You know, we were asking customers, you know, this Wednesday, you know, we missed the hearing of the very special way of how many we could speak to with community. Now, I realise that it would be not too fruitful if I would try just this morning to launch into a kind of lengthy talk, but I would like to distribute this over these ember days. I would like to make the topic of these addresses to the community a topic of obedience. We know very well that this idea of obedience is being interpreted in various ways.

[01:07]

It is questions and problems about it arise, and I think anything that my partner contributes in order to clarify these difficulties would be helpful for the whole community. I also would invite all the members of the community freely to express in notes first any kind of difficulties that they have or that they find in the things which during these conferences in this week then I would be saying. So then it might be also an ordinary amount of us who have never get together on these things that sound so overly disgusting. So if one looks, we know that here with this today's celebration, Amber Wednesday in Athens, we stand at the threshold of the Incarnation.

[02:23]

And that is, of course, the incarnation. That is, say, the dawn of our salvation. And we see here, standing at this moment, with an open heart, listening. We also realize that this threshold of the incarnation, Our Lady's guest, the two that God's message is an act of obedience, that the obedience is therefore, if one puts it that way, the threshold of the incarnation, that without it the two worlds, the divine world and the human world, cannot meet. That is because that fact is based on the fact that a barrier has been erected between God and mankind through the disobedience of man.

[03:30]

Disobedience of the first Adam simply determines our situation. We are a situation of fallen nature. Therefore, or those who want to return to the one whom they have left in the slaughter. Disobedience must enter into the same inner, let's call it now, the spirit of obedience. And that, we can see that so well in this gospel. It starts with the words, mistus est, altus. And mistus est, of God, altus. The Angelus is, by his very nature, he is messenger. Angelus means that he is completely, with his entire essence, at the disposal of God's components, at the highest and most powerful creatures, those that form, say, the court,

[04:38]

of the divine glory they stand before him ready and eager to receive the word and to be sent therefore that is the first thing that the incarnation begins with mission with the sending of the angel Gabriel as the angel the messenger the one who is completely at last disordered he is being saved and then he receives the message therefore the message that is God has to be as it were authentic it has really that way to come from God and brings the message to Nazareth, to an obscure little place and there poses the Virgin, the Virgin Mary and the message of course of the angel causes and that is important maybe if we go step by step I think the first thing there is just as you have in the angel

[05:55]

a creature which is undivided, which has absolute simplicity, the simplicity of the pure spirit, and is in this way undivided. God is also sent, so this angel is being sent to a virgin, and of course, as again, has its meaning. Virgin, despots are a virgin. A virgin here means then also a soul which is, as we know from the whole context, which is completely but spontaneously out of her own decision, out of her own desire, out of her heart, out of that fullness of grace, the fullness of grace. She is in a way dedicated entirely to God, that is the Virgin.

[07:02]

The Virgin tells us that not out of, let us say, one's own arrogance, not out of one's own assumption, but out of the fullness of grace, plena gratia, out of the fullness of grace, turn completely toward god the immaculate imagine turn completely to god therefore out of love out of the kind of earth kind of suicide attitude, as before. The omnipotent God, the only thing for me to left with, that is left and with me, to die, to heal myself on initiative, and in that way to become a victim, become a Holocaust.

[08:06]

Note of that. The angel greets this virgin, Virgin means to cause total dedication to the Holy One, with half a stand to his body. We've got to start with dedication, start with humility, evidently is just the expression in the symbol of the inner virginity that means the the the inner i can say a likeness to the angel that the lady our lady possesses in her soul is the pure mirror of god's glory this way leads the angelic life this But this is of course a fulfillment, full of grace. Therefore it's not something that is an arrogant way taken as a title of superiority, but then it's a gift.

[09:10]

Out of the fullness of this gift comes then freedom of love. A virgin is not a slave. But the Virgin is always called Domina. She is Domina. She is a lady. Our lady is therefore called a lady. A lady in the deep sense of the word. That's a creature which is endowed with that divine dignity. Naturally, that divine dignity also belongs completely to freedom. That is also beautiful thing that is expressed here. The obedience which is shown by Our Lady is now, I dare to say, not an unquestioning obedience, so to speak. It is really what's there between the angel and Our Lady is really a dialogue. is not, in that way, the obedience of a corpse, but it's the obedience of God's child, the obedience, therefore, of maturity, obedience which just even this maturity has, as it were, seen, one may say, a difficulty.

[10:31]

a conflict but basically absolutely ready to solve this conflict according to God's will and therefore it is repeated insistence this insistence then is answered not with the uh actually behold here I am the handmaid of the Lord ready to do you will. Therefore the dialogue either is not a means to solve the whole mystery, but it is an exchange of loves, a manifestation of the full freedom with which then the message of the angel is received and in that way then the word is really and truly conceived and is being made matter. So what we see there, we see in this scene that is therefore I wanted to start with that you see what we may call the mystery of obedience.

[11:37]

The mystery of obedience which is certainly not in that way a concern. something not understood, you know, or something that is the reaction of a slave to any kind of tyranny, nothing of that. All that is shown here is shown in great intimacy, shown as a great, you know, meeting, to say, of two loves, the love of Our Lady for her Creator and the love of the Creator for mankind. choosing this human instrument to be the mother of the Word made flesh, this highest and last expression of God's motherly love for mankind. So there is therefore holes in all that, all opinions, and there is also the beautiful thing that's expanding wide away

[12:40]

mentioned in his chapter of obedience. It really is fully the love of Christ, the love of Christ, the love of God. And only then in this context even one can say this obedience is justified. Outside of it, it is not. Therefore, that is the first. Mystery of obedience is a meeting of loves. And that, of course, you can right away see is possible only in the realm of faith. Faith is the inner, let's say, the source of obedience. Faith sets the scene of Christian obedience. Without faith, Christian obedience is not Christian obedience, but is simply then, in political times, a tyranny, some human thing, maybe some technical thing, maybe some instrument in which human men try to

[13:53]

get better technically to run their affairs with greater hope of success and of avoiding mistakes, or of exercising power and through the exercise of absolute power then to reach their goals more easily, superhuman goals. more easily of course always then at the expense of millions of people that go to pieces over But here, nothing of it. Therefore, the inner mystery of aliens is subjective. Subjectively received, in fact. So let us keep these two things. And at this scene, I invite you to consider and meditate on this wonderful scene. It is really here we are at the sources. We can see that right away, the source of monasticism. This is really and truly the beginning of our life.

