Which? Excuse me. Convenience. Stability. Stability. What is the authentic border? Which border? I think convenience is the first. Is it? He tells us the first. And then comes the second one. Bonito. Bonito. Nothing without them.

[01:09]

Do you want to have more and more? This is your good morning. Obedience. It may be, that may be important, you know, to mention them in that direction, in that order. Because I wanted to speak first a little about the vase in general, about the three vows in general, and then about every individual. Concerning the vows in general, this kind of order might be important to notice, Albert Hildefrand has in his commentary compared the or put the monastic vows into parallel with the parallel with the baptismal vows and that might be a good thing you see kind of to be to

[02:25]

You know, to take that into consideration, it is, you know, the baptismal, the baptismal laws in connection with the, also with the, you know, that in some way goes together with the creed. The creed is spirit in what way? First, what are the three articles of the creed? No, no, no, in the creed, the creed, you know, In Deum, you see.

[03:35]

Then the next article is in Jesum Christum. The Son. The Son, yes. And then in the Holy Spirit. So there are the three arcs of the Creed. The Son and the Holy Spirit. And of course if you put that in connection with it, Credo in Deum, and this, of course, that is the, one can say, the divinity, you know, the ascension to divinity. Credo in Deum, that is the, as I say, one can say, the divine being. Divine being. Then comes the second one, and in Jesu Christum, Filio meis, Doctrum nostrum, Jesu Christum, that is, of course, that is the manifestation that Christ is the one who deus tu conversus liticaris nos, God, you turn and you give us life.

[04:52]

That's, of course, Christ. Christ, God turns. That is, we say, that is the opus, the work of redemption, the actual, I can say, transformation through the indolent husker who knows Christ, earns the turning from overcoming of sin and that way the entry into the divine life. And then you have the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, He is then the union with God, the freedom of the deep dwellers. In that way one can or could You understand it in that way. Then if you apply that to the vows, you could see the stabilitas is the entering into the being.

[06:00]

The stabilitas is what can say It breaks out and reflects the ontological foundation of our life. Stabilitas is being rooted in a divine being. This is, of course, again, if you look at it on the historical background, the stabilitas the turning away, you know, from the instabilitas, the roaming around, you know, of the gyro vegs. This roaming around of the gyro vegs, this instabilitas of the gyro vegs is, of course, that is, why are they never stable? If you look at it in the light of Holy Scripture, for example, you know, you have one where this instability right in the beginning of Holy Scripture is shown, you know, so evidently, and that is Cain, you know, that's Cain, the fugitive, fugitive, fleeing from the face of the Lord, and in that way roaming,

[07:26]

And, of course, this roaming, what is it? It's simply the external expression, you know, of your inner refusal to believe in the one God, you know, the one God. And you are surrendering to the one God, giving up of the idols and the polytheism and the many gods, you know, which are usually nothing but the projections of our own self, will, undisciplined, unoffered desires. Therefore, the Stabilitas is that important moment where we agree that we serve God, the one God at his one place, You see, that is, of course, I take that and it has to be taught.

[08:31]

First of all, I take a spiritual sense, you know. Nevertheless, the other, let's say, the local sense, of course, has its importance there. But essentially, it's the turning away from the many things to the one, to the one God. And always you feel that, you know, and that's in the life of the monk, you know, always a tremendously important step, especially the young man. It always has before him a hundred possibilities, millions of possibilities for them to settle down and to accept one, you know, to hear and to take this as God's will for me, you see, and there then to settle down before the Lord, that's, of course, an enormously important step, the stabilitas, you know, the giving up the many things and the concentrating on the one.

[09:51]

Our Lord says, you know, uno necessario. That doesn't mean one thing is necessary, but uno necessario, the one necessary thing. Uno necessario. There is one thing necessary, and that is, as in the Old Testament, it says that The unity of God is, by the way, together with the unity of the place where you find him and where you adore him, where you worship him and where you sacrifice. That's the temple in Jerusalem. Of course, that's an image, the image of the spiritual stability. But then it's, you see, it's the real estate of where does Christ, you know, want to lead us? To the Father. To the Father. That is, that's the end, that's the last one.

[10:56]

In the end, he puts and gives back his kingdom, you know, to the hands of his father, set in the apocalypse. So, and that's the stability, you see, you stand that way during all of the day. And then comes the other one, the conversatio morum. If you consider this, what is the conversatio morum? Of course, that is practically speaking, that is the imitation of Christ, imitatio Christi. Conversio, conversatio morum. following Christ through his death into resurrection. Then, of course, also the imitation of Christ in his whole way of life, his poverty, his service to others,

[12:14]

It's a whole spiritual life, a place of prayer, all that. You see, that's the way in which he himself, through patience and humility, through love unto death, enters into the kingdom, into glory. And that is the... then you come to the last one, that is the obedience. Now, the obedience is the giving up of one's own will, see, that goes... Of course, the hardest one, you know, that way, the giving up of one's own will. You know, you can say the core and center, you know, so the conversatio, the obedience.

[13:23]

And that is the giving up of one's own will, as St. Benedict always emphasizes that in his rule, Obedience is a thing which behooves those who don't have anything more dear to them than Christ. Therefore, it's really the motive of the obedience is love. Love. It's not so much the giving up of will, you know, let us say, as a source of energy, manifestation of characters. That is the complete inner surrender to God's love for me. That is really what obedience in that way is. And that is, of course, that is the essence of the Holy Spirit.

[14:30]

The Spirit is poured out in our hearts for one reason that there may be that love that seeketh not her own. There is of course also the consummation of unity. Obedience is really that The immediate result of obedience is that unity of the self-will. I just mentioned that. as a view, you know, as an approach, you know, which, of course, I think it's very fruitful, you know, to see the vows in that light.

[15:41]

Of course, in the baptismal vows, it is that negative, you know, that what are the baptismal vows, you know, is this that one... renounces Satan. Renounces Satan. And that is, of course, parallel or the opposite of the turning to the one God. Those two things. They are the two kingdoms. Renouncing Satan. That means that that is a thing which, an act which is in the line of being. I don't want to be Satan's. I don't want to give myself to Satan. I renounce Satan. That corresponds then to the vow in the positive way, the vow of stability, as the turning to the one God, the divine being, and the lordship of the one God.

[16:56]

renounce Satan, and all his works, omnibus operibus est, works. See, the works, that is the second, you know, always, in this, in our vows. You know, it's the vow of the conversatio moro. What is that? You see, that is, of course, in the line of works. That's in the practical line. And it's, for example, in the rule you have the conversatio morum in the instrumenta bonorum operum. The work, the tools of good works. And what are the mores, you know? The mores is, of course, the practical way of life. Individual habit. Conversatio morum suorum.

[17:59]

means of his personal, practical way of life. It means in the line of opera. And then we have the last one of the renouncement, baptismal renouncement, in all his pomps, works and all his pomps. of the devil that's of course an old expression of the antiquity that is that whole world you know that was so strong in paganism that still is you know that display the display of the of the seducing glamour of the word, you know. Today we would translate that, you know, that word, ponte, with glamour.

[19:05]

A glamour girl, you know, is most of the time an instrument, you know, of the devil. So the glamour of the world, that is, of course, what, you know, that is the medicine the whole realm, you know, of the religious opposed or corresponds in the positive realm to the Holy Spirit and to that, you know, that inner surrender, you know, in all simplicity and humility to God's love for us, opposite to the display and glamour of the world. So, um, That would be just a little, you know, a consideration for the house in general and a way to approach it. So that is, and necessarily, you know, was actually in St. Benedict's by and then he wrote, you know, we covered this, you know, to decide, you know, about that.

[20:13]

It was so much, you know, the, I think here the, obviously we find in the rule all the formulas, you know, were, for the expression of the monastic conversion and the monastic vows, which we'll touch on later on. So, I don't want to say that this is the only possible explanation of the order of vows, but it is an idea which opens us a certain access. But of course the important thing is the vows themselves and what they involve. I thought we might today and in the following conferences start with the last one, with the obedience. things have to be and can be seen very well in connection, you know, with the various genera monaco.

[21:29]

Obedientia is the thing which, of course, the permit is beyond the obedientia, insofar as this obedientia is related to the abbot, the relation to the abbot. Evidently, that is the meaning of it. For example, if you have here the first chapter of the Rule, in the first chapter of the U.S. Just the other day, Here, you see, it's right there, the first sentence.

[22:35]

Now, in that sentence, you know, you can see that. Hoc est monasteriale. What does that mean? That, of course, is stability. Stability. In the monastery, that means that makes the monastery. It's the stability. Now, that is the conversatio. Because the regular is the way. That is the conversatio. Conversatio monastica. That rules the life of the monk. It's the regular. And then, get abate. The avid is the one who, from moment to moment, applies the regular, you know, in the personal way, represents Christ.

