I'm afraid I'm not doing a very good job here. It's just a little... Not enough hours in the day. Terrific. But we were talking about the... Convenientia. Convenience. And there's a very nice... I'll set away the piece of St Anthony. A very nice word, you know, that I just came across this morning. This quoted by Basilio Steigle. The great Schwabe. St Anthony says... Now I have to translate it to German.

[01:07]

Who wants to, who is eager to hasten to perfection. Er rascht zur vollkommenheit gelangen der. I don't have any sense. Er rascht zur vollkommenheit gelangen der. Chinese. They are not treated in the same way. Austria isn't that barbaric. 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 Auch wenn der Wille das rechte will, even if his will wants the right thing.

[02:28]

You see, that's of course the big difficulty. 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, you know, that sentence, you know, in the seventh chapter on humility. There are many ways which seem to be good to man, you know, and still their end is a big question. So therefore, it's very important for the whole monastic idea. He should not himself be the teacher. He should not follow his own will, even if his will wants a good thing.

[03:36]

But on the contrary, we have to observe 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, you know, anything wrong.

[04:39]

What he wanted was his will in that way, his right. But the whole point is that the one who came in order to teach obedience should be found himself in obedience. That's what Saint Anthony said. See, the will of Christ, the will of Christ, and that way Christ is wisdom, if you want, you know, and therefore the whole word as such is kind of paradoxical. But still, you know, it's the one who came to teach obedience could himself observe obedience. and therefore how much more we who are by nature bitter beings how much more are we in danger if we do our own will so that is

[06:03]

For Christ, of course, his obedience, you know, was a part of his position of his entire purpose for which he came, was to give his own life and others' millions. In that way, of course, his death was his Father's will and not his own will. the seal, you know, to that, you know, complete, you know, surrender to the Father as a sacrifice, that his priestly, the paschal aspect of his priestly activity. So there is therefore also for, there is the example for the monk, you know, and I say the difficult thing is,

[07:06]

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 obedience. 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, certainly know your love. He used to say, you know, that Bernward, you know your love. He was a very good and only good, really, lay brother, too. You know, just look at his face, you know, very red on the top of it.

[08:15]

I still see it. He says, yeah, so he has to slaughter once Isaac. Of course, the Isaac, you know, you take that, you know, Abraham. Isaac was the whole, you know, that was the whole light of his future. The whole walk, so to speak, of his faith, you know, the pledge of everything good, you know, for Abraham. My son, the only one, the one whom I love. There was nothing wrong with him. Nothing wrong with him. Up to divine. 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.

[09:17]

And who is the archetype of obedience to the entire Old Testament and New Testament. And that's, of course, for us. We have to slaughter all Isaac. That means not only give up, you know, vices, you know, and illicit desires, but to give up things that seem to be very good to us, you know. That's, of course, the real test. That's the real depth. So, let us just now take a look at the chapter on obedience and maybe just get the idea, you see, of St.

[10:35]

Benedict because the main thing, of course, in this whole thing you see there right away is to catch the spirit. I mean, that's the main thing. We have said that right from the beginning. Obedience is for that, we can say, a sacrament, a mysterium, 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. And so the entering into that mysterium of the word of God made flesh, that is the matter. That's the whole thing here, this obedience.

[11:37]

So it's the needle's eye through which we enter into the wide spaces. Pentecost. So therefore, if we just take a look at it, and I read it to you, the first degree of humility is obedience without delay. Now, there are two things, one 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? It is, of course, participation in the Paschal mystery, in Christ's Pascha. That is really humility. If you see that right away, if you take the seventh chapter of the Rule, the seventh chapter, that's all on humility. What is that on humility? Through humility, you are sent. Through humility, you are sent.

[12:40]

Therefore, it's the Pascha. And therefore, obedience is part of that first degree of humility. Obedience, and then obedience without delay. That means that complete, you know, because we are moving here then, of course, on the line of perfection. That's the monastic. Obedience without delay, that, of course, is the characteristic of a monk as the soldier of Christ. Miele is Christi. the militia Christi, which the obedience is. You know very well that our Lord himself, and that is, of course, this whole chapter here on obedience, also the way which St. Benedict formulates it, very much, you know, the character, one can say the flavor of that obedience. the strong side of the Roman idea the Roman legions the relation of the soldier to the imperator imperator what does that word come from?

