To be read: April 30, August 31, December 31

Now, we have written this Rule that, observing it in monasteries, we may show that we have acquired at least some moral righteousness, the beginning of the monastic life. ²For the one who is hastening on to the perfection of the religious life, there are the teachings of the holy Fathers, the observance of which leads a man to the height of perfection. ³What page or what utterance of the divinely inspired books of the Old and the New Testament is not a true guide for human life? ⁴Or, what book of the holy Catholic Fathers does not loudly proclaim how we may go straight to our Creator? ⁵So, too, the collations of the Fathers, and their institutes and lives, and the rule of our holy Father, Basil—⁶what are they but the monuments of the virtues of exemplary and obedient monks? ⁷But for us, who are slothful, unobservant, and negligent monks, they make us blush for shame and confusion. ⁸You, therefore, who are hastening to the heavenly home, with the help of Christ keep this little rule written for beginners; ⁹and then you shall, with God’s help, attain at last to the greater heights of knowledge and virtue which we have mentioned above. 

G.K. Chesterton said, “Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried.”  The Christian life is demanding.  And it is sometimes hard for us to discern and to know how to live according to the Gospel.  That is why we have tools like the Rule of St. Benedict to help us.  Living according to the Rule helps us make space for God to do His transforming work in us.  Living by the Rule helps us to know how to fight the fight and live more closely in line with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Benedict concludes his Rule with these encouraging words:  “You…who are hastening to the heavenly home, with the help of Christ keep this little rule written for beginners; and then you shall, with God’s help, attain at last to the greater heights of knowledge and virtue which we have mentioned above.”

Benedict says that this Rule was written for beginners.  This is a theme which is reiterated throughout this chapter and throughout the Rule.  In the first and eighth verses of this chapter he says that by keeping this Rule we have “the beginning of the monastic life”, and that “this little rule [was] written for beginners”.  And from the opening verses of the Rule, Benedict says:  “In the first place, each time you seek to begin a good work, earnestly pray that He will perfect whatever good you begin…” (Prol. 4).  We are all beginners.  We all are taking classes in the School for the Lord’s Service.

As in any school there are many facets to a complete curriculum.  The Rule of St. Benedict is but one source of learning for the beginners.  Benedict provides a nice list of other helpful literature available to us.  He says, “For the one who is hastening on to the perfection of the religious life, there are the teachings of the holy Fathers…the divinely inspired books of the Old and the New Testament…the holy Catholic Fathers…the collations of the Fathers, and their institutes and lives, and the rule of our holy Father, Basil…”  That is quite a collection of instruction.  We would do well to pay attention to this suggestion.

The Rule is an intense and earnest manual for the practical living out of a life consecrated to God.  Benedict’s goal was always to be pointing elsewhere and onward, to fix the monastic’s eyes on Christ.  Our formation into the likeness of Christ (Imago Christi) is a lifelong process, enabled by a lived familiarity with formal disciplines, and involving ever more whole-hearted inner receptiveness and response to God’s Spirit.  The Rule began with an exhortation earnestly to engage in such a life, and that exhortation is renewed here at the end.  Even the words of this chapter are echoes of and invitations to deepen the words of the Prologue.  So the work of the consecrated life is like that of a spiral.  No matter where we are, we are always just beginning in the journey with Christ.  It may seem like we are wandering in circles, but as we assess our progress we can recognize that yes, we have gone around, but we are now on a slightly higher plane.  Thanks be to God.  And, thank you Father Benedict for showing us a better way.

To be read: April 29, August 30, December 30

Just as there is a harsh and evil zeal which separates us from God and leads to hell, ²so there is a virtuous zeal which separates from vice and leads to God and life everlasting. ³This is, therefore, the zeal which monks must pursue with most ardent love: ⁴“that they should be the first to show honor to one another” (cf Rom 12:10), ⁵that they bear, with the utmost patience, with one another’s infirmities, whether of body or mind, and let them vie with one another in obedience. ⁶Let no one follow what he thinks useful to himself, but rather to another. ⁷Let them practice brotherly charity with a chaste love; ⁹and to God, loving fear; ¹⁰and to love their Abbot with sincere and humble affection. ¹¹Let them prefer nothing whatever to Christ, ¹²and may He lead us all together to life everlasting. 

