To be read: March 10, July 10, November 10

The vice of personal ownership must by all means be removed by the very root from the monastery.  ²No one must presume to give or receive anything without permission of the Abbot; ³nor to retain anything whatever as his own, neither a book, nor a writing tablet, nor a pen, nor anything else whatsoever, ⁴since monks are not allowed to own even their own bodies or their wills.  ⁵For everything that they need, they must look to the Father of the monastery, and are not to be allowed to have anything which the Abbot did not give or permit him to have.  ⁶All things are to be held in common, as it is written, so that no one call or take to himself anything as his own(cf Acts 4:32). ⁷But if anyone should be found to indulge in this most evil vice, he should be warned a first and second time.  ⁸If he does not amend, let him be subjected to punishment. 

Benedict quotes from the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 4, where Luke tells us that “the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common” (v. 32).  As we discussed yesterday, our acquisitive culture here in America is detrimental to our spiritual health.  There is an almost infantile mindset that if I have something in hand it is mine, and as a result our possessions effectively possess us.

Jesus said that if I see my neighbor in need and do nothing to help, I have failed to fulfill the Gospel.  “And the multitudes asked him, ‘What then shall we do?’And he answered them, ‘He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise’” (Luke 2:10-11).  And the apostle James reiterates this challenge in his epistle:  “If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food,and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit?” (James 2:15-16).  That is why Benedict begins this chapter with the exclamation “The vice of personal ownership must by all means be removed by the very root…” and then adds the words “from the monastery.”  But whether we live inside or outside the monastery, personal ownership without a spirit of charity and gratitude for these gifts, is a vice that must be rooted out of our spirit.

Benedict goes on to say, “For everything that they need, they must look to the Father…”  Here he is referring to Father as the abbot, but we know that “every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights…” (James 1:17).  God loves you and will provide for you.  Jesus said, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matt. 7:11).  Benedict knows that the worldly attachments, both physical and emotional, are unhealthy for our spirit.  In our baptism we died to self and were raised in Christ, so that as Benedict indicates, “monks are not allowed to own even their own bodies or their wills.”  Even our own bodies now belong to God, and our loving God will take care of them if we entrust them to Him.  “For everything that [we] need, [we] must look to the Father.”

To be read: March 9, July 9, November 9

The Abbot should appoint brothers in whose lives and character he has confidence to oversee the property of the monastery’s tools, clothing, and general goods.  ²Let him assign to them, as he sees proper, all the articles which must be collected and cared for.  ³The Abbot will keep a list of these articles, so that, when the brothers in turn succeed each other in these assigned tasks, he may know what is given and what is returned.  ⁴If anyone, however, fails to handle the goods of the monastery carefully let him be reprimanded, ⁵and if he does not amend let him come under the discipline of the Rule. 

In yesterday’s reading, Benedict instructs the cellarer to “regard all the vessels and goods of the monastery as if they were sacred vessels of the altar…”  That sounds a little over the top.  Should I consider a mop bucket a sacred vessel?  How about a plumber’s helper?  If I need either and am blessed to have them, they are a gift.  What Benedict is saying there, and what he is instructing in today’s reading are that we should respect all of our possessions as gifts from God and treat them with respect.  “All the articles…must be collected and cared for…[and] if anyone…fails to handle the goods of the monastery carefully let him be reprimanded…”  If we can truly begin to see that everything we own is actually a gift, and in essence does not really belong to us but is on loan from God, then we can begin to foster an attitude of gratitude toward these goods.  

Americans tend toward idolatry of possessions, and as a result they are held captive by those possessions.  But Benedict is offering an alternative to that perspective.  If we can envision the goods we possess as belonging to God rather than ourselves, then we can loan them without concern, knowing that God gives freely to all.  Nor should we grieve their loss when broken or stolen, because God who is faithful and generous beyond measure will provide for our every need.  And when we share the good things God has “loaned” to us, then we facilitate their use for the good of the whole community.   

As St. Benedict stated in chapter 4, “Your way of acting should be different from worldly ways” (v. 20). Rather than stingily hoarding goods for ourselves, as the world would expect us to do, we can learn to treat our possessions as “sacred vessels of the altar”.  When we begin to put this lesson to practice, then we can learn to care for the good things God has entrusted to us and be free to share them with all around us who have need.  That would be different!