[14:01]

imperator imperare imperare means commander you see commander in chief as we say commander in chief that is the imperator so here it is the the soldier under the commander in chief that is the lord and there is that it obedience without delay that means the obedience in the state of full let us say mobilization when the war is on then And this becometh those who hold nothing dearer to them than Christ. There is that inner, let's say, the sweet, you know, marrow of obedience, you know. 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.

[15:02]

Mystery of union. No barrier between me and Christ. 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 the holy service, servitio 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 are border, you know, is more evident now, they're called the Levites. The Levites, they are set aside for the servizio santo. In that way, the Levites in the Old Testament, of course, are, in a certain way, the example also of the monks, which they have professed. What professes so?

[16:05]

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 call to 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, you know, just as Abraham received the order concerning Isaac, coming from above. It's a divine command. It's God, you know, who is here. And then, of course, it's again, you know, it's the important thing. We always call it, you know, in the school, you know, this famous drawing out the lines to Christ. Because in any order that one receives, one can always get stuck and say, now, is this really practical, this order, or is it impractical?

[17:17]

Is it good for me 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, that obscures the entire thing. Therefore, 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 the 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, I'll buy this at this moment, really, it's just, you know, then, of course, the current cannot come. Divine command that cannot suffer any delay in executing it.

[18:22]

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. These are 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. The abbot, 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 and I have drawn out the line, then he that listens to me obeys immediately. See, that is that. What is the... I have called your attention sometimes, it's good to remember these things. What in the Old Testament is, right in the beginning of the Old Testament, is the famous archetype of obedience, you know, of divine obedience.

[19:27]

You know what I'm referring to? Maybe it's a very stupid question. In the Old Testament, you know, right in the first place, in the first chapter of Genesis. In the Old Testament? Yeah, but there is no later. I mean, you know, in the first chapter of Genesis. But what is there? What element? is the, uh, is the, let's say, the essence of obedience. You know? The word? The... The word? The word. Yeah, which word? The earth? The earth. Now, where is that most, you know, I mean, pronounced, that where they are, because there are several, you know, works that the word commands. But there is a wall, you know, where the world and the fulfillment just come back, back, just like that.

[20:43]

Where is it? You know, all the vampires, you know, they always take that, you know, everything. Some total of the whole idea of obedience, which is owed to the Lord of hosts. They use about 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, they give the wrong idea, you know, kind of Persian idea. No, that is the first, you know. See, there's no delay, you know. One thing. You see, that's very good, you know.

[22:07]

I don't know which verse it is in the first chapter of Genesis. It must be the third verse. If you read it, maybe you'll understand. Don't we read, read, read? Huh? 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, by its essence, light is obedient. So therefore, in the Incons, after this is established, what is the reason for the rush?

[23:18]

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, the disciples were 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.

[24:28]

That's what you see there. The whole emphasis is on that, that immediateness. Word and factum. 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 supposed, for example, if he is engaged in some work, strictly speaking, of course, he is engaged in what is the meaning of his work, if somebody works in a garage as a monk. He works there as a monkey, for the whole, you see. Then comes, then the bell rings, you see. And then now, and now, and now. 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.

[25:30]

Then he makes the decision of whose work is it. 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 and is he within, you see, to kind of disown this thing, which, of course, in the last analysis was for God, that 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, I just have to look up this other thing, still, you know, and so on. then once before you know it, you are late.

[26:34]

Let's be honest. So, why is it? Because you got identified with, at that moment, what you were doing. But in the order of the beings, 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, and the obedience is to bring about in us what we call the, in big French words, disponibilité. La disponibilité. That is what it is all about. At the Lord's disposal. But you will, of course, you will realize, you know, that very easily, I mean, you start, you are already, let us say, to make, you know, what, a shell, you see, before you know it, that shell is yours.

[27:49]

And making that shell is you. Then rings the bell, you see. 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 like that. You have to follow the law of the work. And that's where you get involved and you want to do it well.

[28:51]

It's a very delicate business. presents great problems in the concrete, you know, execution. Because sometimes, you know, you see here what sometimes may clash here, especially for a modern mentality, you know, is what we call the active and the contemplative action. You see? You see? The active temperament is, of course, is always, well, you know, follow the law of the world. you see, and do it well, get interested in it, you know. Before you know it, you're absorbed in it. Then comes that thing, you identify yourself with this kind of world. And then comes that thing now. But then go, of course, it's the big question, you see, and a big problem, really hard, especially for modern man, you know.