[23:40]

He can never be, the problems of the monastic life, you know, of the kolosatoma, can never be, can never be met, you see, by any kind of a book, collection of laws. And that's, of course, also not the meaning of the regular. It always needs the personal fellowship, the personal relation to the abbot. And that is the obedience. And in that way, the obedience, you know, can be seen if you take it in that way. You see that these three things, you know, the monasteriale, many times you break with that, It abated in the monastery under the rule of the abbot, stabilitar, conversatio volum, obediência. The obediência is therefore something which is, as they say, which extends, you know, something that brings an element and that is the reason why obedience, you know, is taken as a separate vow from the conversatio.

[24:57]

Especially if you see the conversatio morum as essentially the observance of the rule. The vow which binds to the observance of the rule. Then the abbot, the election of the abbot, that's the obedience. Because you cannot, for example, in the day-by-day life, you know, something comes up, you can't look up the rule. Where you go is to go to the abbot. ask for permission here, permission there, or from somewhere, you know, all the things that are involved in the personal day-by-day relation with the spiritual father. That is the obedience. But then you have the obedience itself, and then we do that. first thing was on the loud obedience and what is

[26:13]

what it involves, and to discuss that also in the practical way. Now, again, if it comes to obedience, first we have to see the general context of it. And that is clear in one way, it's clear right from the beginning of the parlogues, Else then also from in the fifth chapter, and in the chapter of the Abbot, that the obedience is seen by Saint Benedict in the context of what we call the process of adoption of souls, the adoption of souls. And that is important, that we always keep that in mind. You see, the whole level of the vows, the level on which the vows establish in the soul, this status, is of course what we call the status of perfection.

[27:49]

And what we hear, The essence of it, therefore, it establishes us on the divine level. Divine level. Divine level. The center of that, of course, is be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect. The Greek word for it is telaios. The word telaios, as you know, comes from the word telos. Telos means The aim or the end.

[28:57]

The end. Telos. Therefore, telios is the one who is at the end. In the connection with the end of times has come. In that sense, the end of time is not what is that, the end of time is, of course, as you know, the messianic age. The messianic age. The messianic age is the end. Of course, this messianic age, this end, is characterized By the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Fullness of the Holy Spirit.

[29:58]

By those who stand in the end. Means who are in that way perfect. Spiritual men. Homines spirituos. Miri spirituos. Spiritual men. We need men that completely are guided by the Holy Spirit. Now, what is the Holy Spirit? And the Holy Spirit, of course, as you see that in the beginning, we have it here in beginning of the chapter of the Abbot. He is believed to be the representative of Christ, the Abbot. That reason is called by a name of this, according to the words of the Apostle, we have received the spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

[31:11]

We have received the spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. You see, that's, of course, that's the spirit, the homo spiritualis, the one who is filled with the Holy Spirit. In that Holy Spirit, as I said here, he cries, Abba, Father. That means his whole being is turned towards the Father. And that is then here in this in this concrete life here on earth that is made practical through and in the obedience. Obedience is the obedience of the Holy Spirit in which we cry, Abba, Father. That means we want to be sons in everything we do. How are we sons in everything we do? By obeying the Father through the obedience.

[32:21]

The Holy Spirit, and also put it another way, the Holy Spirit pours out in our hearts the agape, that means that love which does not seek itself. Therefore is the fulfillment of the will of the Father. See, what does the psalm say? He calls, I did not call to do my own will, but I came to do the Father's will. Not my own will, but the Father's will. You understand? That's, of course, for us, you know, as men, as human beings, in this state of fallen nature is crucial. Why? Because fallen nature is under the law, one could say, the law of disobedience.

[33:33]

The law of disobedience. And that's our natural state in which we find ourselves. And that's what Saint Benedict explained, of course you know, why did the first sentence of the Proverbs. And therefore the importance and the meaning of obedience is that we return to the one whom we have left in that sloth of disobedience. That's the context. That, of course, is the important thing. Therefore, if you take Chapter 5, the first degree of humility is obedience without delay.

[34:36]

Now, this becometh those who hold nothing dearer to them than Christ. You see? A comment is, Indeed, you see, we are Christo parius, are liquid, existent. You see, this is, if you have there, you must take that very literally and very well, you know, very understand it. What Saint Benedict in this chapter here asks is, obedience without delay that must be taken in one obedience without delay that means obedience without any breaks off because of course the obedience of the slave is always an obedience without breaks off if this here is obedience without delay what is that? that is the that one becomes interiorly completely obedient.

[35:45]

Obedience without delay doesn't say that if only, I mean, it's only an external sign, you know, if somebody perceives an order, you know, that wants, you know, immediately. That's only the external. manifestation, a delay, you know, a temporal delay is only the manifestation of an interior resistance. External delay is interior. Therefore, obliensia sine mora is essentially, of course, an interior thing. That means that immediate inner ascent. Therefore, you know, see, and that is, this becometh those who hold nothing dearer to them than Christ.

[36:47]

Now, who is that? That are the teller. That are the teller. because what is the essence in that way of monastic perfection? Is that the absolute imitation of Christ, the complete imitation of Christ? Christ is the telios, the messiahs. He is the centre of the last days, the end of time. Of course, everybody who in that way makes Christ the centre of his life, he is really in the messianic age fully. And therefore, there is that, you see, the that means full obedience.

[37:54]

And, of course, as St. Benedict says, as soon as you read the chapter, of course, that is also disobedience, is God loveth a cheerful giver. Therefore, the disciples should give their obedience, as he says here, bono animo. Bono animo, that means wholeheartedly, we would say, in English, wholeheartedly. with a good will, he translates it here. For if the disciple obey with an ill will and murmur, not only in words, but even in his heart, then even though he fulfill the command, his work will not be acceptable to God, who sees that his heart is murmuring. So that is the obedience.

[38:59]

The obedience is that it belongs, you know, this monastic obedience belongs to that, not be perfected to any father, perfect, you know, and therefore complete, you know, that in a conformity with Christ. Then in this conformity of Christ, the fullness of the Holy Spirit, we say with Christ, as songs, Abba, Father. Every reaction, you know, of course, to a command, you know, is in that way crying, Abba, Father. It is therefore a part of this process of adoption of souls. That is the inner meaning of it. Therefore, obedience wants, of course, to lead us into the inner freedom of the children of God the freedom of the children of God and that is of course here that is possible only of course in obedience which is given to God because God is in last analysis identical with our will it's of course the important thing

[40:22]

God is really identical with all. God is the absolute good. And therefore, in doing this through the spirit of adoption of sons, you know, becoming sons, we can't miss the mark. We do something that is really deeply corresponding to our will. It is the will, because what is the will in man's nature? Really, if you look at it theologically, what is the will in this faculty we have? It's, of course, already in our nature. What is it? It's an image of the Holy Spirit, image and likeness of the Holy Spirit. But of course, in the state of fallen nature, this image and likeness has suffered, it's damaged.

[41:32]

We are what St. Paul calls, we are in this state of fallen nature, we are divided. in this whole process of return to the Father, what is necessary? Get the simplicity. What is the simplicity? Is that what is described here? Obedience here, see the book, Obedience without delay. Simplicity, that's what we call the simplicity, undividedness of the child. The child, the child of God. So then that is the heart of opinion. Then, of course, anybody who enters it takes this obedience. Any concrete obedience as an instrument must always remind himself what is the last meaning of it. It's not, again, as different, important, not a political thing.

[42:39]

Obedience is not demanded of every member of the community to make it easier, you know, for the abbot to kind of rule about. That's of course not the meaning. It's of course the same with the whole meaning of hierarchy in the church, the priestly office. The authority Without authority, of course, no obedience. Authority, of course, in the Christian realm, is out of political matter. What's aspersion? Authority is always there in order to lead every Christian into the realm of that love that seeketh not at all. That is why we have hierarchy. That's why we have a pope. So we have bishops and priests who are sent by the divine love.

[43:50]

As the Father has sent me, so I send him. The Father sends his Son. The Son is, of course, in that inner relation of obedience to his Father. I come not to do my will, but the will of the one who sent. But then the same son, of course, becomes a father himself by sending others. As the father has sent me, so I send him. So he becomes a father. Christ, as you know, of course that's evident here in Holy Rule, in this chapter, Second chapter on the abbot, you know that here, St. Benedict takes it for granted that Christ himself is called Abba Father. He's called Abba Father. And that is why the abbot represents Christ under this name. It's just the name of Christ. Abba Father.

[44:53]

Why is this Abba Father? Why? Because he is the head of the church. Capulet religion. He's our father because he, through his sacrifice, brings us to life. Brings us to life in holy baptism. Through his step and his resurrection. That's our birth. He's our father by feeding us. Holy Eucharist. This is my only take. He is the house father who puts the food on the table. He, of course, also is for us. We are all Christiani. Why are we Christiani? Because we all take the order of the Holy Spirit from Christos, the anointed one. So in all these ways, these three ways, Christ is really Father.