[14:56]

Here is the source of our life. And Our Lady, for that matter, is clearly the first rock. Therefore, that is the reason why this day is such a blessed one for us, and why we should really make that today the object of our deep and loving meditation. would have, the natural knowledge. And therefore, this relation of obedience in the natural field between parents and the child is, of course, first of all, is a relation which transcends itself.

[15:59]

I mean, it's a relation which by itself tends to making itself superfluous. It is a transition. It is something that should heal the subject through a stage of development. But of course, it will then come into maturity as soon as that is age of maturity is reached, then this relation ceases. Then the other thing is the relation between the parents and the children. It is an educational one. The parents and the adults and all those who are, that take the place or feel in some way the function of parental authority can help in the educational process.

[17:05]

That educational process, of course, is also of information, allowing, helping the child get the necessary knowledge that is needed. And the religious obedience, of course, is different to Wagner, first of all, because it is by its nature, we speak about that later, by its nature not intended to transcend itself, to make itself superfluous. but it is inherent then in the status of the religious, the status of somebody who vows himself for something better, that means for the observance of the Rejective Councils. And the educational field, the religious obedience of course has to do

[18:15]

It's a relation between superior subjects, but his subjects are adults. Therefore, they are not by nature inferior. But on the contrary, one can say that in the religious field, the position of the superior, he puts it, the higher the superior, the position of the superior is, the more impossible it becomes for him, and the more evident it also becomes for him, that it is really impossible for him to, say, fulfill his task, because the higher and more universal responsibility shows to everybody who overtakes him, more in a clearer light, his own shortcomings. And therefore what the superior in that position needs, the superior is two things.

[19:21]

I mean first of all he speaks then about that the superior is not to be considered in the role of an Olympian papa. and should also not be treated as such. That means the whole ceremonial, which sometimes a superior is surrounded, you know, should better, as he says, wither away. People who have really authority, they don't need it, and they even kind of we don't like it. And then, of course, very often it says this ceremonial may be a kind of pompous front to conceal certain weaknesses and a certain lack of, let's say, of qualification in the various fields.

[20:34]

What should be done is to help the superior in the fulfillment of his task in that way that methods and ways are found in which he finds and receives information and the knowledge which is, especially in our days, which is necessary for him to fulfill his office. Just as we simply face today a situation in which the variety, as I say, because he speaks here by the natural field, of which, let's say, the development of knowledge, variety and complications of technical developments is constantly increasing.

[21:36]

At the same time, the amount of technical knowledge on the part of members of a religious community is increasing. that we have simply the superior today faces in many fields faces the say the knowledge of the expert scientist or the expert builder or architect or technician or whatever it is that he has to find ways in which he can work together, be guided, be enlightened in an objective way by the knowledge which is at hand, the capital, so to speak, which is which is there in the community which he governs or also which can be put at his disposal through other means outside his own community.

[22:57]

That is one point. I want to just mention the various points and then come back to it in order to see and rely and make the applications out of our own life. That is why religious obedience is not that of children or their parents in the natural world. The other thing is that the religious obedience also is not simply what he calls a regulation of traffic. That means it is not, doesn't have, the religious obedience doesn't simply have the function to make a community working smoothly so that the The religious superior is nothing but a man who stands there in the middle of the Catholic center, and there's the red light, and he sees that the red light, nobody passes the street, and then there's the green light, and then he makes everybody

[24:10]

So it's not, in that way, a means for people to live together smoothly. And finally, the last one is that religious obedience is certainly not meant to take away the initiative, the initiative of the individual. and simply make and keep the community or the religious in an attitude in which they don't do anything without the signal being given on the part of the superior. And that, of course, these three things are very, very, very important. important point that we then want to consider tomorrow in the light of the whole of that building.

[25:14]

Now the juniors. We started yesterday. kind of, say, commentary on reflections of the, of the world's reflections, of people's. And they were first, before yesterday, the misconceptions, the misconceptions. I think not necessary to mention before you and in this context of the apple season. The conferences of Merida, of course, are done in the context of the season, in the spirit of the season, because what we are expecting, what we are waiting for, that is the kingdom of God,

[26:27]

The kingdom of God, as you know, the Old Testament, the New Testament biblical concept of that word doesn't mean a well set up and so on, but means the actual concept. rule of God, that deus omnia in ovibus, God of all things, in all things, that is the kingdom of God. Therefore it is, of course, for man, a matter of obedience, as it is on the side of God, a matter of rule, king. So, the goal of the season, we can see that in this morning's beautiful intro. Thou art near, O Lord, and all thy ways are true.

[27:32]

All thy ways are true. It is always a matter of the way. I have known from the beginning concerning thy testimonies, Mokunan. So that is, and then we see right away in Our Lady, you know, how that wisdom and obedience, this inner acquaintance and loving familiarity from the beginning concerning Thy testimonies is then put into practice in this beautiful Gospel today. at that time Mary, rising up, went into the hill country with haste into the city of Judah. Through the fulfillment of the divine direction, the obedience that was given to God, the lady with haste, that means complete inner freedom, full ascent of the wheel, and the way in which our Holy Father St.

[28:39]

Benedict describes obedience in his chapter. So that just, you know, I mean, in this context we are speaking about these things. And now to come back, you know, just to remind me, a religious obedience says, Father Rana, it's not that of a child in relation to his parents. Why? Because the child is essentially in a status, immature. There are two immaturities, let's say, inherent in the child. One is the immaturity of will, Father Werner, I thank you for your will, which incapacitates the child as far as, as I say, keeping order in its affairs is concerned. The will just is insufficient for, let us say, the necessary control. That's how he appears in this part of the novel. Here, there breaks, this breaks, that one's standing to his mouth, that's another thing.

