All Saints' Day
Chapter 25
The Rule of Benedict November 1
Benedict is acting here as a skilled physician engaged in an attempt to heal a seriously ill patient on the brink of death. These are measures taken to rattle the sister or brother to the core of their identity with the hope that they will see the alienation that results from their faults. There is no guarantee it will work, but it is with love and hope that this cure is applied.
I don't doubt the good intentions that motivate this remedy, but I have to say that if I were treated in such a way, my inclination would be to alienate myself still further. I mean, really...not even blessing the person's meal? No kind words? From my own experience, a hurting soul needs gentleness.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why I felt compelled to post about this, since there are other passages that I have found troubling - having to do with corporeal punishment, for example - and have basically shrugged off. I think maybe it's because this seems to exemplify one of my biggest problems with the rule, and that is how harsh it is. Don't get me wrong, discipline is wonderful and sometimes love is stern, but often times when I read the words of Saint Benedict, I recoil...and am not necessarily reconciled.
Thank you for posting and for being honest about your feelings, Ruth. I know from my experience among Benedictines that sometimes, after 40 years as a monk, things remain unreconciled.
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