Karl lived a lively practice of prayer. His fundamental attitude was one of prayer: consciously standing before God, Whose Will he sought and in Whom he trusted.



From childhood and throughout his life, Karl joined his prayers with those of others. Since his death members of the League of Prayers, in a similar way, join their prayers with his intercession for peace among peoples.



Karl's modesty, kindness and spirit of reconciliation have been held against him – particularly by cynics in power – as weakness, even stupidity. This attack is directed against the "foolishness" of the Christian, who follows the commandments of God and the example of Christ who relied upon God.

From the very beginning Karl was thrust into situations of discord (into the tensions between his parents, the tensions between Emperor Franz Joseph and the Heir Apparent Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and into the middle of the 1st World War), that he had not created, and yet he strove to create peace – both as emperor and as a child. Could anyone have solved these problems? That question has relatively few answers, perhaps the issue should be to consider how the emperor prevented much worse things from happening.



Whether a life before God – and concomitantly before the definitive end of history – succeeds, does not depend on immediate earthly success. (Otherwise Christ could not be our model.) Whoever attempts to conform to the Will of God, despite all adverse circumstances and in light of his limitations, has a life that has become holy and beneficial to others.



As Christians, we all are overtaxed. To follow the example of Christ – the adversities of this world certainly exceeds human capabilities only. But we are not solely dependent upon our own strength, rather, we are invited to accept the help of God and trust that He will provide the necessary strength.