[29:45]

All the time, the mother, all the time, all that. Evidence, you know, very, very true. Immaturity of will, and therefore the lack of control. The other one, of course, is the lack of experience and knowledge. The two things are not clear. the way, the light, the two things, necessity, lack of experience and knowledge. And therefore, this function of the parents in the life of the child is to support and help, be controlled by their command, by their authority. And at the same time, to help the ignorance in the ways of education. So then, that is concerning, then you will have religious obedience, as he said, and truly he said, you know, it's not a traffic regulation.

[30:46]

In other words, it is not simply functional religious obedience. It's not functional. It's not impersonal. Therefore, not something which he said, indifferent, so to say, what we call indifferent. And thirdly, he cannot, you know, keep suppressing our initiative. Now, there are three very interesting points, and I think we can truthfully just reflect on them. First, the concept of parental or paternal relations. Now, if it is true that the religious obedience is not that of the immature child, it's true. It's, of course, a matter of status. It's a matter of life, religious obedience, as Radovan also explains that later on. Therefore, it's not an obedience which tries to make itself superfluous, but it is really and truly

[31:50]

a form of life inherent in the status of the religious. And then one must immediately add that in the entire Christian tradition, because this relation is always considered, and that, of course, especially in the New Testament, as a parental relation father and son that is that is therefore in that way this relation of obedience is not the let us say based on the physical inadequacy of the physically undeveloped child that's true his relation concerns adults Nevertheless, you know, this relation is called, let us for the moment just take this, you know, a parental relation, a paternal relation.

[32:57]

Yes, therefore, the exercise of all Christian authority, you know, is essentially paternal exercise. Yes, the attitude of the subject is a feeling attitude of the soul. But you realize right away that, of course, this terminology, which is inherent, as I say, in the use and in the exercise of all Christians, all of God in the church, is essentially eternal. And, of course, also the obedience is essentially filial obedience. Why is that? That is, of course, a concept which is based on the essence of the New Testament as a covenant based on the Holy Spirit. Based, therefore, and has come about, you know, by the Father sending his Son into the world, and the Son becoming man, one of us, and dying in obedience,

[34:10]

will of the Father, not my will be done, but your will be done. And then, as a result of fulfilling the will of the Father on the cross, the sending of the Holy Spirit. And the function, of course, of this Holy Spirit is in the church, essentially, to make the Christian, to conform, form the Christian into a likeness of the Son. That is the... the important relation Father-Son, Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, in that way, is the end, as it were, of the Trinitarian procession. Hence, the office, function of the Spirit is to make the Christian a son. Therefore, and then, through the conformity with Christ the Son, make him able to approach God as Father. that therefore you can see right away that if we use in the Christian language in order to characterize the relation between superior and subject if we use that the word you know of and take these words from the parental relation let us say physical parental relation this is not meant in any way

[35:40]

to kind of make the Christian obedience appear like the obedience of the physical parenthood but it is on the contrary meant to characterize Christian obedience and also Christian authority in their supernatural character that means in that character which the coming of the kingdom of God here on earth, you see, gives to this relation. And that is, of course, what God's ways, you know, of course, embrace the entire life of man. The adult in that way is just as great an instrument of the Holy Spirit as the child is, even in a higher way, in a more intensive way, in a more interior way. and, therefore, also our conformity with Christ. Naturally, it's a life's job. As long as we are here, no, oh, no,

[36:41]

As long as we are wandering towards and looking for and expecting the Kingdom of God, in that way we are children. And that is, of course, a term that our Lord has used, as you know very well, as a very decisive term, even as an absolute condition to be members of the Kingdom of God. If you don't become like the children, you cannot enter in the Kingdom of God. But what is this childhood? It's a childhood in the Holy Spirit. It's the childhood which the Holy Spirit gives. It's that childhood in which we, through which we, the power of the Holy Spirit, become conformed to the Son. And in this way then, I repeat again, are able to approach God as the Father. And that I'll ever do. It does not mean as the tyrant. but it means really and truly as Son of God. That means in that relation, which then St.

[37:44]

Paul characterizes so beautifully as characteristic of Christian obedience in the spirit of paresia, aude multia, this audacia, which then man as child in the Holy Spirit conformed to the Son really has in relation to to his father. That means paresia. In that way, you may absolutely say that Christian obedience and also Christian relation between superior and subject is far beyond, naturally, that of any kind of physical immaturity. It belongs to a completely different sphere. It belongs in the sphere of the maturity of the spirit. It belongs really to the sphere of the kingdom of God, and that means the nationalities into the sphere of the inner life of the Holy Trinity.

[38:45]

So therefore this parental character exists. But in the supernatural life it has a theological meaning, does not have a physical meaning, does not have even what can say a philosophical. However, now we can still go a little step further and just steer away and meditate and look at this whole problem of obedience in the way in which it unfolds before us in the Holy Scripture. you know very well, and of course the way in which man in the Holy Spirit enters again into the spiritual childhood, that means into conformity with the King of all ages, that means our Lord Jesus Christ, that this way in which we also let now in the Advent season in which We see it is closely connected naturally with the way in which man was born.

[39:52]

Yes, what we are looking for in the Advent season is really and truly a rebirth. It's a rebirth with Christ the child, and even Christ the child. Therefore, a new conformity is a nativity, nativitas, which we are looking forward to, to celebrate on Christmas. Therefore, it is a new beginning and therefore is also an inner relation to and a fulfillment of that, as I say, birth and that nativitas which is described to us on the first pages of Genesis. We have always to go back to. Now, as you know very well, that's the first pages of Genesis. One can say that the real history of man, the history of man, starts with the giving of commandment.

[40:54]

That means it starts with the demand for obedience on the part of man. And if you look at that commandment which God gives to his creature, to his son, to Adam and Eve. The first thing is evidently that this command is given to Adam and Eve as adults. They certainly, according to all, let's say, our concepts, the understanding of this entire scene and the evident presentation of this scene, Adam and Eve were not children. when they receive God's command. But they are in full possession of their natural maturity, and one can add to that also their supernatural maturity.