We come to the penultimate chapter of the Rule of St. Benedict, but substantively, the final chapter of instruction and direction.  So here are Benedict’s final words to us on the consecrated life, his summary of what we are about.  It is often as interesting what Benedict does not say, as what he does.  If we were to set forth a statement of “good zeal”, that is, the eager and earnest desire of our hearts which will lead us to God, what might we say?  Very likely we would frame some statement about loving God with our whole being.  Unquestionably that is what Benedict intends, but he understands it to be lived by showing respect for one another.  It is about relationship:  our relationship with God, and our relationship with one another in community.  Once again Benedict directs our thought to something that seems very simple but which is profoundly transforming if we begin to live it.  For Benedict, God brings “us all together to life everlasting”; salvation is not an individual project, but one which we undertake with and among our brothers and sisters in Christ.  We work out our salvation not only individually in fear and trembling, but also in community.  It is in our care for, and interaction with, one another that we become the Body of Christ, now and forever.  That is why Romans 12:10, referenced above, and the other ethical portions of Paul’s letters and Matthew’s Gospel and the Old Testament “wisdom literature” are so central to Benedict’s thought and the Rule.  

Preferring Christ is something we are able to do in hundreds of ways, each and every day, because we have zeal for life lived together under the rule and reign of Christ.  And the discipline of the Rule of St. Benedict helps us focus on these Godly precepts.  We are given daily choices to accept the love present implicitly in every portion of the created world, by abandoning our self-will in favor of that purity of heart which knows itself to be the recipient of God.  The movement toward Christ in heart, mind, and spirit within the daily round is the whole goal and the whole longing of the Rule.

As seeking Christians living in the secular world, but not of the secular world, we can apply these teachings to our lives in communion with one another and in the larger community of the Church and world by showing mutual respect.  The keys that Benedict points to are deference and charity.  If we listen deeply when another is talking, disagree with charity and gentleness, letting go of ego, self-will, and entrenched opinion, we will be able to hear the other—his or her heart as well as his or her voice.  We need to learn to respect another’s new ideas, new insights, and practice an objective perception.  All of this will eventually help us toward the goal of chapter 72, the exercise of “virtuous zeal”.  Benedict assures us that there is a “virtuous zeal which separates from vice and leads to God and life everlasting”.  But how is this zeal made manifest?  “The zeal which monks must pursue with most ardent love [is] ‘that they should be the first to show honor to one another’ (cf Rom 12:10)…”  That is a zeal for which we should all strive—the monastic and those of us outside the cloister.

Let us strive to live together in mutual obedience and respect.  For the world is dying to see Christ manifested in those who are called by His Name.

To be read: April 28, August 29, December 29

Obedience is a blessing to be shown by all, not only to the Abbot, but also to one another, ²knowing that we shall go to God by this path of obedience. ³Granted that the command of the Abbot and of the Superiors who are appointed by him take precedence over private commands, ⁴in other circumstances let the younger brethren obey their elders with all charity and zeal. ⁵But if anyone is found to be obstinate, let him be punished. ⁶And if a brother is punished in any way by the Abbot or by any of his Superiors for even a slight reason ⁷or if he perceives that of any of his Superiors is angry or disturbed with him, ⁸let him without delay cast himself down on the ground at the other’s feet making satisfaction, until the agitation is quieted by a blessing. ⁹If anyone refuses to do this, either let him undergo corporal punishment, or, if he is obstinate, let him be expelled from the monastery. 

