Brother Roger Demon was, for many years, a Headmaster at the Brothers’ school in Bruges. He is currently at the international novitiate in Kipushi, Congo, working as part of the formation team.
Transcript: “As far as work is concerned, nobody could reproach me not to have worked enough. But you, all of you, could reproach me not to have prayed enough. I should commit more time to prayer and it still now, although I am older, I have so many concerns and why pray? How could we do this and how could we do that?”
“All congregations speak about action and contemplation. I am a very very, I was, still am a very active man, but contemplation remains very difficult. And years ago I told this to the novices in the Congo and one of the novices answered, “but when you enter the chapel you must unload yourself, you must drop all your concerns, you must empty your mind.” That’s easy to say, huh? But I can’t do it. But now you could tell me that I should make more serious efforts, and I would agree if you told me that. But it’s not so easy to realize. It’s my character, too–that’s not a sufficient excuse, of course.”
“And that is what I am telling myself: stop from time to time to say “I do it out of love of God. God loves me. But if God loves me, I should love him, too.” So, I should stop from time to time and say, “now, I am not working for myself, but I am working for God.” But I immediately add–and everybody knows that–I very easily say, “Yes God, yes, yes, yes,” but he needs people to do the job.”