[41:57]

And one can set it away in the fullness, you know, in that way in which God envisaged man. Now, in this situation, a command was given. Now, of all the trees of paradise you may take, except, you know, of this one you may not eat. Now, we look at the nature of this commandment, and we see right away, that it is given to Adam and Eve, as I say, as adults, but it is given as what we call a positive commandment. That means not a natural law but a positive law. In other words, it is given as a regulation, so to speak,

[42:58]

And for that matter, it's an external regulation. It has, if you want, in front or in confrontation with the, let us say, maturity of man, it has the character of, let us put it, arbitrariness. It is not in any way a matter of reasoning. as far as that is accessible to man. It's not simply a matter of internal understanding, but it's a matter of external imposition. In that way, of course, it has also the marks in itself of a command, you know, that parents would give to their children. Because those commands have, in the eyes of the children, the character of, let us say, an imposition.

[44:00]

That is why the child, you know, usually instinctively is a guinea. And therefore, the dad has, therefore, it has wanted this character, let us say, of a superior will. superior will, which is manifested to the creature. And it is further, it has also in itself, I would say, a certain character of mysteriousness. It is, you know, a command which transcends the understanding of man. Evidently, this command has in itself something mysterious. It is the expression of a wisdom which shows that the ways of God are high above the ways of man.

[45:02]

Now we can ask ourselves, why is that the case? And I think that we have to consider two things. One is, why is this the case? the commandment given as a positive regulation. That means not as something which would come and grow out of what we call the natural logics of the circumstance, of the situation. Because of all the trees of paradise you meet, Therefore fruits, you know, are evidently in the sight of man and also in the mature. The mature man are something good for man. Good for man. That is what Eve says. Oh, look at this tree, at this fruit, you know, of this tree, of the forbidden tree. And I look at this and I'm really focused on it. And I must say, it looks very good.

[46:07]

Therefore it doesn't give me any evidence, you know, that there is anything bad about it. So why not take it? After all, God has said, you know, we can eat of the fruits of paradise. Why not of this one? Seems to me it says something unreasonable. Why that? It seems to me we have to consider the what. We have to consider, in order to why, we have to consider the nature of the tinder. I just give these things, as I say, as reflections in a strange, free way, which Karl Wagner expresses himself in his article. It's always, you know, one always takes care of these things out, and the temptation we have to do is to deal with these beautiful, deep mysteries.

[47:07]

And what we have to consider, you know, we have to see that it's the serpent, and therefore, let us say, the tempter comes as it were, in the form of the animal. That means, in some way, on the animal level, it seems to me. But on the other hand, because, you know, it's also clear in the reports, you know, of the fall of man, the serpent was the most circle of all. Therefore, the serpent is not, you know, therefore, described as a dumb animal. Birds have wise, subtle, extremely clever. These two things have to be considered. The animal, but extremely clever. In other words, the tenter represents two realms, that of the animal and that of, one can say, of the spirit.

[48:13]

The pure spirit, for that matter. The subtlety, that means the fallen spirit. In other words, there are two things, you know, one is the instinct and the other one is the intelligence. These two elements, you know, are there in this whole process. And that seems to me is the reason, you see, why. And that is in some ways the meaning of this command, you know. It is man in his maturity. He is, of course, let us say, Lord over himself. He is able, you know, to make his decisions for him. And I will say, according to the nature of things, however, the maturity of man is completely different from that, let us say, maturity that the instinct gives to animals. Because we must say that the animal, too, has maturity.

[49:17]

and very often much sooner than man has, has a maturity. That means that the animal has in himself, in his instinct, the kind of inner rule which tells him what to do. And in many ways, as we know very well, in a much more sure, in a much more secure way, Yeah, well, I think everybody who deals with animals, you know, realizes that. For example, overeating is very, I'm not familiar, you know, with our cows. On the whole, we wouldn't allow them, probably wouldn't allow them. just to be on their own, you see, instead of putting the daily portion before them. I mean, it's our principle here, free roaming, you know, set up.

[50:20]

But which, of course, relies on what? On the instinct of it. In other words, the animal knows what to do, while at the same time we very often know and have the evidence that man doesn't. Maybe he knows that he doesn't follow his instincts. In other words, lost man is beyond the instinct. The instinct is itself an inner law. It's an inner law. And this inner law is that rules the animal world. According to this inner law of instinct, If man could eat of all the fruits of the paradise, you know, it doesn't appear why he shouldn't eat from the tree in the middle of the paradise. If the whole thing is a matter of instinct. If man looks, you know, at this fruit as he eats it, it's very good.

[51:23]

It would be very good to eat. That's, of course, the answer of the instinct. And the important thing, of course, is that for man, his relation to God is not a matter of instinct. That is the first fundamental thing. In other words, also, maturity, human maturity, does not give to man, let us say, the perfect instincts. And the instinctive securities Why not? Because instinct, you know, in that way has no history. It's an inner law, but of course it does not have the inner freedom. An inner law does not have the inner freedom. For man, the important thing is that his relation to God and his relation to his creation, which is God's gift to him, is not a matter of instinct, but that it is a matter of decision.

[52:28]

And of a decision which at last announces man's birth and man's life as God's child. So illa formalita. That man in other ways makes his decision in paradise, you know, not, you know, as the Lord, but as the servant. That is to my mind is indicated in the very sentence in which it is said, and God prepared paradise for man, and he put man there for what purpose? To serve. To serve and to cultivate. To serve and The word serving is, of course, service of God. The service, the relation that man has essentially to his creator, a paternal relation, a relation of the child, a son, in relation to his father. And then, of course, requires decision, and the command is the way in which man arrives at the decision, or in which man is able to make a decision.

[53:42]

And the positive commandment, therefore, distinguishes angels in signs and forms. The relation of man, as I say again, different from that of the animal, different from instinct, but in freedom of his will, he decides as son to serve his father. in order to approach the, what we call, the hysteria of obedience, not let, or rather let's see that, the article of that, you know. It was brought up by this old question that the obedience in the monastery is not the obedience in which, in natural order, children have to pay to their parents, in which it is, of course, based on the essential immaturity and, on the other hand, on the essential, I should say, natural superiority of the parents, because that would lead them to

[55:12]

all kinds of misapprehensions, and then if one simply transfers that to the relation between the domestic superior and the members of the family, the superior knows it all, and he is the one, the absolute holy one, the mature one, and he has all kinds of knowledge, and on the other hand, members of the community are considered to be alright and as inferior, immature, as unable to take care of themselves with all of these things and as in their judgement simply they are not balanced or immature or stupid or whatever. That is of course not the meaning of religious obedience. of the spirit, groundless spirit, and it is obedience which is in us, and it is faith.

