easily, I'll just give that to your attention. You are well aware of it. Until then, I don't say this in any kind of scolding way, just a kind of factual, you know, reminder of self. We are in danger, I think we all feel that, too, as they think too much of us in it.

[08:52]

To come into a kind of perfectionist life, we find sometimes within the community a constant looking out for the better things. And that causes here and there some restlessness. not be able to settle down to a certain white line, to a kind of interiorly green. Now, this is our thinking. Now, I don't say it's wrong somewhere. In other words, we keep open for them, open in humanity, open because we say, while other places may have federalities that we have, and also the Holy Spirit may show us new things and deeper things. That kind of, let us say, mobility is always and is deeply essential for us.

[09:59]

I mean the mobility which humility provides for us. the mobility which the faith in the Holy Spirit gives to us. So that, of course, makes us open, keeps us open to true spiritual values. And that should always, in that way, should always be new. And in that way, the fantastic life is constantly really a beginning. And I'm going to say this for the first time, characteristic norms Monastic life itself should not settle down to a certain stately virginity of a perfect form. But it is something which is a constant adventure. To live with the Holy Spirit is an adventure.

[11:03]

And therefore, in that way, we must spirit, keep the spirit of what we have. Also, life in the monastic community, in every home, must do that. It's part of the response. But then there are other things, you know, other motivations which creep in and which are not so good. For example, if one gets impatient, and I've spoken about that in the past, The Church of God of Goodness and Beautiful, Church of God of Knowledge, Jared, and so on, five years later, March, at the age of 12. Now the others are much stronger than we are. Sorry. You all have to sit. And there must be, wait, I think we have to kind of remember there is a kind of, of penitent spirits, and there is another, longer spirit, which to my knowledge, before the real spirit in you, doesn't kiss in that way, I don't think it's dangerous.

[12:19]

in the wrong to the wrong areas. It's also this whole matter of removing certain things in such a way that they are really un-interiorly agreed upon and grow naturally out of the quality law. And of course, all of that, you know, all of it, you know, in its exact one time moment, that depends on a lot of factors. But the main thing is, you know, it happened in no time. Why have to be a part of it? Because the church speaks to the spirit of these churches. And therefore also speaks to the other. And there's a community. And you see things develop by what they are kind of pushing, you know, pushing everything.

[13:25]

And then things eventually go tense. And as I said, it may take longer. It can go longer. And then it gets into kind of ambitions. Ambitions are just not the field for the monk. It's absolutely evident. And those things are really against poverty. I mean, the real poverty of us. So that is what strikes us in the year, and it's a message for us in this first chapter of the Church. With that closes, and we come to the second chapter. And that second chapter then is important for us because that is on the people of God. Now again, you know, you see why? A completely new tradition. New in the history of the Councils, not new in the history of monasticism.

[14:27]

The people are now at least, one can say, not also in our history, not so quickly. So there is one sentence I want to call your attention to, and it is this, I read. It has pleased God to make men holy and saved not merely as individuals without any mutual bond, but by making them into a single people, a people which acknowledges him in truth and serves him in holiness. See, by the way, if you read that as a bond, and of course you read it as the sin of life, Many think about this, not too far away from the rule of St. Philip. We find that, you know, we recognize there is a kindred spirit, that is the spirit which animates a monastic community.

[15:39]

And we certainly realize that in a monastic community, just this idea of the people of God, It occurs in the classical world. It was used twice. It was built upon the claim of God. And there again, how much we have discovered in the course of this last year. Why, if we certainly, I am no one in this community interested in developing any kind of anti-clerical spirit or anti-clerical complex. Still, on the other side, we certainly, well, we certainly realize and re-investigate ourselves. That is, the clergy, those ordained, belong in our heart all the people of God.

[16:45]

It's not so that the people of God are the laity of one side and the clergy are the others. All that's together, you see, the people of God. And that's so tremendously important. As Saint Augustine says, I am very good when I think what I am through ordination, ambition and self-sacrifice. But I rejoice and I am consoled when I think of the thing I have in common with you, to be a very good Christian. Beautiful. So that is the spirit that, of course, something is in itself not new, but still in his memory and still in a monastic community. It is in the 20th century. It is a discomfort, because that is one of the processes in which we are really informal, and where we really again are not

[17:50]

which has been bullied as a consequence of Vatican Council. But it seems to me as if they're sweeping in their own stream of development on which the Vatican Council is a manifestation of the conceit of the monastic community as the people of God. And the conceit of the monastic community as the people of God, and why we don't see that The people of God can be understood in its reflections only in terms of the Holy Spirit. Behold, the days shall come, and I will make new covenant with the house of Ishmael and with the house of Judah. I will keep my law in their hearts, and I will write it in their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

[19:04]

For all shall know me, from the least of them even to the greatest," said the Lord. If one thinks about it, one sees the whole product, sadly, just as is allowed by God, we mark on God the whole program and power of our monastic formation. What is the principle, so to speak, of our monastic formation? One certainly gives lips, for all shall know from the least of their meaning to the greatest, that's the law. So, if that is evident, all that, as I say, the program of the concept has to come from this, declaring the priestly students for nature,

[20:11]

And with the craft, exploration, we have a sign that would be. And then where our whole, our entire inevitables we have, which we get, and then all these things need development, the time for development. But this is the treasure that saves the planet, for all shall know me, for the least of them are given to the greatest, thanks to the Lord. So the Holy Spirit is not the privilege of education, but the Holy Spirit is simply important. Old, we have said that's all. The old and the young. The free and the slow. made the people, the nobles, and the queens.