To be read: March 8, July 8, November 8

There should be chosen from the brotherhood a Cellarer of the monastery.  He is to be a wise man, of settled habits, temperate and frugal, not conceited, irritable, resentful, sluggish, or wasteful. ²He must fear God, and be as a father to the whole brotherhood. ³He is to have the charge of everything, ⁴but do nothing without the command of the Abbot. ⁵He is to do what he has been ordered to do, ⁶and not annoy the brothers. ⁷If a brother should make an unreasonable request for anything, let him not reject the brother with a cold refusal, but politely and humbly refuse the one making the improper request. ⁸Let him be watchful of his own soul, always mindful of the saying of the Apostle: “For those who have ministered well, shall gain a good standing for themselves”(1 Tm 3:13). ⁹Let him provide for the sick, the children, the guests, and the poor, with all care, knowing that, without doubt, he will have to give an account of all these things on judgment day. ¹⁰He must regard all the vessels and goods of the monastery as if they were sacred vessels of the altar, ¹¹and let him neglect nothing. ¹²He is not to give way to avarice, nor be wasteful and a squanderer of the goods of the monastery; but let him do all things in due measure and according to the bidding of his Abbot. ¹³Above all things, let him be humble. If he does not have the things requested, let him answer with a kind word, ¹⁴for it is written: “A good word is better than the best gift”(Sir 18:17). ¹⁵He should take care of everything that the Abbot has entrusted to him, and not presume to do what the Abbot has forbidden. ¹⁶Let him give the brothers their apportioned allowance of food without pride or delay, so that they may not be scandalized, for he must remember what the Scripture says the person deserves who scandalizes one of these little ones: “It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea”(Mt 18:6). ¹⁷If the community is large, let assistants be given him, that, with their help, he may calmly fulfill the office entrusted to him. ¹⁸Let the things that are to be given be distributed, and the things requested be asked for at the proper times, ¹⁹so that nobody may be disturbed or grieved in the house of God. 

The cellarer is the person who is responsible for the provisioning of food and drink and other necessities in the community.  The role of the cellarer is basically to run the physical side of the monastery so that the abbot can be free to attend to the spiritual wellbeing of the community.  There is not a comparable person in the lives of those of us living outside the confines of the monastic enclosure, however, the qualities that the abbot would look for in the cellarer are qualities for which all Christians should strive.  For example, one of the challenges for any cellarer is to maintain gentleness and charity at all times with each of the brothers, whether he be pleasant or ornery.  And not only must he care for the brothers this way, St. Benedict also tells him to have this same care for the sick, for children, for guests, and for the poor.  This chapter speaks to us of a whole theology of how to relate to one another in community.  

Humility seems to be particularly important for this office, for Benedict says that “Above all things, let him be humble…”  The cellarer should give things to the brothers without any arrogance or delay, and it would surely be a test of humility and charity for a cellarer if some brothers ask for things they realistically do not need, or they ask at an inappropriate time, thus creating an inconvenience for the cellarer.  Benedict is striving to cast the role of the cellarer as “one who serves” in the model of Christ Himself, Who said, “I am among you as the one who serves” (cf. Mark 10:45).  But Benedict recognizes that this type of service requires grace, saying, “He must fear God”.  As St. Peter declares, “Those who serve, let them serve with the strength given by God” (1 Peter 4:11).  

The spiritual qualities required of the cellarer might best be reflected in St. Paul’s epistle to Rome.  He said, “I bid every one among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think…[and to] live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; never be conceited” (12:3,16).  And to the Philippians Paul wrote, “Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves” (2:3).  This is the type of behavior that should be practiced by all who confess Christ.

Let us seek to serve one another as Christ has given us the example, “for the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

To be read: March 7, July 7, November 7

Every age and understanding should have its proper discipline.  ²Whenever, therefore, boys or immature youths or those who cannot understand how grave a penalty excommunication is, ³are guilty of a serious fault, they should be subjected to severe fasting or be disciplined with corporal punishment, that they may be corrected. 