As was noted in the meditation on chapter 68, the practice of obedience was dealt with in chapter 5 of the Rule.  But once again, it appears that there were issues having to do with obedience which arose as the monasteries grew and multiplied, and these issues needed to be addressed.  Specifically, Benedict is addressing the question of to whom are we called to be obedient.  Benedict succinctly answers the question in verse one:  “Obedience is a blessing to be shown by all, not only to the Abbot, but also to one another…”  What does that look like?  And what relevance does it have for those of us in the world?

According to both Holy Scripture and the Rule of St. Benedict (RB 2:20), we all one in Christ Jesus.  Benedict says, “for ‘whether bond or free, we are all one in Christ’ (cf Gal 3:28; Eph 6:8), and we all bear an equal burden of servitude under one Lord, ‘for God shows no partiality among persons’” (Rom 2:11).   But do we practice that directive?  When we listen to each other do we truly believe that we are listening to God?  Benedict touched on this in chapter 5, verse 6, when he said, “And again He says to the teachers: “He who hears you hears Me.” (Lk 10:16).  Not only is Christ found in the Abbot, but He is found in each one of us.

If Christ is present in our brothers and sisters in Christ, then we need to practice a deep, attentive listening and expectancy when dealing with each other.  We need to practice obedience to one another.  This is not a blind obedience, an abstaining from wisdom and a discerning spirit.  For St. John exhorts us to practice discernment, giving this warning:  “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).  The  type of obedience being advocated by Benedict is an avenue to God.  He says, “we shall go to God by this path of obedience.”  And as we listen attentively to one another, God is revealed more and more to us in our interaction.

Again, all of this requires a healthy dose of humility.  It means accepting that we might not have the answer or the insight that a situation requires.  But if in humility we can listen with an open heart, open mind, and open spirit to what another is saying to us, then it becomes possible to hear the voice of God through our brother or sister, and be obedient to His voice.

To be read: April 27, August 28, December 28

Let every occasion for presumption be avoided in the monastery. ²We decree that no one may be permitted to excommunicate or to strike any of his brothers, unless the Abbot has given him the authority. ³“But let those who transgress be taken to task in the presence of all, that the others may fear” (cf 1 Tm 5:20). ⁴Children, up to the age of fifteen, however, should be carefully cared for by all, ⁵provided that it be done within due limits and with discretion. ⁶For if anyone should presume to chastise those of more advanced years, without the command of the Abbot, or should unreasonably treat the children, let him be subject to the discipline of the Rule; ⁷because it is written: “what you would not have done to yourself, do not do to another” (Tobit 4:16). 

We should not take on responsibility that is not given to us, or defend one who we may think is being unfairly burdened or treated.  That is the sin of presumption.  And the sin of presumption encompasses issues of corrective discipline as well.  Benedict says that “no one has the authority to excommunicate or strike any of his brothers unless he has been given this power by the abbot” (70:2).  Ultimately, the watchword of these chapters is that we show deference and respect for one another.  

In a community, whether inside the monastic walls or outside, we need order.  In the Church community there are those who have been chosen and anointed by God to oversee and bring order to the life of that community.  These are those who have been called to “Holy Orders”.  When members of the community try to usurp the role of the clergy and exercise discipline of their own making, they bring disorder to the life of the communal family.  Discipline can be delegated, as Benedict explains in verse 2 above, but no one should “presume” to claim that authority for himself or herself.  That is the sin of presumption, and as Benedict charges, “Let every occasion for presumption be avoided…”

To be read: April 26, August 27, December 27

Care must be taken that on no occasion one monk try to defend another in the monastery, or to take his side in a dispute, ²even if they are closely related by ties of blood. ³In no way should the monks presume to do this, because such conduct may give rise to very grave conflict. ⁴If anyone breaks this rule, let him be severely punished. 