[45:56]

Father. And therefore, the abbot, if you like his name, is, in that way, the representative of Christ. Christi viagra vices in monasterio credito. So, that is, let us say, that is the theory of it, you know. I mean, that is the, on what you could call it, that is the mysterio obediensi, the inner mystery of obedience. realise that obedience has, on the level of the vows, on that level of perfection, obedience has a sacramental character. Sacramental character. And that means that every act of obedience is an immediate source of life. It's a sacramental time. It's like, one can say, like eating the food that is Christ.

[47:02]

It's like drinking the blood of Christ. Yes, that is... But then, of course, we have another aspect of it which we have to talk about, and that is then the concrete fulfilment of the vow of obedience. What is the concrete way in which then this obedience is fulfilled or is lived? And there, of course, we have to listen again to the Holy Rule. And there, I just touched upon it, you know, this morning, there is that... It touches upon that too, you see, that in this whole matter of obedience there is first

[48:05]

One thing, of course, is the danger of naturalism, you see, naturalism, that we take a naturalistic view, I call it always political view, naturalistic. And this naturalism, natural, that naturalistic view That's, of course, one thing we have to be clear about. We have to beware. One, for example, of this naturalistic view is that one is eager, for example, to obey the abbot. Why? Because one knows, you know, the abbot has certain natural qualities. He's naturally wise. Or he's naturally... knows people, or he is good, or he is easy-going, or he is very determined, clear, knows what he wants.

[49:37]

things may be all right, but they're never, of course, the basis for obedience. That one must be very clear. Because if this kind of attitude, you know, this naturalistic approach, I obey the abbot because I know he's capable, various fields, knows what he's doing, Of course, his experiment is not the real supernatural. It will always lead to this kind of attitude, which we say now, I follow the average, you know, as well as, you know, this what he says is seen by me, you know, and recognized as a very good and reasonable thing. It problematises if something is all right, doesn't it?

[50:46]

On the natural level, you always keep your obedience within your natural judgment, within the limits of your natural judgment. Where the judgements agree, fine. Where the judgements disagree, difficult. And then, of course, the average is a capable man. And then you come to two other completely different things, you know, too. For example, the whole question, all that, if the average has to be a capable man, to say, I put that in parentheses, I mean, I put that in quotation marks, capable man, then what is capable? What is capable? Inevitably, in the end, you land up by administration. Inevitably. It's a good administrator.

[51:47]

A good administrator, therefore. But you see, immediately, if your relation to the abbot is determined by his being a good administrator, there is not those taxes. He really knows. So, you know? Then, of course, you see right away that is not on the level of the Holy Spirit, of the angel, of the teller, you know, the eschaton, the last thing. We can, of course, if one elects an abbot who is capable of ministering, one can, of course, belong very well, you know. It can be very successful. Successful in the sense of this world. But the question of God is the interior, not the spiritual.

[52:52]

And then comes the other, there comes then the other danger of the supranaturalism. That, that, that, It's a good way, you know, this supernaturalism. The supernaturalism is the opposite, you know, extreme. The naturalism in last analysis decides about, you know, for example, who is to be abbot, Yeah, he's a good monk, he's fine, but of course the great thing is that he knows a lot about finances, you know. He's a good organizer. And then the other one, the other extreme is what we may call supranaturalism. Supranaturalism.

[53:56]

And that supranaturalism, that That would be, that extreme would be that he is, you see, the eye is exclusively closed to the virtues. Speaking about the first ground, we start with the obedience, and we try to see it not as a disciplinary thing, not really what obedience is all about, it's the process of adoption of self, to get into that process of adoption of self.

[55:33]

Well, the abbot is, for that matter, is the instrument, is the way in which, in the monastic life, you know, that's, of course, the important thing. The abbot, the superior in that way, is an institution, is something which is specific to the monastic, or as we say today, religious life as such. And that's one of the differences between monastic life in the world. In the world, for the Christian, Living in the world, of course, he also is bound to do obedience. Of course, the obedience is of a different character. It's not the same, because the position of the Christian in the world from the very beginning is different.

[56:49]

He cannot... give up in that way his, let us say, the inborn, the authority or so on, the authority or the We can also say the rights which he possesses as a human being, as a member of the general human society. You must be very clear about that because sometimes the difference is not between A life which is lived under the vow of obedience and a life which is lived in the world, not only the vow of obedience, but of course also with the obligation to fulfill God's will.

[57:53]

Fulfill God's will. Of course, in that, all Christians are the same thing. We are all bound in our life through baptism, putting on Christ, we are bound to fulfil the Father's will. Of course, the way in which we do it is different. In the world, to do the Father's will is, of course, in the framework, in the general framework of the life of the world. And there, of course, it's absolutely clear, you know, that there, man is, because he is free, he is called upon then to, say, to take care of himself, you know, to realize, materialize the

[58:56]

inner independence, freedom, inner independence, that likeness of God, also through a degree. The degree may be different. I think that the, you know, property, you know, in that way, personal property as the intangible and absolute, the foundation of any human society. That, to my mind, is an absolute exaggeration. This capitalistic exaggeration. And the teaching, of course, of the Pope's teaching doesn't go with that. You know, if one reads in the beginning of, for example, any kind of story of the 17th, 18th century or 19th century England, you know, this beginning of this industrial thing.

[60:03]

The whole thing, the prisons were full of people who had, let us say, sinned against the capitalistic virtues. your interest, you know, at the right time, and all that, you know, it was an atrocious theft, you know, I mean, simply punished, if you consider it as a capital crime, you know, absolute exaggerations, you know. Poverty is later bogus or kind of an idol. That's not even generally human, I think. But part of humanity lives in kind of common with restricted property, duides, restricted from the bonum commune.

[61:06]

No, therefore that is not. But, I mean, it's certain, you know, that man has the right, you know, certainly for a certain independence. Of course, he has... The further thing is he looks forward to founding a family. Now, founding a family, after all, where he necessarily is heading, you know, towards being the head of the family. and husband and wife, you know, parents, you know, working together, and all that for the family, for the founding of a house, a dormus, and in all these things, of course, they, and especially in married life, of course, husband and wife, you know, have to be obedient to one another, you know, in that way. I mean, that obedience is very often can be a very, a good thing, you know, that really cuts very much and very deeply into the, say, into the personal, what do you say, personal freedom.

[62:26]

One calls up, you know, a good husband and says, now, here, I have another ticket there for Metropol. Now, I would like to go with these. Now, the first thing is I have to ask my wife. And that's, of course, that's simply, it's in the nature. So, I mean, there is that obedience, mutual obedience, husband and wife. But, of course, it is not that property is owned. There are certain rights concerning the children that parents have. Simply, there is a position of authority there. This authority, again, is not a despotic authority, certainly. And it's a serving authority, but anyhow, it is authority. And therefore, the man in the world, you know, has to find his way.

[63:35]

And of course, also, he is not bound, you know, to what we say, abandoning his giving up his own will. He is not. But, you know, Married life, for example, if you look at the relation between the wife and husband, the wife glories in the husband. Why has she married the husband? She has married the husband because she admires him. That's usually kind of important, she admires him. And, of course, why does the man marry a wife? Because I'm being admired. I feel a response. There is somebody who is ready to take me on, to follow me.

[64:40]

These are very important elements in the whole But, you know, married life... I mean, the married life is not... If you try to put the marriage, you know, on the... For example, on the basis of, ah, this poor man, he really, if I could save his soul, you know, so on, you don't marry anybody to save his soul. I mean, if you do that, it will end in a debacle, you see, you can't do it, because it's just not the order of things, you see. The married life is, in that way, a fulfillment in the natural sphere, has to be fulfilled Again, this will fill in the natural fields and exclude the sanctification and the transformations of through the love of Christ, certainly not even Christ for it, but it's not the exclusive principle.

[65:45]

A girl should not marry somebody just because she thinks she has to save his soul. Wrong, absolutely wrong, cannot be done. then it just will not work. But if she marries, if somebody there looks out for a wife, you know, yeah, this man is to be the mother of his children. That is the important thing. That's, of course, a natural thing. And if he goes and looks around, then he looks twice. So, therefore, you can see that that's simply a different proposition. Therefore, don't simply get into a wrong track and say, oh, if I look at the average and what a husband has to give up, and how he has to slave for his wife and for his children, you know, to keep them in bread and butter, and so on, and how they have to pick and keep up with one another's imperfections and so on.

