I am sure after today=s first session I really do not need to make too many connections between the spiritual life and what was presented, but I would like to make a few.

            First of all, the fourth degree of humility is very important in this dimension because it says, AThat we should with a quiet mind holdfast to patience and enduring, neither tire nor run away.@ This is in reference to experiencing difficulties in monastic life, contradictions, even injustices. So before we can handle people=s negativity toward us we have to be strong enough to be of quiet mind.

            Secondly, now that we=ve heard especially today=s afternoon session, how powerful the Word is, for good or evil, hopefully you will re-read the sections of the Rule that deal with what the monk does with his tongue. Not just what he says, but how he says it and the gentleness with which he speaks. Those are usually the end degrees of humility for one central place but the Word is discussed in a number of places in the Rule. What we hopefully have seen that our first nature, that is our genial structure, is given to us whether you like it or not, admit it or not, but you better learn to accept it because it=s the first gift of God=s love toward you and you should be happy you are you if you really believe that God creates us and is interested in each of us, by name. It=s the second nature as was presented today which we normally call inculturation. What I have learned, what I have picked up especially what I have learned and picked up before I became a personal agent to the cooperation of forming myself. If we are honest we see that it=s a selfish self. It=s a self that measures life relative to me, for my survival, for my wants, and for my concerns. Therefore, my comforts, my pleasure, my capacity to maintain my comfort zone and my sanity, that=s a strong word but it=s o.k.

            Which means that we cannot handle this on our own. Because as we celebrated yesterday without the Spirit you can do nothing. So we have to wait upon the Spirit or if you=re really interested in spiritual life, you ask the Holy Spirit to show you your sinfulness. This is o.k. because John in Chapter 16 says, AIt is the Holy Spirit who convicts us of sin.@ Now the nice thing about the Holy Spirit convicting us of sin is when the Holy Spirit is convicting us of sin rather than our neighbor, we are filled with hope. Usually when it comes from our neighbor it is not so hope filled, we are basically judged and condemned. But that too should be handled by the fourth degree of humility. So what does the Holy Spirit do? He shows us these things not to condemn us but to judge us. 

            There=s a difference between the two. Judgement means that you see the thing in the light of truth. Condemnation means you=re finished kid. That=s it. So that means we should listen, pray, ask for guidance, and the Lord will lead. So it is a good thing when my life falls apart because it means that the Lord has removed obstacles that I couldn=t possibly remove. So what should I do with that? I should calm down and entrust myself to God, to Jesus, Holy Spirit, and listen to how God is leading me. These kinds of things that we are talking about today then will surface and hopefully we will grow in humility and stand in the truth of things. That is, how am I really relating to God, myself, my neighbor, to my mission that the Lord has given me? If we are pushing too much, trying too hard as it was said today, then we=re still thinking we can save ourselves and we=re lacking the trust that God deserves from us. There=s a saying that says something like this, AOn honeymoons very seldom does the couple get sick. For the first time in their lives they have been total for another person.@ So they=re receiving each other=s love. You and I receive the love of God every time we come to Mass and go to communion. The God of the universe who made those galaxies that are one hundred and fifty million light years away and one hundred thousand light years across, that God is thinking about you and me and gives Himself to us. We are seeing the significance of belief. How much do I really believe that God gives Himself to me everyday? How much do I let it in? This is the source of our peace, our joy, our strength, our confidence, and we have the victory. Therefore, it is the source of gathering and praising God together as community and as individuals.

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