Do not take the side of, nor the side against, one of your brothers or sisters in Christ in any conflict.  Neither defend nor strike.  Why?  Because you cannot see the big picture.  You do not have the perspective of the abbot, nor of the parish priest, nor of Christ Himself.  It is quite possible that when defending a brother or sister in Christ, or taking one side over another in a dispute, we may find ourselves opposing Christ.  We cannot know what is best for our friends, our brothers or sisters in Christ.  Benedict says that “In no way should the monks presume to do this.”  Why? “because such conduct may give rise to very grave conflict.”  Conflict within the community, yes.  But also, conflict within the spirits of those involved in the dispute.  

We each must individually stand before our Lord and allow Him to direct and rule our hearts.  No one can do that for us.  Jesus addressed this concept in the parable of the ten virgins.  The oil for the lamps represents the Spirit.  The five wise virgins were full of the Holy Spirit, whereas the five foolish ones were not.  But the wise virgins could not give to the foolish ones something that the foolish had not sought out on their own.  We can bear one another’s burdens, but we cannot bear one another’s relationship with Christ.  No one else can take the essential steps of the spiritual life for us.  No one can carry the lamp oil for us (Matt. 25:1-13). 

When we step in where we do not belong in the life of another we risk inhibiting their redeeming interaction with the Lord.  Are we trying to do for others what they need to do for themselves?  Are we robbing them of the opportunity to grow and become stronger in their faith and life in Christ?  Conflicts and difficulties are always opportunities to choose Christ.  If we interfere in someone else’s struggles we interfere with their ability to choose Christ.  John Michael Talbot notes that when we champion the cause of another, “We think we are doing well, but we may be doing harm instead.” (Blessings of St. Benedict, ch. 69)    It is also possible that if we were to take a long and careful look at the reason behind our interfering in another’s life we may find that we are doing so to avoid dealing with our own issues.

To be read: April 25, August 26, December 26

If any difficult or impossible tasks are assigned to a brother, let him receive the order given to him with all meekness and obedience. ²If, however, he sees that the task is altogether beyond his strength, then he should patiently and reasonably explain the reasons for his inability to his Superior, ³without pride, protest, or refusal to obey. ⁴If, however, after his explanation the Superior still insists on his assignment, then the younger must accept that it is good for him, ⁵and let him obey in love, relying on the help of God. 

The practice of obedience was dealt with in chapter 5 of the Rule.  In that chapter Benedict made clear that true obedience is always immediate, complete, and joyful; anything less is at best compliance, and at worst rebellion.  But once again, it appears that there were issues which arose as the monasteries grew and multiplied, and these issues needed to be addressed.  Questions were apparently raised as to the legitimacy of questioning an order given.  And is it ever acceptable to request to be excused from a task that appears to be beyond one’s ability?  To whom must one be obedient?  So, here in chapter 68, and again in chapter 71, Benedict once again addresses the practice of obedience.  

In the current chapter, Benedict deals with the problem of a monk being ordered to do something which the individual feels is beyond his capabilities.  Can he request exemption from this task?  Is it ever acceptable to question an order given?  Why would one in authority ask someone to do “any difficult or impossible task”?  The Old Testament teaching on hearing and obeying holds a key for us.  The Hebrew word “Hear!” (shema) literally means “already to be in response” or “to obey”  The sense of the command is that the hearer is always to be primed, ready to be responsively obedient.  The most famous verse from the Old Covenant is known as “The Shema”:  “Hear (shema), O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!” (Deut. 6:4).  But the verse that makes clear the connection between hearing and obeying is found in the Psalms:  “As soon as they heard (shema) me they obeyed (shema) me…” (Ps. 18:45).  We are called to listen to the commands of God and his appointed and anointed leaders, and be ready to immediately, completely, and joyfully accept the task handed to us.  