[67:00]

and how they have in that way to give up their own will, hides more than in a monastery. In a monastery you see that this group, you know, bundle of bachelors, you know, and everybody kind of entrenched in his cell, selling forth, you know, either to the divine office, where he is not essentially interfered with, or to a meal, weight is the modification, and then maybe to some activity, you know, which also, so therefore, and then everybody goes along, you see, unless the other one live, and then you say, of course, that's unfortunate, that is the case, you know, in many So that in that way, sometimes for the observer, you know, the discerning observer, we may call that discretion.

[68:05]

It looks, you know, religious life, you know, saves you many troubles. But of course, we have to look, if you choose your way of life, you have to look at the essence of things. What is the status in the eyes of God? not what it can be through human laziness and abuse, or, did I say, through tremendous human virtue. That is accidental. In choosing the state of life, one has to choose the essence of the life, not the accidental. Just as you cannot enter into a monastery and bind yourself to a monastery because you have some good friends in that monastery. That's not the meaning. From that basis you cannot join. You cannot make profession. When you make profession, you make profession on a way of life.

[69:08]

Because that is what your vows lead you to. And that's, of course, the way of life and the way of marriage. In the concrete case, marriage may turn out to be a daily martyrdom. But it was never intended of either one of the two partners to be that way. It turns out that way now, and they have to cope with it. And of course, thank God, the Christian faith and the grace of Christ gives meaning to their life even under the most torturing circumstances. That is no doubt, that's marvellous. But that's not the intention of this statement, you see. So then that must be absolutely clear why the monastic life is different. In the monastic life you really

[70:11]

with the vow of being to really surrender completely to God in that immediate surrender, in which you simply give up your own will. And that your own will is, of course, not always bad. On the contrary, that own will is very often a very good will. But the whole point of monastic life is that you give up your will also in good things. That's, of course, something which is absolutely not in any way required by the natural law, nor by the Ten Commandments. It simply belongs into the sphere of what we call the evangelical councils. the fear of evangelical counsel.

[71:14]

Of course, these evangelical counsels, therefore, also can be taken on only through the free will of the individual, nothing else. It's a matter of what we call a work and a status of what we call supererogation, that fateful word. Supererogation. Of course, therefore, the vow is the inner ascent to this status of superannuation, not in that way an ascent to keep the Ten Commandments, to keep the natural law and things like that. No, it simply goes beyond that. It's that inner, complete surrender to that guidance which then, through God, which is then given through the instrumentality of a vicar, of somebody who has and holds the place of Christ, you know, even as the community and for the individual.

[72:25]

See, that's, of course, if you want, in that way, you can compare it as an artificial thing. It's not something which is in the nature of things. in that matter, artificial, but of course it's an artefactum gratiae. It's a situation, you know, which nobody is bound to assume. That's for sure. The situation to which nobody can be compelled by any force. That was always the principle of nature. a situation which only can be taken on out of the abundance of love. As it's said here, you see, it becomes those who hold nothing dearer to them than Christ. That's the key. Therefore, it's, for example, wrong, you know, for anybody also

[73:30]

He would enter into a monastery because then he finds, oh, I've got a terrible time from case to case, from situation to situation, to make up my mind. It wouldn't have been much nicer if somebody else would make up my mind. That's not the meaning of the vow of obedience. If somebody enters the monastery with that idea, you know, Thank God he has somebody else to make up his mind for him, then he should fail. See, this is not the meaning of monastic life. But the inner positive contact, union with Christ, that's the meaning. That's the meaning. In that way then he is simply You see, it will say persons on the abbot, of course, with the eyes of faith. But as we said before, you see, we must be, I said that yesterday, and you must keep that clear.

[74:39]

Therefore, this here is, accept the abbot's authority on the ground of faith. Now that means, of course, in one way or another, you don't follow the abbot because you think he's marvelous. I mean in a human way. He knows everything better than I do, fine. He is the born leader, therefore. That is natural, naturalism. You cannot, in that way, approach and judge the other. But faith, of course, either doesn't mean, as we said before, this supranaturalism. Supranaturalism, that means this exaggerated attitude, as you say now, for example, everything that...

[75:41]

The abbot says, you know, it's fine, you know, just, you know, because he is the representative of Christ, you know, therefore everything is wonderful. And therefore there is no, I cannot, you know, and I should not in order to really, for example, I often, very often found that also in boys who come, you know, on the train, you know, by the dear sisters or so, you know, that somebody holds the place of Christ, that means, you know, he is kind of infallible. Therefore, I can never judge. I can never be simply evil. For example, if the purest relation to a superior is that of absolute passivity, Because the more passive, I mean, that's the idea of many, it's not my idea, but it's the idea of many.

[76:50]

See, the more passive I am, the surer I am that through the abbot the will of God reaches me. It's not true. It's just not true. Therefore, don't make any suggestion, for example, to the abbot. Don't even tell the abbot what you personally would prefer. Simply tell him, even if he asks you, simply tell him, would, dear Father, just as you decide. And in that way, then you really are sure there is supranaturalism. Those things are shortcuts, these mystical shortcuts. And that is not the meaning of the rule of St. Benedict and not the meaning of monastic tradition. That is what Father Basil Steudle also very truly and very clearly points out.

[77:53]

It's not the meaning of monastic tradition. It is not the meaning of the rule either. Because in the rule we have always that, I think it's chapter 68, If a brother be commanded to do impossible things, if it happen that something hard or impossible be laid upon any brother, let him receive the command of a superior with all docility and obedience. That's, of course, always the basic attitude which is demanded by the hysteric. One cannot receive anything in that relation between the abbot and her The principle of that relation cannot be, well, you probably are wrong. The principle of one's relation cannot be suspicion, that the other probably is influenced by somebody, and he is not, you know, he has no understanding, or he has something against me, you know, and therefore, but all docility and all of these, and that inner openness, that's all.

[79:08]

If he see that the weight of the burden altogether exceeds the measure of his strength, let him explain the reasons of his incapacity as superior, calmly and inducingly. Calmly and inducingly. Patiente and opportune. Very good. Without pride, non superbiendo, without pride, not resistendo, obstinacy, but contradicendo, defending himself. And, of course, all these things are done, you know, just a great deliberation. Those are the things which, of course, control from your self-will. Here one wants to defend, one wants to fight.

[80:09]

But you see, this attitude does not defend, it is suggestione, to suggest. St. Benedict, in the Latin text, called the post-suggestionem sua. Therefore, he should suggest that. But if always with this adjective, now if the superior then really decides, in the end, you see, of course, the superior is asked to listen to the suggestion, too. That's the wonderful thing in a rule, that both, it's not only this rule of Saint Benedict, is not only a rule for subject, but it's also a rule for abbot. That's very important. Those two things simply have to go together in the Holy Spirit. And therefore, the abbot is bound to listen. But if then, and then he should think about it before going on.

[81:17]

Then afterwards, after this deliberation and after the explaining of the whole situation, he haven't settled. Now then, you know, then I tried. In the spirit of agape, he trusts in the assistant. So therefore, then, it's a beautiful chapter, but there we can see, and you recognize, of course, also, why the way that this here, this whole thing, in obedience, is so important, you know, and really is reflected in what we call the school. because in the school there are often, of course, the disturbance of peace and so on. It just comes from this, you know, that somehow, you see, there is a clash, you know, there is something that, let's say, according to my judgment is wrong and so on.

[82:24]

No. What the school recommends is first we turn into the peace of Christ. You can also say that that's return in this trusting inner obedience. It's in that place where one is ready. Sometimes we call it the zero point. But, of course, the zero point is something very positive. It's simply that moment where the Holy Spirit takes over in a soul completely. But then, of course, the next thing that the school recommends is, now put all the material before the teacher. Give him all the facts. That's the act of knowledge. And that is here in chapter 68. Therefore the obedience, that is the obedience of the monk.

[83:25]

That way the obedience of the monk is really a dialogue between father and son. But between father as father and son as son. Not just between two persons, but between father as father and son as son. That means the father is asked really to listen, loving in the attention and passion and feeling for the other one this is the essence of the father in the father of course as just as in the mother they are always the the heart is always involved For the son, you see, the son, a son, that means he recognizes that he receives the life-giving word from the father.

[84:27]

Therefore, he's not always defending himself or he's not there in order to argue, you see. If somebody comes to a superior, in that attitude, simply to argue and say, oh, I'm going to tell him the truth, that, of course, doesn't work. That doesn't work. But it's not either, you see, that in one state, the best ones are always those who make the deepest vows, you know, and say always, yes, of course, I'll have it. Yes, I'm going to have it. Never say anything where they're really free. I'm afraid I'm not doing a very good job here in this shed, but it's just a very And not enough hours in the day.

