And the text that we just read from the Holy Rule seemed to be made for the occasion. So strange how often in our life that happens, that the Word of God as it is announced to us in various ways throughout the year fits so often the situation that is also in these days which are very difficult for us, especially the multitude of things to be done and so few people to do it either away or sick and so on. I just wanted, one way I wanted to to point it out to you, you know, as Saint Benedict did today in the wool and they see it as to fall into the ground and we, moments like these are sent to us by God to test, you know, to give us that, to make sure that we have this surrender and this complete will to follow Him and to take upon ourselves to take the cross of Christ.

[01:30]

Yesterday we spoke in our little get-together on the various possibilities of Lenten observance and especially also the question of the diet and the modifications that are connected with it. I think we all feel one thing that one cannot really yesterday in some way wasn't satisfactory, but satisfactory in this way that certain concrete questions simply came to a conclusion, but not of any major importance. And of course, I think it was failed by all of us that A question like this can be tackled only in a bigger context.

[02:34]

It's really always what plays into it is our basic idea of, one can say, of monasticism, but also of Christianity. I think the two are so closely connected. cannot consider the one without having its repercussions on the whole, nor the other, Christianity as a whole. And we must simply, I think we should, during the Lenten season, without the pressure of questionnaire, now answering a practical problem in our life, in connection with our general reflections on constitution, on the meaning of our life here, monastic life. should go into it on a broader basis.

[03:36]

I think that will be more fruitful for us. Then, but I mean this is just one little thing which occurs in our daily life, this let sees of things that one does in the course of it. I think the importance there is to, and that's the other satisfactory thing, I think, yesterday. And of course in those questions, which by their nature are practical, are kind of very limited. and really not very central or important and therefore may seem petty. We realize, therefore, in discussing a thing like that, that the main thing is the intention, the inner, deeper, what is the deepest intention of our heart.

[04:41]

And that then expresses or maybe we are reminded of it through these kind of routine things. But I think they all only want to prepare us for bigger emergencies. I think if one sees the monastic life only in the perspective of routine, it has a tendency to look mediocre. But that should not in some way either discourage us or fill us with a certain uneasiness as long again as we have the inner readiness to face greater and more important things. And I think that just these days, I mean these days that are immediately before us, in some way are one of these greater challenges

[05:45]

and therefore they constitute a word of God to us. And then it depends, you know, are we interiorly free enough? Do we have the bigness of heart to respond to it? Maybe one thing could be also considered in that context, and that is, that in order to make, for example, the present situation of stress fruitful for us, of course, we must avoid to focus our attention too much on certain, let us say, practical things or decisions. They can be good and they can be wise. They may not be in every way, in every respect wise. I think the important thing is for every member of the community

[06:53]

in relation to the decisions of the superior, always to have the inner, a kind of inner trust or an inner faith, you know, that the decision, as I say, may not be objectively or practically always the right one, Don't allow the devil to tell you, yes, now it's all done in a haphazard way. It's done without thinking. It's done without consideration. It's done really without, you know, the real contact of our life, with our life. and therefore it's maybe just not, I mean, not done in a way, in a spirit which would elicit a kind of willing response.

[07:56]

That's, of course, important and that's very dangerous. I mean, any superior as I am, I have to, of course, I have to think of that. Maybe at times there are situations where one cannot avoid, you know, to be, say, to come into that, to in that, say, suspicion. But, Be careful and always in a concrete situation look at the whole. Remember that I think that on the whole the way we try to do things with consideration of the needs or the stress that is on the community and then in that inner willingness and in that inner trust to accept an acute situation.

[09:00]

I think that would help a great deal. We could do that. If you cannot do it and if you really feel that things are done in the wrong way, then of course you're always free really to clearly express and frankly express that. It's the obligation of the superior. you may be sure that if you write in that spirit, if you write a note and call the attention maybe to this situation or that situation, that that doesn't cause, on my part, a great kind of resentment or anything like that. But I don't take it amiss, because it belongs to our life, simply the duty there of the superiors. We may here and there be inclined to get a little

[10:04]

impatient and think, you know, dear brother, he doesn't see the whole picture as it is, all kinds of things, you know, like that. But we have to always get over this kind of initial, you know, unwillingness or resistance or criticism or that, you know, That little sting of, one say, of hostility that is simply in us as a part of our inheritance. That is the inheritance of the first Adam. That is the, therefore we have to count, you know, that that will always have a tendency to get a hold, of course, and the devil is after us and he, of course, rejoices in these opportunities and uses them to the full.

[11:07]

But if we get over them, if we see them in the right perspective, especially if we see them in the perspective of what is today's end of the chapter of the Holy Rule there, in the perspective of perseverance, And then, of course, in the perspective of God's love, that this is something which is a real trial. But if a real trial is there, then he is the conqueror and I can rejoice. in his love for me, as the rule so beautifully Benedict quotes. So I hope that in that way a situation like also the present one is one that finds the community interiorly ready to say to, it's a little drastic to say that, you know, but to go as it was said, you know, today in the chapter like the lamb to the slot.

[12:25]

I hope it isn't quite that terrible. But anyhow, to do that and to do it in that inner joy that at this moment where we die, Christ, the risen Savior, is really with us. so that after his resurrection there is no death, which is not at the same time also filled with a great inner joy, provided that the devil doesn't prevent us to enter into it with that inner willingness and trust.

[13:02]

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