So, is it ever acceptable to question a command given to you?  Benedict says that it is okay to “patiently and reasonably explain the reasons for his inability to his Superior, without pride, protest, or refusal to obey.”  But it is never acceptable to simply refuse to do the task or to question the authority of the one giving the command.  The one in authority may be looking at the task from a far different perspective than the one assigned to do it.  Benedict explains that if “the Superior still insists on his assignment, then the younger must accept that it is good for him.”  There must be a reason for the one in authority to assign that task to the one who finds it difficult or seemingly impossible.  Benedict is saying that to accept the “impossible task” is to already be doing what you question your ability to do.  It is in the doing that we learn how to do what we are commanded to do.  It is in the doing that we learn what are our weaknesses and our strengths, and that is a very important and valuable lesson.  We are called to be humble, to be “fools for Christ’s sake” (1 Cor. 4:10).  We may not do the task well, because it is beyond our current ability, but we will undoubtedly learn a valuable lesson from the experience. 

To be read: April 24, August 25, December 25

Brothers who are sent on a journey should ask the prayers of all, the community and the Abbot. ²And after the last prayer at the Work of God, the community should always pray for the absent brothers.  ³On the day that the brothers return from the journey, let them lie prostrate on the floor of the oratory at all the Canonical Hours, when the Work of God is finished, ⁴and ask the prayers of all on account of their failings, in case they may have seen some evil or heard frivolous speech. ⁵And let no one presume to relate to another what he has seen or heard outside of the monastery, because it is most hurtful. ⁶But if anyone should presume to do so, let him undergo the penalty of the Rule. ⁷In the same way anyone who presumes to go beyond the enclosure of the monastery, or anywhere else, or to do anything, however little, without the order of the Abbot must be punished. 

From time to time, it is necessary for monks to travel.  And the same is true for those of us in the secular arena.  Our business and family obligations can often compel us to leave home in order to fulfill our responsibilities.  Of course, there are also those times we travel simply for pleasure.  Though on the surface this chapter is about monastic travel, like the previous one, at its heart it is about stability.  It is a warning against wandering: for the monk, a warning not to wander physically away from the enclosure, and for those of us on the outside, not to wander away from the Lord with our eyes and our ears, our memory or our imagination.  

Our lives are constantly bombarded with noise, images, news, gossip, and a whole host of unwanted, and unfiltered sensations.  The internet, for example, can present a tremendous source of temptation for the Christian.  Curiosity about images and reports we see on news sites and social media can draw us away from centering in God.  And as we stray into that wilderness it is easy to lose sight of the path and wander afar.  There is a necessary interaction between the whole created world and the committed Christian, and for those of us who are living in the world, we need to address that relationship.  But there is an important distinction we need to make between what is necessary and what is voluntary—between the quality of what is available and our response to a vast array of opportunities presented in the secular world.  We must hold fast to our commitment that the Christian’s primary goal is to seek God and to live in relationship with Him.  “Let them prefer nothing whatever to Christ…” (RB 72:11). 

But as was noted in the first paragraph, we are sometimes called away from home for business or family, and there are the times that we choose to travel for leisure.  It is a policy in my parish, that when a parishioner is traveling, they are to bring a bulletin back with them from the church where they worshipped while away.  The reason for that policy is that I want to encourage them, that though away from home, they are NOT away from God and their relationship with Christ.  It is far too easy, when out of one’s routine, to forget our obligation to worship.  And when someone is going to be away from the parish for an extended period of time for work, or school, or military service, etc., we have them come before the Altar, and all lay hands on them and pray for them, in much the same way as Benedict describes in verse 1 above.  Benedict reminds us that while in the world we are constantly exposed to various “evils and frivolous speech”, and we need the Lord’s protection while living in and traveling about in this temptation-rich world.  The community’s prayers are a trustworthy shield about us.  Never leave home without them.

To be read: April 23, August 24, December 24

Place a wise old man at the door of the monastery, one who knows how to take a message and give an answer, and whose mature age prohibits him from straying about. ²The porter should have a cell near the door, so that anyone who comes may always find one present from whom they may obtain an answer. ³As soon as anyone knocks or a poor person calls out, he answers, “Thanks be to God,” or invokes a blessing, ⁴then with gentleness from the fear of God he returns an answer speedily in the fervor of charity. ⁵If the porter has need of assistance, let him have a younger brother. ⁶If it can be done, the monastery should be so constructed that all the necessities, such as water, the mill, the garden, are enclosed, and the various arts may be plied inside of the monastery, ⁷so that there may be no need for the monks to go about outside, because it is not good for their souls. ⁸But we desire that this Rule be read quite often in the community, that none of the brethren may excuse himself of ignorance. 