[85:40]

Just terrific. But we were talking about the obedience, yeah. Obedience. And it's a very nice... I set away the piece of St Anthony. Very nice words, you know, that I just came across this morning. This... quoted by Vasilis Steible, a great Swabian. Then Anthony says, now I have to translate my German, who wants to, who is eager to hasten to perfection, Der Rasch zur Vollkommenheit gelangen wird. Der Rasch zur Vollkommenheit gelangen wird. Chinese.

[86:46]

They are not Chinese. Austin isn't that barbaric. Wer reich zur Vollkommenheit gelangen will, darf nicht selbst Lehrmeister sein. Who wants to hasten to perfection cannot be, or should not be, himself the teacher, and should not obey his own will, even if his will even if his will wants the right thing. You see, that's of course the big difficulty.

[87:49]

That is the crucial thing. Even if the will wants the right thing, and of course there are always, as you know, many good and right things, of Saint Benedict's death, that sentence in the seventh chapter on humility. There are many ways that seem to be good to man, and still their end is a big question. so therefore that is very important for the whole monastic idea should not himself be the teacher should not follow his own will even if his will wants a good thing but on the contrary we have to observe the

[89:00]

He buys on the word of the Lord that everyone should renounce his own will. Renounce his own will. Because the Savior said, I did not come to do my own will. but the will of the one who has sent me. That is John 6.38. And St. Anthony continues, evidently the will of Christ was not opposed to the will of the Father. The Lord could not want or will anything wrong. What he wanted was his will in that way. He's right. But the whole point is that the one who came in order to teach obedience should be found himself in obedience.

[90:19]

That's what St. Anthony said. See, it's the will of Christ. The will of Christ is wisdom, if you want. And therefore the whole world has such this kind of Paradoxical, but still, you know, it's the one who came to teach obedience to himself observe obedience. And therefore, how much more we who are by nature, visibly, you know, how much more are we in danger if we do our own will. So that is See, for Christ, of course, his obedience, you know, was a part, either his position or his entire purpose for which he came, was to give his own life that others may live.

[91:39]

So in that way, of course, his death, you know, was the Father's will and not his own will. a seal, you know, to that, you know, surrender to the Father as a sacrifice. His priestly, the paschal aspect of his priestly activity. So there is therefore also, there is the the example for the monk, you know, and I say the difficult thing is that we always have, let us say, we always have reasons and good reasons, you know, to want this and to do that, you know, that what we want may be completely right, you know, and still it has to be surrounded by what we

[92:48]

Obedience may ask us, you know, not to do what seems to be completely right to us. There is this dear, dear brother Bernward, Bernward in the Mariela. He used to say, you know, that Bernward in Mariela, He was a very good, you know, a good, really, lay brother, Sue. He was just so proud of his face, you know. Very red on the top of it. I still see it. He says, yes, one has to slaughter one's Isaac. Because the Isaac, you take that, Abraham, Isaac was the whole light of his future, the whole walk, so to speak, of his faith, the pledge of everything good for Abraham.

[94:04]

Therefore, my son, the only one, the one whom I love, there was nothing wrong in him. nothing wrong with that absolutely right and still he was asked you know to offer him slaughter him and that's of course that was the supreme test for Abraham who is the father of our faith and who is the archetype of obedience to the entire world Old Testament and New Testament. And that's, of course, for us. We have to slaughter on Isaac. That means not only give up, you know, vices, you know, and elicit desires.

[95:15]

but to give up things that seem to be very good to us. That's of course the real test there. That's the real death. So let us just now take a look at the chapter on obedience, and may we just get the idea, you see, of St. Benedict, because the main thing, of course, in this whole thing you see there right away is to catch the spirit, you know, the obedience. I mean, that's the main thing. We have said that right from the beginning, the obedience is for that, we can say, a sacrament, a mystery. The entering into the heart of the mission of the Son of God, of our Lord, who came not to do his own will, although one can say his own will was the best in the world, and to do the Father's will, which was the cross.

[96:37]

So the... to the entering into that Mysterium of the Word of God made flesh. That's the matter, that's the whole thing here, this obedience. So it's the needle's eye through which we enter into the wide spaces of Pentecost. So therefore, if we just take a look at it, and I'll read it to you, The first degree of humility is obedience without delay. Now, there are two things, by the way. The first degree of humility. Therefore, obedience is not something which is, let us say, isolated. Not a disciplinary thing. The first degree of humility. Humility, what is it? You know, is, of course, participation in the Paschal mystery, in Christ's Pascha. That is really humility.

[97:42]

You see that right away if you take the seventh chapter of the rule. Seventh chapter, that's all on humility. What is that on humility? You know, through humility you are sent. Through humility you are sent. Therefore, it's the Pascha. And therefore, obedience is part of that. First degree of humility. Obedience, and then obedience without delay. It means that complete, you know, because we are moving here then, of course, on the line of perfection. That's the monastic. And that obedience without delay, that's, of course, is the characteristic of a monk as the soldier of Christ. Milis Christi. The Militia Christi. Which the obedience is. You know very well that Our logic says that, of course, this whole chapter here on obedience, also the way which St.

[98:46]

Benedict formulates it, very much, you know, the character, one can say, the flavor of that, of that, let's say, the strong side of the Roman idea, you know, the Roman legions, you know, the... the relation of the soldier, you know, to the imperator. Imperator, what does that word come from, Father Bruno? Imperator. Imperare. Imperare. It means commander, you see. Commander in chief, as we say. Commander in chief. That is the imperator. Commander in chief. So here it is the soldier under the commander-in-chief that is the Lord. There is that obedience without delay. That means the obedience in the state of full, let us say, mobilization when the war is on.

[99:54]

And this become of those who hold nothing dearer to them than Christ. There is that inner, let's say, the sweet marrow of obedience. There is the love of Christ which really animates it. Nothing between me and Christ. It's really obedience is, in that way, mystery of union. Mystery of union. No barrier between me and Christ. And that is that because of the holy service which they have professed. That's, of course, like the soldier who takes the oath, the military oath. part of the holy service, but it's a holy service, servizio sanctum, it's what we call in the Old Testament aboda, aboda in Hebrew, the service. Those who excel in the Old Testament, I mean those who

[100:59]

the abode, you know, is most evident now, we call the Levites. The Levites, they are set aside for the servizio santo. In that way, the Levites of the Old Testament, of course, are, in a certain way, the example also of the monks, which they have professed, what professi sunt. That means it's their profession, you know. Obedience is their profession. just as the fear of hell, the glory of life everlasting, as soon as it comes, you know, this description, I brought your attention there, as soon as anything has been ordered by the superior, they receive it as a divine command. That's the first thing. That means they receive it as coming from above. Coming from above. Just as Abraham received the order concerning Isaac.

[102:01]

coming from above as a divine command it's god you know who is here and then of course is again you know it's the important thing we always call it you know in the in the school you know the famous drawing out the lines to christ Because in any order that one receives and can always, you get stuck and say, now, is this really practical, this order, or is it impractical? Is it good for me, you know, to do this, or is it not good for me? Do I like it or don't I like it? Why don't I like it? All kinds of things. And what may be the motive why I am ordered to do this? All kinds of things churning around. And then, of course, is that that obscures the entire thing.

[103:03]

First, the beginning is an act of faith. You receive it as a divine command. That's the act of faith. But that act of faith is immediately plugging in. You see, as soon as one does that, then the grace is there. If one doesn't do it, and says, oh my, no, why this at this moment, really, just, you know, then, of course, the current cannot come. Divine command cannot suffer any delay in executing it. Of these does the Lord say, he has listened to me and has obeyed. And again he says to teachers, He who listens to you, listens to me. You have the two things. He has listened to me and has obeyed. He who listens to you, listens to me. See, that are the two things that make the chain perfect, you know, these two protections.

[104:07]

The avid, for that matter, the superior, is the one who represents Christ. Therefore, who listens to the superior, listens to Christ. And then, If that is clear, when I have drawn out the line, then he that listens to me obeys immediately. That is that. What is the, I have called your attention sometime, it's good to remember these things. What in the Old Testament is, right at the beginning of the Old Testament, is the famous archetype of obedience, you know, of divine obedience. Do you know what I'm referring to? Maybe it's a very stupid question. In the Old Testament, I'll just keep it in my mind. You know, right in the first pages, in the first chapter of Genesis. In the Old Testament? In the Old Testament?

[105:10]

Yeah, but there is no angel. I mean in the, you know, in the first chapter of Genesis. But what is there? What element? is the essence of obedience. No? The word? The word? The word. Yeah, which word? Fear? Yes. Now, where is that most, you know, I mean, pronounced word there? Because there are several, you know, works that the word commands. But there is a wall, you know, where the word and the fulfillment just come, bang, bang, just like that. All the rappers, you know, always take that, you know, everything. Some total of the whole idea of obedience, which is owed to the Lord of Hosts.