[21:14]

And in all the things which he promised, so he ensured. So should father's direction or view toward in that sense guide us, for us, I will leave my Lord in their bowels, and I will write it in their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." And that, again, of course, immediately reflects our monastic life. What makes the dog tick? We have said that so often, do you remember? He is the hidden man of the heart. The hidden man of the heart. Who is the hidden man of the heart? That is clear in the Holy Spirit's will. But in that world, it isn't ostentation.

[22:18]

It isn't competition. which is not ambition, but with a simple, this heavy, but humble, but glorious and joyful being. Thine was flowered in it before the beginning. That is the monastic line. So I give my law in their bounds, and I will write it in their hearts. This monastic vocation, monastic life, is that of love. Virginity, how often we have reminded ourselves of it, is a fact. It can only be lived in the dominant dogma. It can never, in that way, be devoid. It has to come to grow as a cause spontaneously, out of the ground. And in that way, of course, virginity is never true.

[23:20]

It's knowledge, precision, virginity is not the eyesore thing of thought. Eyesore is truth. But the precision, virginity is knowledge within itself. That means it's a matter of you couldn't be virtuous, that's why we didn't face the Lord. We didn't have that vis-a-vis the thought. And there is a bond. And that bond is called monastic profession. And that monastic profession is called the world. And in that way, our life is a special way, I would say that, I can say, a total world is the noxious of the land. That's what makes the monastic activity. And I want to suggest the reason why, in some way, we withdraw from the Church.

[24:25]

Our withdrawal from the Church is not, again, to set up a competition with the Church or to set up a church. Our withdrawal from the Church is not aimedly against the Church. It is not the act of charity. But what is this withdrawal in order to, I think every member of the community realizes, every woman gets outside of the cell to record the official shirt. And Carlos didn't cover it up, you know, with the chance rings and so on. I used to remember those days, now that I've discovered who adopted this ability. And for a moment, you can hear in the newspapers that I thought I was going to have a chance. In the old days, not here. Because there, you see, you come into contact with the kind of existence, silence, and this fault of authority.

[25:43]

And that's, of course, necessary where the administration, the ordinary administration of the Church is engaged, or it has to be engaged, unfortunately, in all of its daily missions, meeting the daily missions. But that is, of course, in all that kind of an atmosphere, there may be a certain covertness. This is necessary. But I mean, it seems to be that we have already reached a decision. It's better to say that. If one wants or not to do it, how do we do it? It's to a certain extent, it's an impersonal, it's an institutional affair. Of course, our withdrawal from the Church is why we do that, not simply because we are financed in the world.

[26:54]

We hate the world and think about that, but for the sake of love, I've called you into the desert to speak to your heart. And that's our case. So, therefore, this withdrawal, I can say that's the entire Ransul Thar withdrawal, but certainly an aspect of Ransul Thar is this inner desire not to withdraw from the Lord and to get lost in anarchy. But it is a withdrawal of a love which leads, or let us say, which meets the group, which meets a certain consciousness, which aspires in and lives in a personal exchange of the heart. And which not only in that way brought from the war to the younger, but also in our relationship to God, getting our relationship to the community, and peace in worship.

[28:13]

So in all that, in a certain withdrawal, is part of our constitution, it has always been Well, for this all I write, I write for greater intimacy, greater faith. For I will be their God, and they shall be my people. That's exactly what happens when the monastic community in that way meets with all of the above. This realization is our God. We are His. Boiling in the withdrawal and in the silent prayer of the individual. This realization of this in the individual soul of this general intimacy that the monastic atmosphere, the monastic life should provide for everyone.

[29:23]

So therefore there it is, and that is also so strong for us, that the newness, or the experience of newness, Because that is the way that comes with that continuously. But when Paraguay say, oh, this bitch, I'll tell you why. I'll just wait. This was to be the new people of God. The new people of God. That people, in other words, that was not limited, not anymore, to erase certain nations. For example, the Jewish nation. where Jews and Gentiles meet together. That means the new people in which then the Holy Spirit is the one, and not the righteous.

[30:26]

But when the Holy Spirit transcends the righteous, then we create a new people. And new people, which is then again, you know, why does the monk for that inquiry, why does he withdraw? Again, you know, let's ask that question. And you will feel, by the way, one of the reasons for our withdrawal is really our desire for newness. One may say one wants more. I think even returning from the monastery into the outside, in the milieu of the north, has been hugely thought. And as always, not always, but the majority of cases, We feel we compare the thing, and not in the spirit of comparison, not in the spirit of mission or anything.

[31:37]

Then we glorify ourselves. But simply as a matter of fact, we feel that if that's not the case, then simply something is wrong with us, the community. But if the monastic community really lives life, then they will not catch a feeling of ignorance at all, that they think the monastery is the place where they found the ground of newness, spiritual newness. Why? Because outside of all that is a little, this atmosphere will be too small. Secondly, of course, that simply is a result of the fact that the level, and on the general level, let us say, among the mass of Christians cannot be that if, let us say, their Christians are free,

[32:46]

to meet in a kind of, I wouldn't say exclusiveness, but in a kind of freedom that would associate one to the other in the news of Christ. It means a dispensation in our awareness of Christ. We have that here, and also we realize that, for example, among our own, what is the reason for our holiday news. There are lots of competitions of carriage. Why do they exist? They only have a reason to exist because in some way, they represent and they are connected with this specific newness that is alive within us. So here, for example, in town, group, you know, people, individual people, and so on. Why do they feel attracted? It's their inner feeling, and that's a kinship, you know, with newness, newness of Christ.

[33:54]

And therefore, monks or monastic community, in a special way, represent within the church this element, you know, of eternal youth. And that, of course, is part of our getting to a general concept of what our life, and also the rigidity in the highest sense of the word, because that is the rigidity of the spirit. We don't want to sit around the resurrection.

[34:30]

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