Stability.  It is a promise made by those seeking the disciplined life of prayer and community in the Benedictine model of discipline (RB 58:17), and it is a virtue to be pursued by every Christian.  But sadly, stability is all too often scorned by modern man.  In counseling a young couple who were living together without the benefit of marriage, I was asked by the young man, “Why would we want to get married?”  His rationale: “I think I would get bored with just one partner in life.”  But there is great value in maintaining stability in our personal lives and in the community of faith to which we are committed.

The various themes interwoven in this short chapter center around the virtue of stability.  First, Benedict suggests that the porter be an older man who will stay put.  Secondly, the monks would be best advised to not roam.  And, thirdly, the Rule is to be read again and again.  What, then, do we imagine is the value of stability?  Like the young man I mentioned above, do we believe it breeds boredom?  What positive benefits might stability carry?  Why on earth should we give ourselves to one person in marriage?  Or why should we commit to one parish, one small group of people, for the rest of our lives?  Is this not inhibiting—a stifling of our giftedness, and a limiting of our influence?  On the contrary; it allows for the perfecting of our gifts in a stable and encouraging environment; then we can go out into the world strengthened and empowered, and can influence and train the next generation with whom we abide.

In order for any living thing to grow, there needs to be stability—plants need roots firmly planted, and children need stable homes in which to be nourished.  The Church is a living organism, and the parish is a living part of that larger Body.  When members of the Body have no rootedness and flit about from parish to parish, both the individuals and the congregations are diminished.  Children raised in broken homes are far more likely to repeat that pattern of divorce and remarriage, and often become pawns in the struggles between divorced parents.  That lack of stability is a sure sign of unhealthiness and brokenness in the Body, and in the family.  Unfortunately, the Church is no less prone to such issues of instability in her leadership.  Pastors become bored, or have eyes on the prize of the bigger, and thus in their minds more influential parish.  They abandon their flock, seeking the bigger paycheck, or the next rung on the ecclesiastical corporate ladder, and the whole Body suffers.

But a faithful marriage and a stable parish have much in common.  Benedict is promoting not simply a “wise old man at the door” but admonishes that we all become “mature…[and refrain] from straying about”.  And the themes of stability presented in this chapter have one more important lesson: stability in learning.  St. Paul warned young Timothy that “the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings,and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths” (2 Tim. 4:3-4).  We need stability in the words we receive and the lessons taught by the Church.  It is important, therefore, to be conscientious in our study of the Word with stable, reliable teachers.  Too often people will wander, scrolling the internet to find “teachers to suit their own likings”.  From there, it is not a long trek to turning away from the Truth and wandering into myths.  And for those following Benedict’s discipline, it is important “that this Rule be read quite often in the community, that none of the brethren may excuse himself of ignorance.”  In this modern era, it is easy to wander from the Truth; the temptations are numerous and easily embraced.  Stability in our homes, our faith community, and our learning is a blessing to be desired and bears much good and healthy fruit.