[106:18]

Deus aga, the Lord of Hosts, that means the Divine Commander-in-Chief. The Lord of Hosts. They say sometimes the Lord of the Armies. That's a little, that's a little, maybe the wrong idea, you know. Kind of a Persian idea. The Lord of our army. No, that is the first, you know. See, there's no delay, you know. One thing, boom, it's finally. Yeah, it looks... You see, that is... That's very good, you know.

[107:24]

That's very... I don't know which verse it is in the first chapter of the... It's the... It must be... Yeah, it must be the third verse. If you read it, if you... No, we... What? What? In Spanish. The third verse. The third verse. And there is here, you see, he has listened to me and has obeyed me. And the light is the reason for the whole, let us say, the privileged position of created light. Created light is, in the Old Testament, the archetype of obedience. That is the, by its essence, light is obedient. So therefore, it then comes, you know, after this is established, you know, that this, what is the reason for the rush, you know?

[108:35]

God is here, present. God is saying, this should be done. And it was done. and then comes to the way in which. The first paragraph is, as I say, the divine mystery of obedience. Obedience in the eye with the eye, seen with the eye of the faith. In the second paragraph, then it comes, such as these therefore immediately abandoning their own affairs, abandoning their own affairs, and forsaking their own will, dropping the work they were engaged on and leaving it unfinished, with swift obedience followed with their deeds, the voice of Him who commands them. And almost in the same moment of time that the Master's order is issued is the disciples who are completed in the swiftness of the fear of the Lord, the two things being rapidly accomplished together by those who are impelled by the desire of attaining life everlasting.

[109:44]

That's what you see there. The whole emphasis is on that, that immediateness. Word ad actum. Dictum est factum est. And, of course, immediately abandoning their own affairs. Now, what are their own affairs? Of course, for the monk, he is not... Suppose, for example, if he's engaged in some work, you know, it's strictly speaking, of course, he's engaged in what is the meaning of his work. If somebody works in the garage as a monk, you know, of course, he works there as a monk. He works for the whole, you see. Then comes, then the bell rings, you see. And then, no, no, no. And in that very moment, you know, what he does, you know, is then becomes his own, you see, because everybody who does something is engaged in a work, in an affair. As soon as he's supposed to shift to something else, then he makes the decision, now, whose work is it?

[110:51]

Is it my work I'm engaged in, you see, or not? And as soon as there comes the critical moment, then... Is he able, you see, to kind of disown this thing, which, of course, in the last analysis was for God, and was doing for God. But there's always that mysterious thing that as soon as you are engaged in something, you get involved in it, and as soon as you get involved in it, it becomes again your own. See, that's simply the way we are made. You are told, let us say, you have to prepare class. You are just in there, you know, and you are reading this, and you say, my God, well, I just have to look up this other thing. Still, you know, and once before you know it, you are late at the office.

[111:54]

So... Why is it? Because you got identified with, at that moment, what you were doing. But in the order of obedience, anything and everything you do, you do it, as we say, in a detached way. You always do it, you know, as somebody who is at the Lord's disposal. That is the famous thing of the Lord, of course, is the essential thing in the Obedience is to bring about in us what we call the, in big French word, disponibilité. La disponibilité. That is the... That's what it is all about. At the Lord's disposal. But you will, of course, realize, you know, that... Very easily, I mean, you start, you are already, let us say, you make, you know, what, a shell, you see.

[113:03]

Before you know it, that shell is yours. And making that shell is you. Then rings the bell. And then comes what we call in German, das Eigengesetz, the Arbeit. Every work has its own law. And if you tackle a work you want to accomplish it, you know, and you have to follow the law of the work. You see? Is that a good English expression? Every kind of work has its own law. It has certain demands, certain rules or something. You have to follow the law of the work. And that's where you get involved and you want to do it well.

[114:10]

It's a very delicate business. It presents great problems in the concrete, you know, execution. Because sometimes, you know, you see here what sometimes may clash here, especially for modern mentality, you know, is what we call the active and the contemplative edge. You see? You see? The active temperament is, of course, is always, won't, you know, follow the law of the world. You see? Do it well. Get interested in it. Before you know it, you're absorbed in it. Then comes that thing. You identify yourself with it. That kind of thing. And then comes that thing now. But then God, of course, is the big question, you see, and a big problem, really, often, especially for modern man.

[115:13]

Don't have this... For example, you take, you know, a song contemplative, for example, a Japanese, you know, of course, the form is beginning to change. But there is, for example, the contemplative should have a work in which really kind of doesn't interact. It's of such a nature that it doesn't get a hold of its imagination. Take one of Then it doesn't become... Yes, for example, if you take the Carmelites. You take Carmelite neurons. What do they do? They paint little pictures. You can do that for five minutes, and then the Mother Superior comes, says, now we have to do something else. Of course, you can that too. You see, it's a work which doesn't take, you know, which doesn't engage you. You see? It doesn't engage you.

[116:14]

And therefore, there's an old school of thought which says that monks should never get a work in which they get engaged, do a work in which they get engaged. Therefore, for example, the old monks in the desert, what do they do? They make, with palm leaves, you know, they make shirts, let's say, or they make baskets. And then after they have done it, you know, they have done a basket, you know, in the tunnel, then they kind of untap the thing, you see, just in order to see it. But you see the, you know, the reason for that, you know, yes, this, disponibilité. Well, he has done it, you know, and then one just, well, now, I put it on the altar. Now in our days, of course, we are in a fierce age, you know.

[117:20]

I mean, we are not living in the Egyptian desert. And the whole thing, especially in Nordic countries, you know, where the sun doesn't shine all day long. everyone has gales, you know, and all things, and there's a whole thing, you have to protect yourself, and all kinds of things, and before you know it, the whole apparatus, you know, in which you live, grows and grows and grows, and the demands grow and grow and grow, and now, before you know it, you get engrossed in this, you're engrossed in that. To my mind, here, what's it been, the demands, you know, it's absolutely not that you should, you know, in doing something, you know, to kind of stop all interest in it, you know, that he does not keep in mind. The only thing he demands is, if an order comes to do something else, bring, draw out the line of trust, confront the situation, and in that way, you know, make them aware of what we did in abandoning, and they may be different.

[118:33]

Then narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and this here is really narrow. The augustiae, the narrowness of the monastic life is felt most in this book. Even if they're not even as faithful as him. tremendous emphasis which is put on the cooperation, you know, and that swift, immediate cooperation externally.

[120:00]

I mean, the first, you know, the chapter is divided, the first paragraph of Chapter 5 into what we may call the inner meaning or the mystery of obedience, Obedience is a sacrament, that means a means of union with God, a bigger context of humility and charity. Then the second paragraph is the way, how to obey. In the second paragraph, see the mora without any delay. In the external sense, the same moment of time, the Master's orders were completed in the swiftness of the fear of the Lord.

[121:07]

Because fear of the Lord, as you know, is always that the inner, not the survive fear, but the failure fear, that means the realization of one's not a dependence on God, in the fear of the Lord. Therefore, the swiftness of obedience is this inner abandoning oneself and handing oneself over to God. an expression of one's realization of one's absolute dependence on God. So in the fear of the Lord, the two things being rapidly accomplished together, the rhetorical means are used in order to emphasize that swiftness of the obedience The wording reminds one of the swiftness of the angels.

[122:14]

The angel is, for that matter, the example of obedience. Angelus means messenger. Every other messenger is, of course, the one who, with great swiftness, is at the disposal of the one who sends him. Therefore, there's that staff that the angels have here on earth. It's a staff. It is that swiftness of obedience. Then comes the next and last paragraph. It's then the... This obedience itself will then be acceptable to God and pleasing to men. That's then the inner obedience. And what is commanded be not done timorously or tardily or tepidly, nor with murmuring or the raising of objections.

[123:16]

The obedience which is given to superiors is given to God, since he himself said he who listens to you listens to me. that God loves a cheerful giver. God loves a cheerful giver. He said, obey with an evil will and murmur, not only in words, but also even in his heart. Even though he fulfill the command, his work will not be acceptable to God. who sees that his heart is plumbed. That's the whole question of the sacrifice. The sacrifice can never be merely an external one. It must be an internal one. The sacrifice is an act of the spirit. And therefore, in this whole matter of monastic obedience, the external form has to be in harmony with the internal attitude. Therefore, we are not really the ones who serve as long and are eager and so on, and display zeal as long as somebody looks.

[124:27]

That is the kind of political obedience, you know, to make a good impression. But it is the internal obedience. It is, one can say, the inner obedience. Going over to the... passing over to the side of the one who gives the author. Going over to the teacher, going over to the superior. That is so important, we emphasise that always so much in the school. So that is... Naturally, you see that in this whole chapter of obedience, there are many practical problems in Christians which arise. One is that the obedience may become a routine. It may lack the inner cooperation or the inner fulfilment.