[29:56]

If, for example, you take, you know, there's some contemplative, for example, chapters, you know, once the form's beginning to change. But there is, for example, the contemplative should have a work in which really kind of doesn't interpret it. It's of such a nature that it doesn't get a hold of its imagination. You see what I mean? Then it doesn't become, let's for example, if you take the Carmelites, you take Carmelite nuns, what do they do? They paint little pictures. You can do that for five minutes and then the mother superior comes and says, now we have to do something else. Because you can actually see it's a work which doesn't pick, you know, which doesn't engage you, you see, doesn't engage you. And therefore, there's a whole 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.

[31:07]

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, then they kind of untie it. You see? You see, just in order to see it. But you see the, you know, the reason for that, you know, is the disponibilité. Well, they have done it, you know, and then one just, well, now, I put it on the altar. Now, in our day, of course, we are in a fierce age, you know. 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.

[32:14]

Everyone has gales, you know, and all things, and there is 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. And then you're engrossed. 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, then draw out the line of trust, confront the situation, and in that way, you know, make that your act of obedience and abandoning, and it may be different. Then, narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and apprecie that way thou art.

[33:27]

The augustiae, the nowness of the monastic life, is felt most in this book. Here, there. He didn't tell me anything. Take her out of here. the tremendous emphasis which is put on the cooperation and that swift, immediate cooperation externally.

[34:43]

The first paragraph of Chapter 5, what we may call the inner meaning or the mystery of obedience, The obedience as a sacrament, that means as a means of union with God, 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.

[35:50]

The fear of the Lord, as you know, is always that the inner not the servile fear but the filial fear that means the realization of one's total 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 law, the two things being rapidly accomplished together, the rhetorical means are used in order to emphasize that swiftness of the obedience. The wording reminds

[36:51]

One of the swiftness of the angels. The angel is, for that matter, the example of obedience. Angelus means messenger. The other messenger is, of course, the one who with great swiftness is at the disposal of the one who sends him. Therefore, always that staff that the angels have here on earth. It's a staff. It is that swiftness of obedience. Then comes the next, the last paragraph is 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.

[37:59]

The obedience which is given to the curious is given to God since he himself said he who listens to you listens to me. And God loves a cheerful giver. God loves a cheerful giver. He said to obey with an ill will and murmur, not only in words, but also even in his heart. Even though he fulfilled the command, his work will not be acceptable to God. who sees that his heart is broken. It's the whole question of sacrifice. Sacrifice can never be merely an external one. It must be an internal one. 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 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 going

[39:23]

passing over to the side of the one who gives the all. 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. 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, let's say, to...

[40:41]

to cause any special attention is given to one, what one kind of hides behind a certain wall, surface of conformity. Of course, everybody who enters the initiator has in some way the feeling he wants to get through it with flying banners. and with the minimum of correction or of any of the painful aspects. Therefore it is that the novitiate is very often 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.

[41:48]

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 go a little deeper and also to draw attention to certain difficulties and resistance. They are all these things which really make the whole material on which monastic virtue and with which monastic virtue works. don't work only on ice cream, but it's the Schwarzwald, as you say, who really makes life worthwhile.

[42:56]

That's true. And so that is one thing. Of course, you realise that in this whole matter of being a practical thing, there are 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, well, this is monastic attitude. 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.

[43:58]

and then a certain resistance against that, a certain 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, you see, in not only showing, let us say, this polished surface of an external compliance, but simply also bringing to light, you know, those things that are difficult for him. Sometimes the reaction to that may be, you know, or may present itself, I mean, the reaction on the side of the superior,

[45:06]

They present themselves in a kind of a certain, how can I 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 ring to it, you know, but don't be... discouraged by that, you know, don't say, oh my, if I say something of this kind, which may be not up, you know, maybe show my inner difficulties, then right away I see myself in the doghouse or so. Don't be you only in yourself, you simply do on your part, which in the peace of Christ, according to the rule of St Benedict, is the right thing.

[46:07]

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, treated unjustly or anything like that. Just take the risk and then hope in the Holy Spirit. We must take the risk in the Holy Spirit. If we consider the superior immediately from this human point of view, human aspect, you know, let us say, is sensitive. Oh, yes, for the soul, terribly sensitive, you know, can't tell it not. Then there is not a reason for, let us say, for keeping anything back. Just take the risk. Give the Holy Spirit, as far as I'm saying, you, give the Holy Spirit the full chance, you know.