As we come to the end of the disciplinary section of the Rule of St. Benedict, we see that Benedict recognizes differing degrees of discipline based on the ability of the offenders to understand and accept those disciplinary actions.  As hard as we may try to help them, there are some who for reasons of mental illness, or lack of mental acuity, or stubbornness and recalcitrance, and who are wedded to their self will, simply cannot comprehend discipline.  They are like the two-year-old who throws a fit when he doesn’t get his way.  He doesn’t understand that the world does not revolve around him.  We want to help these individuals, but it does require their cooperation.  And sadly, sometimes we have to recognize that they don’t want to change and they will not cooperate under any circumstances.  These we must let go.

But this chapter is instructional for us in that we are reminded by Benedict that one size does not fit all.  We are each uniquely created in the image of God, and the Body is made up of all of these parts.  We need each other, and we must learn to respect the uniqueness of the other.  Some are more mature than the others, and some less.  And we must learn patience with those who differ from us.  We cannot tolerate rebellion, nor ignore those who defy ecclesiastical authority and the Rule, but we can, in the love of Christ, work with them and stand by them as they learn with us the discipline of the Body.

As has been stated previously, the Epistle to the Hebrews (12:6) reminds us that the Lord disciplines those whom He loves.  And the author of the epistle adds, “for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons” (12:7-8).  From the opening verse of the Prologue, Benedict addresses the entire Rule to us as “sons”.  When we accept the discipline of the Lord and the discipline of the Rule, we are legitimate children, for we know that the Lord disciplines those whom He loves.

To be read: March 6, July 6, November 6

If a brother, who through his own evil will, leaves the monastery, but later desires to return, let him first promise full amendment for the fault of leaving; ²and let him be received back, but in the last place as a test of his humility.  ³If he should leave again, or even a third time, he should be allowed to return under the same conditions.  But after this, he must understand that every prospect of return will be denied him. 

A number of years ago, I had a parishioner who left the parish because she did not want to seek reconciliation with someone who had offended her.  Later, she wanted to come back, but still refused to meet with the offender.  I tried to gently explain that, as Benedict says in verse 1 above, that she needed to “first promise full amendment for the fault of leaving.”  Sadly, she said that she had done nothing wrong, that the offender was the one who needed amendment.  The offender did need amendment, but it was not her place to correct him, and it was impossible to facilitate such amendment without her cooperation.  It all seems so complicated when we don’t follow the ways of Christ.  Would that we prefer His will to our own.

As has been noted before, there are those, like the one in the example above, who excommunicate themselves.  But readmission to the Body is not a process that the departed one can control—the one at fault does not set the agenda for reconciliation.  There needs to be a recognition that the departure was not in accordance with the will of Christ, and readmission requires a humble admission of our sinful self-will, and submission to godly authority in the Body.  Benedict encourages restoration.  He says, “let him be received back, but in the last place as a test of his humility”.  And this can be done “even a third time…, under the same conditions”.  But this type of unhealthy behavior must be halted.  And so, after three attempts at restoration and reconciliation “he must understand that every prospect of return will be denied him”.  The revolving door of separation must be stopped.

Unity of the Body of Christ is essential for the health of the Body.  And Christ Himself is the one who facilitates that unity.  We must be One in Him.  His ways are perfect—not necessarily easy, but perfect.  They are not always easy because our will gets in the way.  When I am offended, in my self-will I want the offender to know it and suffer for the offense.  But as St. Paul says in his first letter to Corinth, “Why not rather suffer wrong?” (6:7).  The practice of humility opens the door to healing.  And that Christ-centered healing facilitates unity in the Body.

To be read: March 5, July 5, November 5

If a brother has often been corrected and has even been excommunicated for a fault and does not amend, let him receive a more severe correction, that is, let him receive corporal punishment. ²But if even then he does not reform, or should become puffed up with pride, or even defends his actions, which God forbid, the Abbot must act like a wise physician.  ³After he has applied soothing lotions, ointments of admonitions, the medicine of the Holy Scriptures, and finally the harsh rod of excommunication and the blows of the lash, ⁴and if he sees that even then his pains are of no avail, let him apply an even better remedy: his own prayer and that of the brothers, ⁵so that the Lord who is all-powerful may work a cure in that brother.  ⁶But if he is not healed even in this way, then finally the Abbot must dismiss him from the community, as the Apostle says: “Put away the evil one from among you”(1 Cor 5:13); ⁷and again: “If the faithless one departs, let him depart”(1 Cor 7:15); ⁸lest one diseased sheep infect the whole flock. 