[125:34]

and that is if one wants to make a good impression, for example, the external conformity, external conformity, that is, for example, in the novitiate, you know, anxious to, you know, to keep the conformity, not to, they'll say, to... to cause any special attention is given to one, but one kind of hides behind a certain wall, surface of conformity. Of course, everybody who enters the novitiate has in some way the feeling he wants to get through it with flying banners. and with the minimal of correction or of any of the painful aspects.

[126:43]

Therefore is that being officiated very often is in that way a sheltered place naturally, and one lives an existence which in many ways, can be used and can be lived that way. I want to get through it with a minimum of correction or of attention and so on. That is, of course, not the meaning. Therefore, also in the way in which one meets the novice master or the superior, not always paint you know a wonderful glowing picture you know how wonderful everything is and how well everything goes you know and so on but really to um go a little deeper and also to uh draw attention to certain uh difficulties and uh resistance you know that is they are all these this these things which really make the whole material on which

[127:55]

monastic virtue and with which monastic virtue works. It doesn't work, you know, only on ice cream, but it's the transport, as you say, who really makes life worthwhile. That's true. And so that is one thing. You realize that in this whole matter of practical thinking, it's a very difficult business because, as I say, some people are by nature kind of conformists because their general attitude is passive. And then, let us say, they see this kind of external compliance in others, and they say, oh, this is monastic attitude.

[129:03]

This is, for example, very often, this is what the superior likes. He likes yes men around him, because that's the easiest way of getting away with it. and then a certain resistance against that, murmuring. The devil will use every possible device to get the superior and the disciple against one another. Every little device is used, and especially this kind of thing, the murmuring, the forgetting what the real meaning of obedience is. Of course, they are every individual monk, also a novice, can help in that way, not only showing, let us say, this polished surface of external compliance, but simply also bringing to light those things that are difficult.

[130:14]

Sometimes the reaction to that may be or may present itself. I mean, the reaction on the side of superior may present itself in a kind of a certain, I must say, eagerness, you know, to set things straight or to explain this or that or to maybe even have sometimes a kind of an accusing wing to it, you know, but don't be... discouraged by that, you know, I don't say, oh my, if I say something of this kind, which may be not, you know, may be show my inner difficulties, then right away I see myself in the doghouse or so. Don't be you only in yourself, you know, you simply do on your part which

[131:17]

in the peace of Christ, according to the rule of Saint Benedict, is the right thing. And therefore also not to be afraid to speak about difficult things, resistances, or things that you don't understand, or things where you think, for example, you are treated unjustly, or anything like that. Just take the risk, you know, and then hope in the Holy Spirit. We must take the risk in the Holy Spirit. If we consider the superior immediately, you know, from this human point of view, this human aspect, you know, let us say, he is sensitive. Oh, yes, for the soul, he's terribly sensitive. Hard to tell him not to do so. No. then it's not a reason for keeping anything back.

[132:19]

Just take the risk. Give the Holy Spirit, as far as it's in you, give the Holy Spirit the full chance. But don't always kind of calculate and maneuver on your own, in your kind of political wisdom. Don't try to, let us say, live or get by on the force of the good impression that you give. But simply take as it is here the external thing and the internal thing. Sometimes, of course, it is very difficult, you know how difficult it is, to make any judgments and how easily we make snap judgments. see, let us say, or we believe to see a kind of eagerness being very successful in pleasing the superior with these or those little services, you know, that are rendered in the course of the day and so on, and then right away the devil, of course, will whisper into one's ear, yes, you see, he tries to get on the

[133:36]

superior's good side. But then I know him better, of course, because I know him how he is when a superior is not around. Then it's quite different. Two different people, one in the eyes of the superior and the other one when he's not looking. All this kind of constantly happening, you know. But the danger is then by that, you know, is led to say, oh my, this whole business of obedience, you know, is just a kind of a theatre, you know, just a kind of playing something, you see, that one really is not. And then when we go into the opposite and say now, you know, sincerity demands, you know, that I'm just very sloppy, you know, or very haphazard, you know, in my external, for example, attitude.

[134:47]

One sees somebody, you see, making a deep bow, and the next thing you know, You know, I mean, there are always these little reactions, you know, that go on, or one sees somebody, you know, very exuberant, say, in contacts with the superior, and then one says, you know, tries to balance it by kind of being ice-cold, you know, just not to, you know, go into the same mistake. Another thing which is in this whole thing of obedience, and I'll just mention some practical things then, that one always has to put up with is the matter of, let's say, the combination of passivity and activity. For example, of obedience and initiative. Such a difficult and delicate thing

[135:48]

The obedience, of course, in a monastery is certainly not meant to eliminate initiative. That's true. But the initiative has to be somehow, be as we always say, it has to be put upon the altar. And that is, of course, the altar is always the altar of humility. If you examine the third chapter of the rule, we understand of calling the brethren to counsel. In that novel, St. Benedict, of course, he introduces this thing into the monastic life. That's, of course, a very important, very significant thing that St. Benedict introduces there. We don't have any rules preceding that would deal with a council, so to say, an institution of the common life of the rocks.

[136:56]

It's very interesting. But what is it for St. Benedict II? It is, one can say, the Magna Carta of the initiative of the mature son, you see. And maturity, of course, is based not on years, but is based on the Holy Spirit. I mean, that's evident there. Therefore, initiative, but initiative in the Holy Spirit. And, of course, that initiative in the Holy Spirit has always one characteristic, you know, that what we call the parousia, you know, as St. Paul calls it. Parousia, that means frankness, you know, the courage to be frank. That, of course, is a very delicate thing, but it is really a great Christian, also monastic virtue.

[138:00]

the courage to be frank, but the frankness not of arrogance, a frankness which is not, you know, jumping at the other, you know, and scratching him with some claws, you know, that certainly appear then, but this inner frankness that is based on the peace of Christ, is compatible, is in the peace of Christ, That is certain, let's say, audacity also in wants. Not becoming fresh, you know, and so on, but frank. That means believing in the Holy Spirit in the superior. For the superior, it's a tremendous challenge. It's a wonderful opportunity, really, for the superior to grow. in union with Christ.

[139:01]

For example, by a frank criticism, you know, he's kind of reduced to size. That happens too. It's a very, very, very good thing. I don't see that there's anything against obedience in that. If, for example, it can be very well, you know, in the... For example, chapter meetings or the way the chapter meetings are conducted or so on. For example, certain here and there in the behaviour of the superior, as in every human being, he has certain, how could one say, certain mannerisms. These mannerisms very often build up and the table always uses them. I don't know. You know how he works. He always tries to put before everyone, especially those who are dedicated to live together in charity, let us say capitalising on the familiarity which in that way is caused, through the stability, to call the attention

[140:21]

to fix the attention of what we always call the devil's image, the devil's image of the other. That's the famous theory of the school. We have to distinguish between God's image and the devil's image. Every human being has these two faces. There's one face, the inner face, that is the likeness of God in him, and he is, by the way, also the distortion of it, the distortion, which then appears to the outside and which is so visible and which is then so, let us say, irritating. Of course, if the devil succeeds, you know, say, no, look there, look what a... a caricature of this young man is, something like that. Then one looks again to jump, really a caricature, and looks for the third time, you know, oh my, yes, caricature.

[141:29]

And then one starts, you know, bragging interiorly, I really know that guy better than anybody else. I am able, you know, to penetrate through the surface, you know. And then the devil tells him, that's the truth, that's the truth. Just as he always tells us, you know, if somebody, if we suffer a defeat, you know, of some kind, to say our pride, you know, leads us into a trap, and, oh, there we are. Then we get this terrible fear or this terrible shock. Yes, in reality, I'm just nothing but pride, you know. Then that causes the terrible anxieties and What about my love with God, of God? Do I really love God or these famous Christians? So, I mean, there is that frankness with which, you know, we should really, we should carry it much better to let the steam off, to have that valve open.

[142:36]

and let it just kind of, I wouldn't say, just explode into the face of the Supreme Court, that is, you know, that you cannot read, you know, that could be, again, you know, kind of falsify the picture. But that frankness, the parousia, you know, in German, that frankness in the voice, you know, But always in that way, as St. Benedict says, in humility and opportune time, as I say, it's not obedience. Another thing is actually, for example, is what we said, the question of initiative, you know. because every member of a community that's really alive has initiative and therefore has certain things that he would like to see accomplished in various directions.

[143:48]

the present time you know is uh let's say one sees you know this uh we leave this transition period i mean for example concerning the liturgy you know from the uh let's say the there's the latin there's the uh the uh the organ chart and so on and so on and so on you know we have to now sail into a new age you know and then no, we must do something about it, you know, set up a committee and really work on this thing, and then these suggestions are made, the superior, and the superior then says, yes, of course, in principle, I'm not against it, but, you know, and then comes the reaction, oh, yes, of course, he pats you on the back, but he doesn't do anything about it, you know, because he doesn't do anything. The things, of course, must be done, and everything has to be in some way coordinated into the common life.