To be read: April 22, August 23, December 23

Too often it happens indeed, that grave scandals arise in monasteries out of the appointment of the Prior. ²There are some who are puffed up with the wicked spirit of pride and think of themselves as second Abbots. They set up a despotic rule, foster scandals, and excite quarrels in the community, ³and especially in those places where the same Bishop or the same Abbots appoints both the Abbot and Prior. ⁴It can easily be seen how foolish this is, because from the very beginning of his appointment, a basis for pride is furnished to him, ⁵when his thoughts suggest to him that now he is exempt from the authority of the Abbot, ⁶because “You have been appointed by those who appointed the Abbot.” ⁷This can foster envy, discord, slander, quarrels, jealousy, and all forms of disorder. ⁸If the Abbot and the Prior are at variance with each other, it must follow that their souls are endangered by this discord ⁹and that those who are under them, as long as they take sides in the disputes, go to their ruin. ¹⁰The responsibility for this evil rests on the heads of those who were the authors of such disorders. ¹¹Therefore, for the preservation of peace and charity, it is best that the government of the monastery should rest with the Abbot; ¹²and if it can be done, let the affairs of the monastery (as we have explained before) be attended to by deans, as the Abbot directs, ¹³so that, no one may become proud, if the responsibility of the office is shared by many. ¹⁴But if the local situation requires it, or the community reasonably and with humility make the request, and the Abbot shall deem it advisable, ¹⁵then let the Abbot himself appoint as Prior whomever he should choose, with the advice of God-fearing brothers. ¹⁶But let the Prior reverently do what his Abbot assigns him, doing nothing against the will or the direction of the Abbot; ¹⁷for the higher he is placed above others, the more careful he should be to obey the precepts of the Rule. ¹⁸If the Prior is found disorderly, or blinded by conceit, or shows contempt for the Holy Rule, he must be admonished up to four times. ¹⁹If he does not amend, he is to be punished under the regular discipline of the Rule. ²⁰But if he does not amend even then, let him be deposed from the office of prior and another who is worthy be appointed in his place. ²¹But if even after that he is not a quiet and submissive brother, let him be expelled from the monastery. ²²Yet, let the Abbot reflect that he must give an account to God for all his judgments, lest the flames of envy or jealousy should sear his soul. 

It would be nice to believe that monasteries and the Church in general are immune to “grave scandals”, “despotic rule”, “envy, discord,…jealousy, and all forms of disorder”, as well as “quarrels in the community”.  SIGH.  Sadly, that is not the case, as Benedict notes in the opening verses of this chapter.  Once again, issues have apparently arisen in the monastic communities under Benedict’s leadership that require a response.  Something negative apparently happened in the past that Benedict needed to deal with in his latter years and he gives instruction here on how to address similar situations in the future.  It appears that St. Benedict had some negative experiences with troublesome priors.  By the wording in this chapter, it is obvious that his preference would be to abolish the office altogether.  Yet he does not quite do that.  Rather, he offers the abbots of sister monasteries and his own successors the freedom to make an independent judgment within their communities.  Undoubtedly it is this type of flexibility that has enabled the Rule to be such an effective Christian guide for so many centuries.  He does not try to fashion a one-size-fits-all model which will be forced on all of his communities.

But what does this say to those of us living in the secular realm?  This chapter is a prescription for maintaining order, obedience, and how to seek the Mind of Christ as a community of believers.  Benedict says that “If the Abbot and the Prior are at variance with each other, it must follow that their souls are endangered by this discord and that those who are under them, as long as they take sides in the disputes, go to their ruin. The responsibility for this evil rests on the heads of those who were the authors of such disorders. Therefore, for the preservation of peace and charity, it is best that the government of the monastery should rest with the Abbot.”  Order begins at the top.  If there is discord in the leadership of the community, that must be dealt with quickly for the souls of the leaders “are endangered by this discord”.  Repentance and reconciliation are needed for the good of the community.  If the discord is allowed to take root, it is inevitable that members of the community will “take sides in the disputes” with the end result that they will “go to their ruin”.  And so, “for the preservation of peace and charity”, there needs to be obedience to the Godly leadership of the man chosen and appointed by God to be the father of the community.  

If the community sees the need for a prior, Benedict directs that “the Abbot himself appoint as Prior whomever he should choose, with the advice of God-fearing brothers.”  This is ultimately the abbot’s decision to make, but again Benedict advises that he do so “with the advice of God-fearing brothers.”  It is once again a clarion call that all things done in the community be done so with seeking the Mind of Christ.  For those of us in the secular realm, we would do well to follow Benedict’s advice to seek Godly counsel when making decisions.  As the author of Proverbs observes, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls; but in an abundance of counselors there is safety” (Prov. 11:14); and “by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory” (Prov. 24:6).