[47:10]

But don't always kind of calculate and maneuver on your own and endure 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. Sometimes, of course, it is very difficult. You know how difficult it is to make any judgments and how easily we make snap judgments. We see, let us say, or we believe to see a kind of eagerness being very successful in pleasing He's superior with these or those little services, you know, that are rendered in the course of the day and so on.

[48:12]

And then right away the devil, of course, will whisper into one's ear, yes, you see, he tries to get on the superior's good side. But then I know him better, of course, because I know him, how he is when the 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 these kind of constantly happening. But the danger is then by that, you know, is led to say, oh my, this whole business of obedience, you know, there's just a kind of a theater, you know. playing something, you see, that one really is not. And then we go into the opposite and say now,

[49:18]

Sincerity demands that I'm just very sloppy or very haphazard in my external, for example, attitude. One sees somebody making a deep bow, and the next thing is to make this way. You know, I mean, there are always these little reactions, you know, that go on. I want to see somebody, you know, very exuberant, say, in contact with the superior, and then oneself, 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, I'll just mention some practical things that one always has to put out there, is the matter of, let's say, the combination of passivity and activity.

[50:21]

For example, of obedience and initiative. Such a difficult and delicate thing. The obedience, of course, in a monastery is certainly not meant to eliminate initiative. That's true. But the initiative has to be somehow, 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, you know, 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.

[51:22]

St. Benedict II introduces that. We don't have any rules proceeding that would deal with the council as, so to say, an institution of the common life of the nox. It's a very interesting book, because 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. And therefore, initiative, but initiative in the Holy Spirit. And of course, that initiative in the Holy Spirit has always one characteristic, what we call the parousia, as St.

[52:25]

Paul calls it. Parousia, that means frankness, the courage to be frank. That, of course, is a very delicate thing, but it is really a great Christian, also monastic virtue. 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 there, but this inner frankness that is based on the peace of Christ, it is compatible, is in the peace of Christ, That is certain, let's say, audacity also in what's not becoming fresh, you know, and so on. But that means believing in the Holy Spirit in the superior.

[53:33]

That is, for the superior, it's a tremendous challenge. It's a wonderful opportunity, really, for the superior to grow. in union with Christ. If, for example, by a frank criticism, you know, he's not 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, that we very well, you know, in the... For example, chapter meetings or the way in which 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 mannerisms. These mannerisms very often build up and the devil always uses them.

[54:35]

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 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 is 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.

[55:52]

Of course, if the devil succeeds, you know, say, no, look there, look what. what a caricature this young man is, something like that. Then one looks again and says, really a caricature. licks for the third time, you know, oh my, yes. And then one starts, you know, bragging interiorly, my, I really know that 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 true thing. That's it. just as he always tells us, you know, if somebody, we suffer a defeat, you know, of some kind, let's 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

[56:53]

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 have it much better to let the steam off, to have that valve open. and let it just kind of, I would say, just explode into the face of the Supreme Court. You know, that you cannot read, you know, that could be, again, you know, kind of falsify the picture. But that frankness, the parousia, the Heimut, you know, in German, that frankness in the Holy Spirit, You know, but always in that way, as Sid Benwick says, in jubility and opportune time, yes, there is, as I say, a lot of obedience.

[58:04]

Another thing is naturally, 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. At the present time, one sees this transition period, I mean, for example, concerning the liturgy, you know, from the, you say, there's the Latin, there's the Gorgon chart, and so on, and so on. We have to now sail into a new age, you know, and then, no, we must do something about it, you know. So you have a committee and really work on this thing, and then these suggestions are made to 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 about it.

[59:26]

Archer, you know, Archer. Of course, it won't. It's just not... The things, of course, must be done, and everything has to be in some way coordinated into the common life. That's, of course, one of the reasons of obedience, you know. 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.

[60:26]

Obedience is, as Saint Benedict of Monasticism, you know, always also has considered it. It is being the forerunner of charity. It is the narrowness which leads into the unity with the whole. 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.

[61:27]

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 the entire rule that 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 how would that be catholic and 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.

[62:37]

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, 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. Active cooperation is independent. 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.

[63:40]

I'm delegated, you know, let's say, to do this. Let's say I'm delegated to... to be selber. Therefore, I absolutely in this field, I have to go around it. 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 That every time, you know, now, may I turn on this light? May I turn out this light? Of course not. Not the meaning. 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.