[56:24]

God is and supposes really maturity because God wanted that those who obey him do it as images, as images of God. It was not in any way as simply a slave. for their souls. Therefore, the obedience there was always in the religious realm, in the realm of the spirit, considered as the, um, obedience of souls. I prefer just to give a few ideas that came to my head, because in this whole matter of obedience, of course, there's also the rule, the Holy Father Benedict says to will, you know, what is the meaning of obedience in a monastic life, is that through the obedience and taking the glorious weapons of obedience, we may go back to the world

[57:26]

whom we have left by the sloth of disobedience. And therefore there is the source, there is the origin of this whole teaching of obedience, especially for a monastic life, that means for a life which aims at perfection, at complete surrender to God, the life of the monarchos, with one idea, and one ideal, And that is God, and how he can best serve the glory of God, become an image of God. Therefore, that has its origin in the whole story of the four. There is put before us, let's say, the mystery of obedience, and in this way that we see it, you know, there is man is being tempted, Of course, the pure man in full encumbrance of all his natural, one may say supernatural faculties, and in a way in the degree in which God has conceded between him and time, and there he is put by the tempter.

[58:47]

Then I'll call your attention now to the Tector. Just let us take a look. Where is the source, so to speak, of disobedience? What is this Tector? Then we can say in some way we are meeting with a kind of freak incarnation. which is very often found in the Old Testament. It's the freak incarnation. In what way? Because we see on one side the animal, see, it belongs to the, among the animals, therefore represents the animal world. And what is the animal world? The animal world is, of course, the world which is alive, yes, possesses life, but, of course, is not created in the image and likeness of God. Now, therefore, the animal world is, therefore, on a level, lives what we call on the level of the instinct.

[59:55]

That means it doesn't obey. you know, an external world, let us say, a world which is directed from above. But it obeys the inner, what we call the natural law, the inner law. Of course, therefore, in the animal, you would never know, you know, the animal gives, of course, is the society. It is, in the animals, the law of the flesh, if we may call it that way. The inner instinct, that means natural law, coincides completely also with, let us say, the selfish interests of the animal, and for that matter there is no conflict. no conflict between the law and between what the animal wants. That is, in a way, therefore, it's not. Therefore, in the animal world, the inner law does not give room for deliberate pre-service.

[60:59]

It does not give room for this whole world that we call reverence of God, that we call adoration, worship, The animal doesn't worship. It doesn't give a lot of room, therefore, for real service. But in that way, the animal is, let's say, the principle or presents the principle of egotism, which is really, in last analysis, closed up and locked up in itself. And on the other hand, we see that this temple is the most subtle. Therefore, it's not wisdom, you know, it's subtlety. Subtlety is, in that way, is a form, we could call, of emancipated intelligence. a pure, emancipated intelligence, because the intelligence also has the tremendousness, as I say, the tremendous, as they speak in the world of intelligence, temptation, you know, as the spiritual creatures, temptation to feel their sufficiency in themselves and to realise their sufficiency, and therefore, what the arrogant, of course, doesn't do, to adore themselves, to adore themselves.

[62:28]

That is to say, the temptation of the pure spirit. And that, of course, is the key word of the evil spirit. Lucifer is, I shall not serve, because I have my sufficiency in myself. Therefore, for that matter, God, with his claim to superiority, is the enemy, at that very So that is the freak incarnation. That's, of course, what we find also always in creature, also in man. As soon as the obedience to God is given up, you find on one side, you know, the disintegration or separation, what we call flesh on one side, the instincts, whole life of instinct, whole world of instincts, The Pact is always a great mutual solution.

[63:38]

There is an Australian consulate where one flies with a jet to Brussels on a Sabina. The Lufthansa would be different. It would be a Munich. So concerning this whole... I put that very much, of course, into your prayers. As you know, it's not only a matter of... having the permission extended or anything like that for our office. That's a matter we put in its goods that we put that completely on the altar. We don't know what the answer will be. I wouldn't like either to raise any great hopes because the

[64:42]

extension for those six months, you know, was given with the kind of very strong hints that that would be the last, the last commission that would be given of that kind. Now, whatever knows. But I wanted to say that, you know, and make it clear to you that the world won't come to an end if we don't receive that permission. But it's a good thing to simply put it into the hands of God. It's a kind of a... which is extended to all, all the things that we, in a monastic way, hope for the future and that we work for are, of course, all put into the, and have to receive, at one time or another, the seal of the concrete obedience and the seal of the approval of the ecclesiastical authorities, also for ourselves, for our lives.

[65:57]

It's a question of our constitutions and can the things that are so important to us Will they receive the official approval? And those things are simply still in a certain way in the balance. We can't see that. I think concerning some major points, we don't have to, we can't take it really for... granted, you know, that they will be approved. But the whole matter, of course, of the divine office, of the monastic office, is a much bigger question, a question that doesn't only concern us, but that also concerns the chapters, concerns the other orders who use the breviarium monasticum. And this breviarium monasticum will not be simply kind of pushed around by the congregation of rites either.

[67:07]

But it has to be carefully thought out and discussed among the monks themselves. If then in the course of that discussion the monks come to a kind of a line, a solution of their problems, which are again of so different nature. Every monastery is of a different nature, practically. So, a long process, but if they come to a clear line, to a certain decision, then we can be quite sure that that will be approved by the ecclesiastical authorities. But as long as... In the monastic ranks themselves, there are many various approaches and solutions and mutual, to say, little controversies.

[68:15]

Then what can the ecclesiastical authority do in a place like that? It simply has to be then maintained the status quo by the authority. So all these things I recommend very much to your players. And to make this too, as I try to do in these days, That means to the doorsteps of the apostles. And that means there it is, you know. They put it there all on the doorsteps. And then they leave it in the hands of the apostles. God in his providence who speaks to us through his representatives. That's, of course, a very good way.

