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 years, fits so often the situation. And that is also in these days which are very difficult for us, especially the multitude of things to be done and so people to do it either away or sick and so on. I just wanted one way I wanted to point it out to you, you know, as St. Benedict did today the rule that they see it as to fall into the ground.

[01:06]

Moments like these are sent to us by God to test, 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. Yesterday we spoke in our little get-together on the various possibilities of Lenten observance and especially also the question of the diet and notifications that are connected with it. I think we all feel one thing that one cannot really yesterday in some way. It wasn't satisfactory, but satisfactory in this way that certain concrete questions simply came to a conclusion, but not of any major importance.

[02:23]

And of course, I think it was felt by all of us that A question like this can be tackled only in a bigger context. It's really always what plays into it is our basic idea of, you know, I can say of monasticism, but also of Christianity. I think the two are so closely connected that one... cannot consider the one without having its repercussions on the whole or the other Christianity as a whole. And we must simply, I think we should, during the Lenten season, without the pressure of a questionnaire and our answering a practical problem in our life, in connection with our general reflections on constitution or the meaning of our life here, monastic life, should go into it on a broader basis.

[03:36]

I think that that will be more fruitful for us. But, I mean, this is just one little... which occurs in our daily life, these little 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.

[04:42]

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 will kind of look, or has a tendency of kind of look 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, these days that are immediately before us, there are 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 weakness, you know, 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 in relation to the decisions of the superior, always to have the inner, a kind of inner trust, you know, inner...

[07:07]

Faith, you know, that the decision, as I say, may not objectively or practically always the right one, but don't allow the devil to tell you, yes, now that'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 and in a spirit which would elicit a kind of willing response. That's, of course, important and that's very dangerous. I mean, any superior as I, I have to, of course, I have to think of that. Maybe at times there are situations where one cannot avoid it or to be, let's say, to commit to that, to in that, to say, suspicion.

[08:20]

But be careful and always in a concrete situation, look at the whole, you know, remember that I think that on the whole the way we try to do things is with consideration of the needs or the stress that is on the community and then in that, you know, willingness and in that inner trust to accept an acute situation. I think that would help a great deal, you know, if 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 practically express that.

[09:24]

It's the obligation of the superior. You may be sure that if you write in that spirit, if you write a note, call the attention maybe to this situation or that situation, that that doesn't cause, on my part, no kind of resentment or anything like that. But I don't take it amiss, really, because it... It belongs to our life. It's simply the duty there of the superior. We may here and there be a client, get a little impatient, and think, yeah, no, the dear brother, he doesn't see the whole picture as it is, or all kinds of things, you know, like that. But we have to always get over this... kind of initial unwillingness or resistance or criticism or that little sting of hostility that is simply in us as a part of our inheritance.

[10:41]

That is the inheritance of the First Adam, that is, we have to count, you know, that we'll always have a tendency to get a hold. And, of course, then the devil is after us, and he, of course, rejoices in these opportunities and uses them to the full. But if we get over them, We see them in the right perspective, and especially if we see them in the perspective of what was 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 law, that this is something which is a real trial. But if a real child is there, then he is the conqueror and I can rejoice in his love for me.

[11:53]

The rule so beautifully quotes that. 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, to be in a chapter like the lounge or the slaughter. 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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