Reflections
on the Rule of St Benedict: Introduction
(please scroll down for daily reflections)
We wanted the Rule of St Benedict (RB) to pulse through the website as
it does through our life, hence the decision that the daily portion of the Rule,
read in most Benedictine monasteries and by many individuals, should feature on
the Home Page. The version selected is that of Dom Justin McCann of Ampleforth
published by the Stanbrook Abbey Press in 1937 and used by kind permission of
the Ampleforth Abbey Trust. There are several reasons for this choice: first of
all, we feel it still reads as an elegant translation, then we wish to
celebrate cooperation between the Ampleforth and Stanbrook communities over
many years, and thirdly, perhaps the old-fashioned ‘thees’ and ‘thous’ can actually
help us approach the Rule of St Benedict thoughtfully. For all its relevance,
RB remains an ancient text which needs careful ‘unpacking’.
To accompany the extracts of the Rule we hope to post regular reflections, from
members of the Stanbrook Community and Stanbrook Oblates. These do not aim to
be scholarly commentaries of which there are many excellent editions available.
Rather, the reflections allow us to re-visit the Rule, to try to listen to its
familiar voice anew, and to share thoughts via this forum.
Your comments are welcome via secretary@stanbrookabbey.org.uk
Click here for pdf of whole Rule: RB37
From May-September 2021 Reflections on the Rule are shared by Patricia Kelly-Evans who lives in Pennsylvania and is exploring the oblate path.
May 13th
Here Benedict's demanding that the abbot treats all his monks fairly rather than giving special privileges or authority to those who were rich or powerful in the outside world.
May 14th
Every abbot’s duty is to correct lapses and misbehaviour with both a father's love and a master's strictness. Similarly, in today's business world, bosses are often taught to use a ‘reprimand sandwich.’ Not surprisingly, experience has shown that this works better than a flat reprimand with some employees and worse with other employees. Abbots and leaders are expected to discern which approach will work with each person being directed for the good of both the person being counselled and the community as a whole.
May 15th
Benedict warns abbots that more is expected of them than of their followers. Since leaders need to adapt their styles to their followers' varied abilities, needs, and temperaments while maintaining standards, leading a flock as the representative of the Good Shepherd is hard work. Each abbot should work for the health and ‘the increase of the flock.’ That phrase suggests both the shepherding role and the Parable of the Talents in which the servants who invested well were praised as ‘good and faithful' and invited to ‘share their master's joy.’
May 16th
In chapter 2's conclusion, abbots are again reminded that they will have to account for both their flocks and themselves at the final judgement Thus, their solicitude should be for the eternal life of souls rather than ‘fleeting and worldly things’ like political power, money, status, and looking good in public.
RB Chapters 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
Oct 30, 31, Nov 1,2,3,4,5,6
These chapters all deal with the problems caused when someone acts in such a way as to destroy, or at the very least unsettle and harm, community life, and rather than offer brief reflections, I have chosen to look at the issue as a whole in just one longer reflection.
Benedict suggests various remedies involving the increased exclusion of the offending person from community life until that person sees the error of their ways or decides to leave the community altogether.
He also stresses that the abbot/abbess should bear in mind that the errant sheep is nevertheless one of the flock entrusted to their care and that all possible efforts must be made to attempt to heal the situation.
Few of us will find ourselves in the position to exclude anyone outright from any community in which we participate, including the family, although certainly nightmare family situations do arise and serious action may unfortunately be necessary. If we know of such family crises � I am sadly familiar with at least three � then our prayerful support for all concerned is invaluable.
What we might ask ourselves is where, in our daily lives, we are in a community, where do we belong in a group, say a choir or a Parish group or any recreational/social society, either as a simple member or on a committee. When tensions arise, when someone appears to be out to wreck the group, when someone refuses to delegate or to listen or to enter into constructive dialogue, what can we do, as Christians, as Benedictine Oblates to heal the situation? What steps can we take to seek peace and pursue it? We are hardly going to be in a position to ensure the offending person has to drink their tea alone in another room, and if everyone refuses to speak to said person, nothing will be solved.
Maybe the first step is to listen with the heart to what the root of the problem might be, to speak only with kindness and patience ourselves, not to condemn or judge or reject out of hand, but to try and understand where the other is coming from. Ask yourself: What would make this situation whole again? What words or actions would heal? What positive outcome could we seek, work for, hope for, pray for? Are we/am I prepared to forgive? What steps are we/am I prepared to take to bring about peace?
I am not suggesting this is easy, and sometimes the only solution does indeed seem to be to ask the offender to leave the group. On the other hand, maybe we are too quick to be offended, to be indignant, hurt, irritated, self-righteous, angry, resentful. Have we split into factions? Are we perhaps beavering away in the background to gather support for our/my point of view? Do we somehow seem to present a threat to the person causing trouble? Have we thought that we might be part of the problem? Bear in mind that for everyone else I am the Other who has to be lived with.
Life is not easy, and relationships with other people certainly aren�t. We really are challenged as Christians to look on everyone � not just those we find it easy to get on with � as Christ does. The compassionate love of the Trinity is all-embracing. It accepts every single person right where they are now, today, whatever mess they are in, no exceptions. God loves me infinitely, unconditionally. He loves everyone else infinitely, unconditionally. This is NOT a fluffy concept! We are asked to take seriously, at the nitty-gritty level of everyday life and relationships, the command we reflected on yet again this last week in the Gospel for Sunday 30 (Matthew 22:34-40) to love others, to love and accept every single person we encounter TODAY, as we ourselves are loved by God. That is an immense task, but it is the essential task of our lives. It is here that we will meet God today. Let�s hope � and trust � that practice, aided by Grace, makes perfect!