[145:01]

That's, of course, one of the reasons of obedience. Obedience constitutes the individual within the limits not only of the individual superior The obedience is not a capitulation to this one person. But the obedience is a means, you know, to keep the whole together, to become a member. One cannot become a member if one isn't under one head. And therefore things simply have to go through, you know, the head in one way or the other. Obedience is, as St. Benedict of Monasticism, you know, always also has considered it, you know, it is the forerunner of charity. It is the narrowness which leads into the unity with the whole.

[146:06]

Nobody can make himself the law of the whole. And that's, of course, the difficulty in the initiative. Don't let, you know, never allow the devil to get, for you to get caught between, let's say, false alternatives, false extremes. He loves to do that, to say, If you have initiative, in order for it to be initiative, it has to be absolute. It has to be independent. For obedience, in order to have obedience, it has to be absolutely passive. Of course, it's wrong. It's wrong. It's not the way in which we know the entire rule. You must see that also for monastic life. monastic life is always the whole catholic life somebody just formulated it in this way you know that really what is catholicity he spoke of the catholic and not the catholic and catholic and a and d catholic and

[147:33]

You know, that means the Catholic position is not always either this or nothing. You see, I mean in that way. You see, the division of extremes. But it is the penetration, the transcending into a higher sympathy. That's of course here also with obedience. But it can easily be, and the devil can easily lead you, you know, into this kind of thing, you know, that... For example, it's a tremendous matter of delegation and responsibility. For example, in this matter, as I say, the problem here within the framework of obedience of active cooperation was simply passive compliance. Obedience, monastic obedience, absolutely requires active cooperation. But this then comes the other thing.

[148:40]

Active cooperation is independence. That's, of course, not true. That is not true. For example, I meet that constantly always in our community, which is still in the process of formation. I'm delegated, you know, let's say, to do this. Let's say I'm delegated to... to be a server. Therefore, I absolutely in this field, I have to go on my own terms. It's of course not true. St. Benedict doesn't want that. Therefore, St. Benedict puts it in this way. Nothing should be done in the monastery without the will of the abbot. That doesn't mean, of course, that every time, you know, now, may I turn on this light? May I turn out this light? Of course not. Not the meaning.

[149:41]

But still, you know, everybody who is delegated in a certain field, you know, still remains and keeps, you know, that inner... link of obedience with the abbot he is not in his own field absolutely independent he cannot be because in all these things often in the monastery in Also in the field of finances and so on, of course, it's not only a matter of doing the best thing as, let us say, on the rules of good, what do you say, good management. But it is every management in a modest chance, of course, has its spiritual aspects. And in the monastery, very often, the management cannot be, you know, what it, let us say, should be according to the rules of the world. The management is everything and the souls count nothing.

[150:43]

In the monastery, the souls count first. Therefore, many things that would be ideal in the line and principle of management are not ideal in the monastic context. And that inner... You see that in everything, the soul comes first. The soul comes first. That is, of course, a thing which only can be accomplished if every department still keeps that unity with the head, with the father. And it's not in that way isolated. That's for us today is a great... For example, if you take the whole way in which, let us say, the work, let us say the found work, or work of any kind, being done, Of course, it's always what has to be considered, you know, is the effect, you know, a certain thing has on the souls, you know, and on the monastic community as a unity, a spiritual unity, you know.

[152:01]

In last analysis, that judgment, that judgment is, of course, up to the abbot, you know. That is where the abbot is. The abbot may not be an expert in the traditional field, he cannot be, because his function is to keep every department in the general line and direction of, for what does this monastery exist? Does it exist for the sake of efficiency? Or what is the efficiency? the material efficiency. So there are those, and therefore, you know, a delegation in a modern state doesn't mean simply, now here I'm independent, and after all, it's my responsibility, then I hold up this business, and therefore, of course, all the

[153:05]

matters, you know, for example of general policy, in that way I would say the general policy has to be submitted, you know, in that way. It has to be, say, approved, you know, by the government. But that approval doesn't mean either And then somebody who feels that or kind of suffers that, maybe is in himself, let us say, rather rigid and so on, says, well, I can't do anything. If I do something, you see, I'm just delegated by the habit of what I am, whatever. You see, that's again, you know, the part of the devil to say, yes, you are delegated and because you are delegated, you are nothing. That's what he says at once. You are delegated, therefore you are independent and you have the responsibility to just go ahead.

[154:10]

There are these false alternatives, you know, which destroy the real meaning of obedience. You can see from this that obedience, too, is something that he has received of the whole monastic life. It is something that has to be, again, let us say, achieved spiritually at every moment, again and again, in every situation, new, you see. It does not, obedience does not go along simply an external pattern of external control. It's an inner achievement every time, again and again. Situations change all the time. Every day is different. And therefore, every day again, this thing, the living, the positive, loving, life-giving contact with the inner contact with the representative of Christ has to be achieved.

[155:21]

That's what I said. The main part in obedience is not the external compliance or the trying to please the eyes of the superior. But the main thing is that in the go over to him. By that I mean just put yourself into the place of the spirit. Put yourself, I'm going to say, as much as you can into the mind. It is intention. It's general intention. It's spirit. and take that, you know, and let that, you know, work in you. And in that way, then, out of that, try to act in that spirit. But, of course, you always take risks, you know, that you may, you know, do the wrong thing or do something and still, you know, you do in the best will

[156:35]

let us say, to follow the intention of the superior. But then maybe for one or the other reason, there are many different reasons, what you do just hits him the wrong way. And then he may descend, you know, down. And then again the devil comes. You see, now you try to follow the spirit, no, it was wrong. So what can I do? become a kind of an instrument, you know, just a dead tool or something. There's no other possibility. Of course, not right, you know, but if such a thing, you see, comes, you know, you did what you did in the best will, then it's wrong, you see. What's wrong? Now then, or it would, you know, disappear in the wrong way or something like that, you know.

[157:35]

then in all, you know, again, you know, in all that, you know, factness and goodness, you know, just also explain your motives, you know, and what you thought, you know, was, and then you thought this way about it, you know, and therefore did it, you know, and then immediately, you know, the, what, even such a, let us say, collision, you know, can then become an instrument for greater peace and for greater inner freedom, you know, and for greater union, inner union with the superior. But don't never, never in this so delicate business, you know, also nowadays where everybody cries for independence, you know, so on they don't uh they uh always you know do it see you know they hear don't let you know the uh don't allow the devil to discourage you are there any questions that you might have or so that you might discuss

[159:03]

Yeah. You say, on one hand, that it's good to concentrate or to work a little bit on the external things, like, you know, stopping the bell. Yeah, yeah. Or, I don't know, the way you . Yeah, yeah, yeah. But on the other hand, it's not the most important thing. that there's going to be some conformity in there with the theater. It's the most important thing in the theater. But I was wondering if there's a problem there. There's a certain amount of lack of coherence is bound to occur if you just quit right with the bell or something, and you're maybe not just ready for that. You know what I mean?

[160:19]

Oh, yeah. Now, of course, there is, yes, there is a problem. You see, one can say in some way, if you consider that here, the ways in which Henrik works, he works, I mean, first put the whole principle, you know, in the first place. Then he starts, indeed, let us say, with the outer, what do I say, external, let us say, compliance, let's put it that way, you know, here. Now, of course, we must consider, I mean, things of life, you know, are always in some way, you can never put it on a mathematical form, in some way our body is also the way to the interior disposition, you know. I mean, the That's, for example, the whole question of what is the monastic attitude, you know, and there in the seventh chapter, of course, the external attitude comes last, the last thing.

[161:29]

So it's clearly marked there as the twelfth degree that means in some way as the fruit of an internal exercise. Obedience, the body is kind of used in some way as a sacrament or as a way to get at the internal thing. It's very ordinary, it's the case. In some way one can compare the body and the importance of the body and of the external. of life for the intern with the role that the sacrament has, you know, for man. The sacrament is in itself a sign. But, of course, our sanctification in the external process starts with the sacrament.

[162:30]

I mean, it starts, as it were, with the external, for example, receiving holy communion or assisting at the power. And that is when the bearer waits, then one goes. And that, of course, is a thing which at that moment may not coincide immediately with our inner disposition but sometimes the external compliance or for example the swiftness with which one answers for example a bill is a means to get into the inside and that way should be be seen or considered that way for example if you research the speaking about that in yesterday with the the work you know has its own law the external compliance and the calculating the bill and so on, and maybe even anticipating the bill.

[165:00]

You see what I mean? Not waiting until the bill really rains, you know, but anticipating already if one goes into that, you know. That is, of course, something which contributes enormously

[165:15]

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