Monastic Rule of Saint Benedict II Lore Books

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On Monastic Obedience and the Monastry Abbot.

Text

Monastic Rule of Saint Benedict

Obedience

The first degree of humility is obedience without hesitation. This beseemeth those who, either through fear of Hell or for the glory of life everlasting, count nothing more dear to them than Christ. These, presently, as soon as any thing is commanded them by the Superior, make no delay in doing it, just as if the command had come from God. This obedience will then be acceptable to God and pleasing to men, if what is commanded be not done fearfully, slowly, coldly, or with murmuring, or an answer showing unwillingness; because the obedience which is given to superiors is given to God, who hath said: “ He that heareth you, heareth Me.“ Hence it ought to be done by the disciples with a good will, because God “ loveth a cheerful giver,“ It the disciple obey with ill-will, and murmur, not only in words, but also in heart, although if he fulfil what is commanded him, it will not be acceptable to God, Who considereth the heart of the murmurer. For such a work he shall not have any reward, but rather incurreth the penalty of murmurers, unless he amend and make satisfaction.

Abbot

When, therefore, anyone taketh upon himself the name of Abbot, he ought to govern his disciples with a twofold doctrine; that is, he ought first to show them all virtue and sanctity more by deeds than by words: hence, to such as are intelligent, he may declare the Commandments of God by words; but to the hard-hearted, and to those of the ruder sort, he must make these precepts manifest by his actions and by his life. Therefore the Abbot ought to teach, ordain or command nothing but what is conformable to the commands of our Lord; but let his commands and doctrine be mingled in the minds of his disciples with the leaven of divine justice. Let there be no distinction of persons in the Monastery. Let not one be loved or favoured more than another, except he be found to surpass the rest in good works and in obedience.

With the more virtuous and intelligent, let him for the first or second time use words of admonition; but the stubborn, the hard-hearted, the proud and the disobedient, even in the very beginning of their sin, let him chastise with stripes and bodily punishment, knowing that it is written: The fool is not corrected with words.“ And again: “Strike thy son with the rod, and thou shalt deliver his soul from death.”