[64:43]

He cannot be, because in all these things, in the monastery, 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, where management is everything and the souls count nothing. In the monastery, the souls count first. Therefore, many things that would be ideal in the line and principles of management are not ideal in the monastic context. And that inner You see that in everything, the soul comes first.

[65:48]

The soul comes first. That is, of course, a thing which only can be accomplished if every department still keeps that inner unity with the head, with the father. and is 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 new 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, on the monastic community as a unity, a spiritual unity, you know. In last analysis, their judgment, their judgment is, of course, up to the abbot, you know.

[66:52]

There is where the abbot is. The abbot may not be an expert in the particular field, he cannot be, because his function is to keep every department in the general line and direction of what does this monastery exist for. Does it exist for the sake of efficiency? Well, what is the efficiency? the material efficiency. So therefore, you know, a delegation in a monastery doesn't mean simply, now here I'm independent, and after all, it's my responsibility, and I hold up this business. matters you know for example of general policy in that way I would say the general policy it has to be submitted you know in that way it has to be say approved you know but that approval doesn't mean either that then somebody who feels that or kind of

[68:15]

suffers there, maybe is in himself, let us say, rather rigid and so on, says, I can't do anything. If I do something, you see, I'm just delegated by the abbot to what I am, what am I. You see, that's again, you know, the attempt, you know, the part of the error to say, yes, you are delegated, and because you are delegated, you are nothing. That's what he says of Watson. You are delegated, therefore you are independent and you have the responsibility to just go ahead. There are these false alternatives, you know, which destroy the real meaning of obedience. You can see from this that obedience too is something, as we say, of the whole monastic life. It is something that has to be, again, as I say, achieved spiritually at every moment, again and again, in every situation, new, you see.

[69:23]

It does not, obedience does not go along simply an external pattern of external compliance. 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 you know living a positive loving life-giving contact with the inner contact you know with the um the representative of christ has to be achieved That's what I said. The main part of obedience is not the external compliance or the trying to please, you know, the eyes of the superior. But the main thing is that inner go over to him.

[70:26]

By that I mean just put yourself into the place of the superior. Put your table and say as much as you can into the mind, you know. Get his intentions, his general intentions, his 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, you know, that of course Always take risks that you may do the wrong thing or do something yet still. You do in the best will, as I say, to follow the intention of the superior. But then maybe for one or the other reason, and there are many different reasons, what you do just hits in the wrong way.

[71:30]

That happens. And then he may descend, you know, down. And then again the devil comes. You see, now you try to follow with the spirit, you know, it was wrong. So what can I do? Become a kind of an instrument, you know, just a dead tool or something. No other possible. Of course, not right, you know, but if. such a thing you see comes you know you you did what you did in the best will then it's wrong you see what's wrong now then uh uh or it it worked you know the superior the wrong way or something like that then they need all you know again you know in all that you know and goodness, you know, just also explain your motives, you know, and what you thought, you know, was.

[72:32]

And then you thought this way about it, you know, and therefore did it, you know. And then immediately, you know, even such, let us say, a collision can then become an instrument for a 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, and this word obedience has this kind of bad taste, you know, because it's always connected, you know, with the... or so on. Always, you know, don't allow the devil to discourage you. Are there any questions that you might have? You say on the one hand that it's good to concentrate or work a little bit on the external things, like stopping the bell, or the way you do things.

[74:23]

But on the other hand, it's not the most important thing. that there could be some component in there, you know. Yeah. The most important thing is the inner. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I was wondering, it seems to be a problem there. Yeah. You know, there's a certain amount of lack of coherence is bound to occur if you just click right with the bell or something, and you're maybe not just ready for that. You know what I mean? Oh, yeah. Now, of course, then, yes, that 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 puts the whole principle, you know, in the first place. Then he starts, indeed, let us say, with the outer, what do I say,

[75:28]

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, as for example, the old 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 so it's clearly marked there as the twelfth degree that means in some way as the fruit of an internal exercise here in the Obedience, the body is kind of used in some way as a sacrament or as a way to get at the internal thing.

[76:36]

That is very often the case. In some way one can compare the body and the importance of the body and of the externals of life for the internal with the role that the sacrament has, you know, from there. The sacrament is in itself a sign. Of course, our sanctification in the external process starts with the sacrament. That means it starts with the external, for example, receiving Holy Communion or assisting at the path. 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

[77:53]

to get into the inside and that way should be should be seen also consider that way for example if you we just were speaking about that yesterday with the work you know

[78:11]

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