[69:16]

We know that from our own experience. Not to be too excited, too heated up. about things, but in all these things to keep a certain quiet and tranquility of mind. That is our most precious gift that we receive, also as a monk. The monk is the homo creatus. That doesn't mean that he doesn't have many phases here in his life, is rather burdened by this thing or that thing. But in his deepest heart, he remains homo creatus. And that is what I wish from the bottom of my heart to all members of the community during this Lenten season. We all know that this Lenten season looks forward to the moment where the risen Savior says, stand this peace, be with you.

[70:22]

hugs for us and breathes on each of us and that is that's the design that's the goal and this piece is achieved if we don't get hooked neither in external activities and things that we do to the outside material works the Martha services nor get hooked, you know, either to certain forms and things of the Mary service. In both directions, in the direction of activity and in the direction of contemplation, in both directions there are There are these things that the devil prepares for us that we get stuck and that we lose the peace over them. And that is the highest of our goods. So in that way also, in that attitude, we look forward to whatever may come of this trip.

[71:31]

Oh, you have no... and what is it why is it that no one sees what is really in the city of God? We can take it as that it is the city to which people have to speak. What is Golgotha? Golgotha is not in the Bible. It is in the Jerusalem. Jerusalem is the place where the altar is and where it is asked by God to offer his

[72:37]

boldly because of the fact that I was against such an act, which is, it goes on, it's just completely beyond, you know, any comprehension, or because it is a verb that is said to contradict the promise. But then, a vow of that means, as the scripture says, for you, you believe, Whereas this act of faith, which is an act that is the act of obedience, is a breakthrough out of the life of death into the faith of resurrection. Faced with the death of his son, Abraham is as if he were believing, forced to believe in the resurrection. So, open the door to death and obey. Does this happen to you? Are you ready to obey?

[73:38]

then he blessed, [...] blessed. Thank you. Why, in the word of the New Testament, the angel of God's message, he modified it.

[74:50]

The voice of God, the voice of God, who in his infinite wisdom, in his infinite wisdom, in his infinite song, wants to have the character of the angel of God. The angel of God, the angel of God, the angel of God, the angel of God, Filled in the air is the very sign of power. And the beauty of the universe has been so beautiful in this chapter. Verse 8. Those who wear his song, yes, learn his obedience. Right. Thank you for watching.

[75:51]

where I feel this motif goes through in the whole scripture. In the Gospel of St. John, it's the meaning of the enemy, of the outcast, the God of the enemy. It's the way of getting off the seal. Thank you. Thank you.

[77:25]

Well, this beautiful piece we have seen there, you know, it's the answer. Yesterday we have been given the great gift, and today we see the response that it is those who believe in the words made fleshly, then give to the divine generosity. We can also see that the, I would say about what's the eternal mystery, that eternal possession, that eternal relation between the Father and the Son, is now after the song's birth here on earth. This continues, as it were, in our human circumstances. Yesterday, the Knights, I tried to explain in this note the historical birth of the Knights

[79:12]

of our earthly time, and he has reflected the eternal birth of Christ, of the Word, from the Father. And so also in the continuation that Christ has started here on this earth, but in his church we see the same procession reflected, going on. Christ appears here on earth, and instead he becomes the head of his mystical body, of his church. The fact that he takes on flesh is an extract of that flesh. The head he doesn't take on. individual person locked up in itself but it takes on the star of the sex plane in one it suppresses the human nature so it is there for the whole bodies the church he has taken on there in the church now this mystery of the birth

[80:38]

The procession is continued. We see there the college of the apostles. They represent Christ. They represent Christ as the Father. They are the Christ himself. As soon as he appears here, and this is flesh, economic vanity, he's called part of. the father of the new age. And now, in this day, today, we see the son, the firstborn son, as it were, St. Stephen. And he, of course, is one of us. He is the old martyr. And he, therefore, represents in himself, represents in a special way, represents the Church. He is the deacon.

[81:42]

The word in relation to the Father is the deacon, is the eternal wisdom, as the Holy Church has placed here on this earth. It is the delight to be with the souls of men. The world has that inner note, essential note of, I can say, of friendship, friendship for man, friendship for the entire cosmos. In him, the cosmos, this earth, this visible earth was conceived. In him and through him, this cosmos pleases the Father So that relation is, by the way, with Christmas. It enters as a historical fact, and one can say as a historical power, and as a historical order into this world, this world.

[82:51]

And that is here that St. Stephen has the deacon. And the deacon, of course, again, too, in the historical order, There are the Apostles who present about the Fatherhood of Christ and they are given in order to, in the order of Fatherhood, they are given to, as it says, to prayer and to the Word. Prayer and Word. Prayer which leads my way to the inner mystery of the Eternal Father And the word just proceeds from him. And then they then impose their hands and they call the deacons. For what reason? So that in the deacon then the work of Christ, the opus redemptionis, the ministry of Christ.

[83:54]

I came not to be ministered upon, but to minister. that office of it, or it's described as an eternal serving the tables. That is in the deacons, in a special way. The deacons do, in order to make it so beautiful, if one thinks about these things, in order to establish that inner continuity of the inner life of God, the inner life of the Holy Trinity. The deacons, of course, are not now completely given to the service and to material things. That is their main thing. That is what establishes them in their author. Still, of course, the deacons, too, just as the apostles, They're not only creatures, but they are also adorers.

[84:59]

As adorers, they are in a deeper relation, essentially related to God. As creatures of the Word, they take part in the manifestation of the Word. But then the deacons who serve the tables, at the same time, they also are martyrs. They are, that means they stand for the truth. They see the truth. They have a vision of Christ as standing at the right hand of God. So they are full of that Holy Spirit, which is light to them, which unites them to the eternal majesty of Christ, to Christ as the Father of the coming age. And then from this basis, starting from that, then they go and serve the table so that today still the deacon is of one health.

[86:05]

He also reads the gospel, announces the gospel, and also helps them find the office, helps them to serve the table. This is here to be concrete needs of the faith. In that way, it's again faithful witness to Christ, image of Christ. So in that way, we also conceive our own life. Again, in our own life, this thing, this essential order is reflected. turned towards, one can say, as of course in every Christian, his order, the order of the Holy Trinity is repeated.