Verse 1 once again brings into the exercise of discipline the act of corporal punishment.  But the heart of this chapter is found in the second verse.  If the brother at fault “does not reform, or should become puffed up with pride, or even defends his actions, which God forbid, the Abbot must act like a wise physician.”  The following verses describe, in medical terminology, the attempts that need to be made for restoration of the lost soul.  Ultimately, “if he is not healed even in this way, then finally the Abbot must dismiss him from the community.”  This is not the simple excommunication of which we have spoken before, this is a lifetime ban from the community for an egregious breaking of relationship.  The RB1980 uses much stronger wording than other translations of the Rule.  Verse 6 in that familiar translation says, “finally, the abbot must use the knife and amputate”.  Amputation is clearly a final act.  You don’t put the amputated limb back on the Body.

Again, all of this may sound harsh to our modern ear, but as was noted two chapters ago, such an amputation is a necessary step to preserve the Body.  In physical terms, when a human limb becomes severely infected or gangrenous, it needs to be removed to protect the rest of the body from poisoning.  If the infection were to get into the blood stream then as the blood flows to the various organs of the body it carries that poison with it.  The Eucharist is the blood stream of the Body of Christ.  The nutrients, that is the grace, that we receive when partaking of the Body of Christ, are transmitted to the whole Body.  All who receive the Holy Eucharist are partakers of the one Body (1 Cor. 10:17).  When one member of that Body is poisoned, and presumes to come to the Eucharist, the whole Body can quickly become infected.  The poisoned limb must be removed.

Every effort must be made to preserve all of the parts of the Body.  However, as Benedict says, if “he does not reform…the Abbot must act like a wise physician,” and amputate.  It is an extreme measure, but one that must be taken to preserve the health and well-being of the Body of Christ.

To be read: March 4, July 4, November 4

The Abbot must show all care and concern towards offending brothers because “it is not the healthy that need a physician, but the sick”(Mt 9:12). ²Therefore, like a wise physician he ought to use every opportunity to send senpectae, that is, discreet elderly brothers, ³who may support the wavering brother in secret, and encourage him to make humble satisfaction and console him “lest he be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow” (2 Cor 2:7).  ⁴Rather, as the Apostle also says, “confirm your charity towards him”(2 Cor 2:8); and let prayer be said for him by all.  ⁵The Abbot must make the utmost effort, and strive with all wisdom and zeal, in order that none of the flock entrusted to him perish.  ⁶For the Abbot must know that he has taken upon himself the care of infirm souls, not a tyranny over the healthy.  ⁷And let him fear the threat of the Prophet in which the Lord said: “What you saw to be fat, you took to yourselves, and what was diseased you threw away”(Ezek 34:3-4).  ⁸He is to follow the loving example of the Good Shepherd, who, leaving the ninety-nine sheep on the mountains, went to seek the one that had gone astray, ⁹on whose weakness He had such pity, that He was pleased to lay it on His sacred shoulders and carry it back to the fold(cf Lk 15:5). 

The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews talks about the loving Father’s discipline (ch. 12), and that is the model for all Church discipline.  “The Abbot must show all care and concern towards offending brothers…”  All discipline is to be administered in love, with the goal of restoration of the lost and their salvation.  But how do we do this?

Benedict uses the image of a healing balm, a senpectae*, being applied to the wounded one.  That balm is, according to Benedict, “discreet elderly brothers, who may support the wavering brother.”   The monk under discipline is, as it were, a captive of the evil one, and thus separated from the Body.  He needs both restoration and healing.  The abbot bears the responsibility, as the father of the family, to see that this restoration can happen.  And so he must use wisdom, delegating responsibility to “discreet elderly brothers”, when appropriate, for the healing process.  These are men, who will not be harsh, and are to “encourage him to make humble satisfaction and console him…”.