To be read: April 21, August 21-22, December 21-22

Once the Abbot has been elected, let him bear in mind how great a burden he himself has received, and to whom he must give an account of his stewardship (cf Lk 16:2); ⁸and let him be convinced that it is better to serve than to rule. ⁹He must, therefore, be versed in the divine law, so that he may have knowledge of when “to bring forth new things and old”(Mt 13:52). He must be chaste, sober, and merciful, ¹⁰and always exalt “mercy above judgment”(Jas 2:13), so that he also may obtain mercy. ¹¹Let him hate vice, but love the brothers. ¹²And even in his corrections, let him act with prudence and not go to extremes, lest, while he rubs to remove the rust he rubs too harshly and the vessel be broken. ¹³Let him always keep his own frailty in mind, and remember that “the bruised reed must not be broken”(Is 42:3). ¹⁴In this we are not saying that he should allow evils to take root, but that he cut them off with prudence and charity, as he shall see it is best for each one. ¹⁵And let him aim to be loved rather than feared. ¹⁶Let him not be excitable, over-anxious, exacting, or headstrong; let him not be jealous or suspicious, because if he is, he will never have rest. ¹⁷In all of his commands, whether they refer to things spiritual or temporal, let him be cautious and considerate. ¹⁸He ought to be discerning and temperate in the tasks which he assigns, recalling the discretion of holy Jacob who said: “If I should cause my flocks to be overdriven, they would all die in one day”(Gen 33:13). ¹⁹Keeping in view these and other dictates of discretion, the mother of virtues, he must so arrange everything that the strong may still have something to desire and the weak may not draw back. ²⁰Above all, let him keep this Rule in every detail, ²¹that when he has served well he may hear from the Lord what the good servant heard who gave his fellow-servants bread in due season: “Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions”(Mt 24:47).

In speaking of the type of person the abbot should be, Benedict gives us a portrait of a mature Christian.  He provides a limited list of some of the virtues to which we should all aspire:  “He must be chaste, sober, and merciful…let him hate vice, but love the brothers… let him act with prudence…”  And as in chapter 21, in reference to the deans, Benedict says that the abbot should not be “chosen for their rank, but for the merit of their life and their wisdom and knowledge” (RB 21:4).  Would that we all pursue merit of life, wisdom, and knowledge.  In every respect, Benedict is drawing a portrait of the “faithful and wise servant” in Matt. 24:45, the one whom the Master has set over the household, to give them their food at the proper time.  

Let us take notice of two things about this portrait of a Christian servant.  First, he is the one whom the Master has appointed.  As St. Paul indicates in his presentation of the spiritual gifts, “All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as He wills” (1 Cor. 12:11).  Our place in the Body of Christ, and the ministry we are called to fulfill, is not of our choosing, but has been appointed by God.  He places us, and gives us the requisite gifts, “as He wills”.  It is important for us to accept and embrace our calling, and serve Him in the capacity He has chosen for us.  Second, notice that the abbot is to be a man “at rest” (cf. v. 16).  It certainly seems that the servants of Christ in His Church are overworked.  We tend to be few in number and all-too-often not especially strong in the Spirit.  As Jesus Himself said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Matt. 9:37).  But this chapter adds to that picture the awareness that the soul is also endangered when never at rest.  In St. Augustine’s Confessions, he says, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”  We find our rest, in Jesus.  He said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:28-29).  The abbot is to model for the community that being “at rest” can only come from singleness of heart and fidelity to God.  The soul at rest is focused on the One Thing necessary—our relationship with Jesus.  That is a goal that not only the abbot, but all of us in the Body should pursue.

Note:  This meditation is designated for both December 21 and 22.  There will be no posting tomorrow.  Be at rest!