[87:07]

Supposed to be the eternal Father, and he's even adored. This hour that's for us, now the mastic life, that is the center of everything. Out of that comes the word, the preaching, the announcing of the word of the gospel. And then also the selling of the tables, this humble service for the care, for the welfare of our bodies. We see that. that is in our monastic life. And that's the great task for every one of us, you know, to keep in his own inner life, to keep these three elements, you know, in their inner continuous and harmonious order. In their mutual, therefore, in their mutual relation, so that our prayer

[88:17]

may not be, as is not certainly the Christian idea, a fleeing and retiring from service, from a concrete and humble service. And also our preaching, our giving, the testimony, the witness, in all kinds of our studies, our lectures, They also may not be, on one side, be divorced from prayer, and on the other hand, may not be divorced from the willingness to serve, wherever that is necessary, in the service of the community. And it goes wherever we serve the tables, wherever we are deacons, actually, in a specific way of serving there, we should keep in our mind, too, and interiorly, that in order of prayer, of lecture, and of service,

[89:24]

So that is the goal, it seems to me, of the perfection of the mock. The perfection of the mock is not the specialization in one direction. The meaning of the perfection of the mock is the comprehension of the entire tributarian order. Only in that way we can really and truly give Glory to the Incarnation. In this peace is the quiet, the heavenly quiet, is the depth of wisdom, is the purity of holy virginity. The peace that radiates into every direction from the heart of Saint John, which is at the same time so completely given to the word of wisdom, to the word of God.

[90:40]

the Son of God, that at the same time receives from me also that rage of power and love, a love that is really and truly permanent, lasting, and therefore is something that is deeply rooted in this soul. That is what we, as monks, that we are seeking for. That, that's what it is. which presents that equanimity and that serenity and that inductive ability of the peace that we drink and can only drink from the heart of our Saviour as a source. And I think there's always so much as to here, but only to understand this in weeks.

[92:14]

It will take a little easy. I hope nobody will be scandalized. I strongly feel the need of some recollection and of some, how to say, confrontation on a deeper level and that is done not to withdraw from the community but to serve perhaps the individual needs of the community better and I'm sure that you understand that the beginning of the new year and really here the Holy Word again read in the post and the divine voice calling and we know that we are meant at the beginning of the new year we ask ourselves naturally about the orientation and what is our way and how and in what way are we called to cooperate with the divine voice

[93:39]

which in the last year or so we heard in such a strong and such a clear way and which opens up in the new year this pilgrimage of our Holy Father to Jerusalem. We have to think a little what these things really mean to us. The much of our hope and much of what we according to our lines which we consider as the direction and the way that the voice of God as it speaks to us in our days once turns as the opening of the heart and the deeper grasp of the great calamities and the various miseries of which mankind suffers.

[94:45]

The hunger which has been pointed out so strongly, the Holy Father in his Christmas message as one of the greatest enemies that we have to conquer, we have to that Christ in his charity has called upon us to do it, to help. But it isn't only a material hunger, it is also the spiritual hunger. And that even may be more. And we know well how our late Holy Father, Pope John XXIII, how well he understood it. Yesterday, at the end of the literal sermon I gave to you, I pointed this out. And we also read now in the gospel in the epistle, renunciantes secundaria desideria, renouncing the ambitions and the cravings of the world, as it should probably be translated.

[96:03]

renouncing the ambitions and the cravings of the world. That is the element of the circumcision, that we ascend, however, to that, into the fullness of the glad tidings, so that we are enabled, together with the Lord, to put His cross into this fullness, to give all things a head again in him. And that's it. We give a head in him. That is our calling as members of Christ's body. And that is how my father said, I hope John, I say over the same time, Now there'll be the day comes that he is to be canonized. He hope that this calling and responding to the spiritual hunger, as he put it, if one is a shepherd, and I think it's so true, one has to look at the lamb, at the sheep, and one has to

[97:23]

deal with them, and attract them with what they have, because they can't understand. And that is the reason for which St. Paul was one of these great voices, really. He became a Jew for the Jews and a Greek for the Greeks, and became everything to all men. And that all-embracing and understanding charity, that is such a tremendous element also in our monastic life. We realize that that is what a monastic community really wants to do, especially a Benedictine community. The Benedictines have always been, the monks have always been, what would I say, in good repute. for that reason that they prefer to say a word, a healing word, to the sharpness, crossing of swords, a controversy.

[98:40]

That's why they write the word Pax, the big letters on every message that they send out into the world. I think at least it's a good custom to do that. It has a deep meaning. And that is what our Holy Father Pope John XXIII did. And I think if we look into this coming year, we should deeply again, you know, and in the peace of Christ, resolve and oblige ourselves to the continuation of that work, of this approach to the sheep, wherever they are, at the place in which they are, and with what they have and what they can understand. Because in this way, then, men may lead into the fullness of Christ. I just wanted to read it to you, and I thought it might be, in this context, it might be good for all of us to hear just again some excerpts, you know,

[99:51]

the homily that Pope John XXIII gave at this coronation. We greet you with a fatherly heart and a heart full of love. And then he continues that we hear with great joy and with great eagerness, the voices of the two Johns that used to be so close and still are close to the Lord. And the new Pontifex who talks to you has been led by divine providence through the vicissitudes of his life. He has been led into an inner likeness to the son, that son of Jacob the patriarch.

[100:58]

who, when he saw and met his brothers, depressed and affected deeply by the sorrows of exile, greeted them, loving and weeping with them and telling them, I am Joseph, your brother. And this we solemnly tell you as the most important and the most significant thing, and the thing that is most closely and in a very, very special way close to our heart. The closest thing to our heart is to play the role, fulfill the role of the universal shepherd for the whole flock.

[102:08]

All the other things, the ornaments and the praises and glories of the human mind, the glory of doctrine, the prudence in the organization of things, the dexterity in the diplomatic field, the experience and the capacity of ordering things. All this here can serve, he says, and is a good addition to the pastoral job but it can never be sufficient and replace it. I have also other sheep.