And because any brokenness in the Body affects the whole Body, Benedict exhorts that “prayer be said for him by all”.  We can hear in the words of this chapter the compassionate heart of Benedict for his flock, calling upon the abbot to “follow the loving example of the Good Shepherd” and “to seek the one that had gone astray”.  The Lord’s second Great Commandment is to “love your neighbor as yourself”.  We may not live in the enclosed community, but any brokenness in the Body of the parish, the diocese, or the larger Church is a loss to the whole and to each one of us.  Pray for those who must exercise discipline in the Body, that they, like Benedict instructs, may “show all care and concern towards offending brothers”.  And may we all follow the example of the Good Shepherd in loving our neighbors as ourselves.

*The RB1980 footnote on this word (p. 222) says “This word, which appears nowhere else in Christian literature, is variously interpreted.  Some suggest “mustard paste” (poultice)…Whatever may be the etymology, what is important is what St. Benedict understands the term to signify and that he has explained.”

To be read: March 3, July 3, November 3

If a brother presumes to associate with an excommunicated brother in any way, or to speak with him, or to send him a message, without the command of the Abbot, ²let him incur the same penalty of excommunication. 

There are those who do not understand that the discipline the Church exercises in separating a member from the Body for grievous fault is for the good of the Body.  Again, we all too often mistake being nice with being Christian.  Sometimes an unrepentant member of the Body must be removed before even greater harm comes to the Body by their seditious behavior.  And though it may seem kind to reach out to the one removed, it has the potential to cause even greater harm.

Let me provide an illustrative scenario.  One of the primary ways that the devil will attack a parish is to divide the leadership, and especially the clergy and worship teams (musicians, acolytes, dancers, etc.).  For if the enemy can disrupt the worship of God, then the people of God will quickly fall out of relationship with Him.  For example, if a person intent upon doing harm to the parish were to try to come between the members of the clergy, and that effort would prove unsuccessful, then this individual might seek to divide the members of the worship team from each other.  Should that fail and the worship team remains united and they remain submitted to the clergy, this rebel could then begin to sow seeds of disunity between the congregation and the worship leadership.  Ultimately, this person must be made to step down from all positions of responsibility and influence in the parish.  It he or she continues to show no repentance or amendment of life, excommunication from the parish must be exercised.  Some members of the parish, being unaware of the reasons for the individual’s departure, may want to reach out to this person encouraging him or her to come back.  Though it may seem compassionate, it would be most ill advised.  To welcome this individual back without repentance would be divisive to the Body.  Thus, Benedict notes that to continue association with a rebellious individual is to open ourselves to their unhealthy influence.  It is a poison.  We need to not “presume to associate with an excommunicated brother in any way…” for the good of the whole Body of Christ.

All of this sounds so very harsh, but it is the only way to maintain the health of the Body.  For when one part of the Body is ill or broken the whole Body is affected.  Every effort should be made to facilitate healing, but if the individual is rebellious and unwilling to accept correction and pursue penitence, then the only option left to the leadership of the Body is excommunication.  As St. Benedict states in chapter 28 of the Rule: “‘If the faithless one departs, let him depart’ (1 Cor 7:15); lest one diseased sheep infect the whole flock.”  We will look at this further when we examine that chapter.

To be read: March 2, July 2, November 2

A brother who is found guilty of a most serious fault shall be excluded from both the table and the oratory.  ²No other brother may associate or speak with him.  ³Let him work alone at the tasks assigned to him, persevering in penitential sorrow, mindful of the terrible sentence of the Apostle who said, that ⁴“such a man is delivered over for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord”(1 Cor 5:5).  ⁵Let him take his food alone in such quantity and at such a time as the Abbot shall deem fit; ⁶and let him not be blessed by anyone passing by, nor should the food that is given him be blessed. 

As has been noted in the previous two meditations, the goal of discipline is restoration.  St. Benedict emphasizes here, though, that we cannot simply overlook “serious fault” and restore someone to the Body without true repentance and amendment of life.  In order to maintain the unity of the Body “penitential sorrow” must be experienced and displayed by the one at fault for restoration to take place after such a breach in relationship.  

