[the Pontifical Council for the Laity, Congregation for the Clergy, Congregation for the Oriental Churches, Congregation for Divine Worship – the Synod])
2. The Bishops’ Conference, Province: complementarity which is being thoroughly and laboriously developed – the Synod: the preparation of the subject matter, the attitude to D. K. (H. B.). The Commission of the Bishops’ Conference
3. The Chapter: The Commission of the Bishops’ Conference
4. Diocese: the steps taken are probably right and necessary: thoroughness and gradation.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: ‘apart from me you can do nothing’;4 Eucharist = ‘With Me’; ‘Matters’; Fr Augustyn’s talk on the topic of ‘immersion in Christ’s death’ according to St Paul; Rosary; Matins; Holy Hour as a ‘priestly hour’; Compline
Reading: Fr H. de Lubac (cont.)
6 November
Lauds (Prime); Holy Mass – concelebration; Thanksgiving; ‘Matters’
Reading: Fr H. de Lubac (cont.)
Meditation: ‘Seeing – episkopein’.
The basis for this is faith in its supernatural essence: participation in the knowledge which God Himself has. One must ask to partake in this, since it is a gift given by the Person to a person.
One must ask for it and deepen it by oneself (the issue of the increase of faith) in two directions: (1) in the direction of eschatological fulfilment, so that this perspective never gets weaker (different current events point to it). Faith is the primary result of Christ’s rootedness in us – and the expression of our rootedness in Him. Hence the relationship: rootedness–seeing. (2) One must ask to see the universal Church and its issues and the ‘local’ Church through the lens of faith. This is a special meaning of ‘episkopein’, the seeing in faith of the universal–local Church as that part of the people of God whom Christ leads to the Father through the bishop. This in turn results in seeing individual people from this perspective.
The Way of the Cross: Reference to yesterday’s talk: participation in Christ’s death and resurrection: only Christ’s resurrection has an eschatological meaning – ‘Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again.’5 The death of Adam’s descendant; the birth in Christ.
The Little Hours; Rosary
(During the morning Mass I was nourished by the spirit of trust in God’s work during the retreat, despite all human shortcomings and obstacles.)
Vespers; Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament (following the Friday custom)
Meditation (pract.):
(a)‘Experience’ has a certain communal sense: there is a force in man that directs his feelings in a given domain. The matter at stake is man’s ability to control his feelings by himself and by virtue of this force. This is also a type of a ‘test of grace’, because it is only with the help of grace that man can achieve that. At the same time, it is about the correct interpretation of values: the objective side of ‘experience’. The margin of error or fault? imperfection? peccatum leve [venial sin]?
(b) Question: Can the misfortunes that recently befell people close to me be considered a punishment? (marginal thoughts) May they be considered a sign? What are they supposed to signify?
(c) Multidirectional work, in particular creative work: intensive, the issue of necessity.
Many thoughts on the topic of grace and its proper meaning and interpretation.
With reference to (a), (b), (c) it is important that grace is included in it:
1. grace in its objective meaning = the good willed by God
2. grace as help.
Reading: Fr de Lubac (cont.)
Litany of the Saints; Penitential psalms
Consideration: (a) occasione anniv. [illegible] [on the occasion of the anniversary […]]
= Episcopus debet esse ‘homo videns’? [The bishop should be the ‘man who sees’?]
(b) videns in multis [who sees in many matters] (‘matters’)
(c) the need for increased eschatological awareness – in the course of years – with the simultaneous growth of the involvement in the Church.
Rosary; Anticipated Matins; Compline
7 November
(From the Saturday office of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Holy Mass in the afternoon); Lauds; Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Meditation: during the concelebrated Holy Mass in which I participated. Topic: the Mother of God: quem totus non capit orbis, in Tua se clausit viscera, factus homo – lumen aeternum mundo effudit [He, whom the whole world cannot hold, enclosed Himself in Thy womb, being made man – gave forth to the world the everlasting light].6
The Holy Mass revealed itself to me as Sacramentum Messiae [the sacrament of the Messiah], an act of redemption, in which He is alone with the Father and before the Father. At the same time, the Mother makes this act possible – She, so to speak, creates a space in which this act is fulfilled. She also participates in it most completely from the first ‘fiat’ [‘let it be’]. She complements it to the fullest and draws from it to the utmost. Totus Tuus [Entirely Yours]. Mary can lead us into participation in the act of redemption, Sacramentum Messiae, in the simplest and most mature way.
Totus Tuus.
Rosary; Petitionary prayers; Conversation with the Prior
Two Letters – two problems: (a) to W.; (b) for the Solemnity of Christ the King as a celebration of social charity
Rosary
Meditation: Leadership. The bishop has to lead his Church. This is a separate task which cannot be undertaken without ‘rootedness’ and ‘seeing’. The completion of this task enters the dimension in which Christ – the Good Shepherd – is the foundation, the beginning and the end. In this meditation the question is only briefly raised and outlined. I will have to return to it. The bishop’s leadership over the Church needs to be embedded in Christ as the Good ‘Shepherd’.
This is not an easy task. It rests on the office and spiritual gifts of episcopacy. This issue will have to be elaborated on too. The following profiles can be outlined: leadership through thought; leadership through example – role model; leadership through heart – and the humble pursuit of all matters with prayer.
The Little Hours; The Way of the Cross: following Marian themes and the text of the Magnificat; Rosary, until Vespers
Completion: 19 December [probably 1970]
In the morning: Matins; Lauds; Prime
Meditation: Reflection on the entire topic of rootedness – seeing – leadership: esp. that last topic. The leadership of thought, example, command and above all the leading of matters and