[103:11]

And with these words, in these words you see the whole amplitudes and the whole nobility of what you call the missionary course expressed. That is certainly the first office of the Roman pontiff in Solicitud. And then he continues and says, A great, most important law is meekness and humility. And all you, how many you are all over the world, devout people and fervent in the Spirit, we ask you and implore you to pray to God that for your pontiff that he may

[104:24]

retain, that he may keep this propositum medibus concilio, that he may, with his whole mind, adhere to this inner decision. It is that he, in Evangelica, that he may more and more progress in the Gospel's meekness and humility. because that is our firm conviction that this here is the root for all the virtues of the spiritual life of the shepherd. And if this would not be the part of the Father of all the faithful, then all the useful things of great importance that he may do are for nothing.

[105:37]

also those things that regard the needs of the human race, social and earthly needs. So that is the heart, you know, from which he, the heart of which he really wanted and lived, in fact, the heart of which he acted. I think that is for us as monks, you know, monasteries. is built for that snowball meaning that we have in this world if we don't devote ourselves to this non-analects, lenitulis et humilitatis. That is really and truly the source of all our efficiency. And our common life is simply the most for every individual, most for this.

[106:42]

If we are not capable in our own daily contacts to follow and to show and cultivate and foster this mandala next, humilitatis et humilitatis, we have simply failed before God that we will stand before the church at the end of our lives. We will not be able to give any answer. We have failed. We have acted against our solemn public promise world profession, promises. Therefore, let us keep that really and truly in mind from the year to come. If anything can do anything for the world, it is the following of the Vex Denitudines et Humiliatis. in the sense of a good shepherd in a way which John XXIII in his tremendous humaneness and goodness has shown it to us.

[107:45]

And that has to touch the heart of the world, and nothing else will touch the heart of the world. Then we have seen, of course, also in Great Sobel the passing of the president. And we have heard from various letters also that we have received from Europe how the European youth put confidence and great concentration in that the beginning of the new year, concerning our own country, too, and concerning the problems with which we are faced. The first problem is the race problem, and the battle of millions of people here in our own country simply for not only for citizen rights, but simply for the possibility to live as you would be.

[108:53]

and to be reconized as such, and not live simply as tolerated animals, but live really and truly as human beings. And that's what is, of course, what is at stake. And there again, what can we do? We have to throw the legs, benitatis and hominitatis, in that whole field. So maybe in this whole context it would be good, you know, to remember a word that just the other day somebody sent a memorial card, the President, that he put before, that he expressed, and you probably remember it. Now the trumpet summons us again, not as a call to bear arms, the arms we need, Now there's a call to battle, though embattled we are, but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, rejoicing in hope, patience, and tribulation, a struggle against the common enemies of man, tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself.

[110:15]

In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility. I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor We light our country and all who serve, and the glow from that fire can truly light the world. With a good conscience, our only sure reward, that history, the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love. a certain mode and way of this presence.

[112:16]

And that is, of course, reaches and all are in the Old Testament. They are all the figures and prophecies of that unique presence which then is realized in our Lord Jesus Christ through the mystery of the Incarnation. My eye will glee there, and it is in the human nature of Christ, this human person. And there my ears will be in a special way, and there my spirit will be. And Christ himself then answers and gives the full answer, the full yes, through his obedience. so that, right on the part of God, it is the solemn declaration, and not only as in the Old Testament declaration that he wants to be there, but it is really, as in the New Testament, the sending of the Son, who is equal to the Father, who is in the fullness of divinity.

[113:26]

And in that way, the Son is the Father's eye, And the Son is the Father's ear. The Son is the Father's word. And there it is with us, through the mystery of the Incarnation, human nature, the human nature of the Lord Jesus Christ is the temple. There is the presence. That is then continued, it's continued, in the church, continued in the sacraments, first of all. There we celebrate the Holy Eucharist. Here is a continuation of the God Emmanuel of the Incarnation. Hence, there we are standing around. Now it is up to us to realize this presence and to conform our hearts to this presence and then to give the response

[114:32]

And that is that in the monastery, the whole monastery is a continuation of the Eucharist. The life of the monk all through the day, he carries that presence. In all his actions, at all moments, the eyes of the Lord are on him, upon the monk. And, of course, there is then the possibility of the apostasy, of evading, of what we call in the Old Testament, in Adam, of hiding, hiding away. And the means through which we try to avoid the hiding is the obedience. The obedience is the attitude on our part which corresponds to the presence of God on the other part.

[115:35]

Of course, this obedience in the monastic life must be an absolute one and must correspond to the very nature of the Incarnation. The Incarnation is a bond that cannot be dissolved. It's a covenant that cannot be revoked. Irrevocable. The Father binds himself in an irrevocable bond to the humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the Church. And therefore, also our obedience, the specific religious monastic obedience, is an irrevocable bond. And it is an obedience which does not only link ourselves as individuals to the Father through Christ, but it is a thing through which we become members in the community.

[116:38]

So it is a social action, and it is the loyalty to God. It is extended and includes the loyalty to the community, because this community is the temple. The community is the manifestation of the humanity, humanitas Dei Salvatores, to us. Therefore, it is the place where God sees us, the place where God hears us. and therefore the tremendous importance of the loyalty in that way, too, in religious obedience. And where Caruana expressed that to Will in this paragraph, this is why obedience is connected with the teaching and example of Christ who was obedient even to the death of the cross. Whoever enters into a religious community, whoever perpetually and irrevocably makes this way of life his own, chooses for himself an unforeseeable destiny.

[117:45]

For the consequences of such an election and dedication to the community and its rationale of action cannot be foreseen in detail. And these consequences can be difficult and painful. But this gamble is involved in every human obligation whereby another person with his own proper will becomes an inseparable part of one's own life. You find it in marriage, acceptance of the duties of citizenship, the responsibility of office, and so forth. Hence, if the religious community and its basic ideals are justified and meaningful, so too is the obligation toward all its consequences which cannot be seen in advance. A human mode of life which consists in the free subordination to something higher than itself cannot exist without this element of risk. and without such a surrender the individual remains in his own egotism, behind the defences of his own existential anxiety, which is the surest way to destroy.

[118:58]

But the man who gives himself to what is higher and nobler, who takes the gamble, knows that he is only doing what Christ himself did in his obedience.

[119:10]

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