In meditating on this chapter I am reminded that there are five steps in true penitence.  They are:

1.  Acknowledgment of sin—recognizing that what we have done is sinful and an offense against God.

2.  Contrition—true sorrow that we have sinned and broken covenant with God.

3.  Confession—confessing with our lips, openly before God, either privately or in the Sacrament of Reconciliation before a priest.

4.  Repentance—turning around, turning back toward God and the community of faith. 

5.  Amendment of life—change our patterns of behavior so that we are not tempted to commit that same sin again.

Benedict is following this pattern in these chapters on discipline.  In chapter 23, he comments that “if a brother is found stubborn” (23:1) he is to be admonished privately, so that he recognizes that his behavior is sinful.  If he recognizes that sin, then he can show contrition, that is true sorrow for his sins.  This is described in chapter 27.  When a brother is truly sorrowful, then we can “encourage him to make humble satisfaction” (27:3), that is true confession of sin.  Repentance is turning around and returning to God and the community.  And so, when the one who has sinned against the Body repents, we must  “‘confirm [our] charity towards him’ (2 Cor 2:8); and let prayer be said for him by all” (27:4).  Then, in order not to fall into the trap of sin again, the brother must make a new start by amending his ways and following the path of righteousness in obedience to the Gospel and the Rule.  As Benedict says in chapter 29, if a brother wants to be restored, let him “first promise full amendment” (29:1).  Then he may return to the fold and be received prayerfully by the community.

This is a most healthy approach to living in relationship with others who are in Christ Jesus.  Whether we reside in the monastery or the world, we do need to live together in harmony, and practice maintaining gracious hearts toward one another.  When one has strayed, and repented, let us welcome him home with joy, just as the father (not the older brother) welcomed the prodigal (Luke 15:11-32).  And when we have strayed, and have been confronted with that sin, let us seek to make “humble satisfaction” for our sin.  The goal of all discipline is restoration to the Body, that the Body of Christ may be whole, that we may be one even as Jesus and the Father are one (John 17:11).

To be read: March 1, July 1, November 1

The degree of excommunication or punishment ought to be in due proportion to the gravity of the offense, ²and it is up to the judgment of the Abbot to determine that.  ³If, however, a brother is found guilty of a lesser fault, he must not be allowed to eat at the common table.  ⁴The following shall be the practice respecting one who is excluded from the common table: in the oratory he will not intone a psalm or an antiphon nor read a lesson until he has made satisfaction; ⁵and he will take his meals alone, after the brothers have eaten.  ⁶For instance, if the brothers eat their meal at the sixth hour, that brother will take his at the ninth, and if the brothers take theirs at the ninth, he will take his in the evening, ⁷until having made due satisfaction he obtains pardon. 

Chapters 23 through 30 are the disciplinary instructions of the Rule of St. Benedict, and as was noted yesterday, the goal of all discipline is restoration of relationship.  The most extreme measure of discipline, then, is removal from relationship, that is excommunication from the community.  Obviously, communion with one another at table and at prayer is the heart of communal living.  These two events in the daily lives of the monks are the places where soul nourishment takes place.  To be excluded from the table in the refectory and the Work of God in the oratory is to be cut off from the lifeblood of the home and family.

This insight offers a challenge to those of us in the world to maintain close ties with the Body of Christ.  It emphasizes the importance of regular worship attendance, substantive communication with each other (i.e. actually talking to each other, not tweeting or texting), recreating together, and praying for one another.  We are to encourage each other, and as St. Paul exhorts, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; never be conceited.Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all.If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all” (Rom. 12:15-18).  

Too often, as a priest, I have seen members of the Body get offended or discouraged and excommunicate themselves.  They quit coming to worship, they cut themselves off from communication with the other members of the parish, and they don’t tell anyone what is going on.  It is self-sabotaging behavior, and the devil loves it!  We need each other for support and accountability.  Reach out when you see someone struggling.  And when you yourself are hurting, it is not helpful or loving to try to deal with it alone.  Talk to your brothers or sisters in Christ.  Reach out to your priest.  Receive the love and healing Christ offers to you in the ministry of the Body.  When one part of the Body hurts, the whole Body suffers.  When one part of the Body is restored, the whole Body is built up.