RB Reflection: 5 July 2008

Chapter 28. Those who Refuse to Amend After Frequen Reproofs

If a brother has been reproved frequently for any fault, or it he has even been excommunicated, yet does not amend, let him receive a sharper punishment: that is, let him feel the strokes of the rod. But if even then he does not reform, or perhaps becomes proud and would actually defend his conduct, which God forbid, the abbot should follow the procedure of a wise physician. After he has applied compresses, the ointment of encouragement, the medicine of divine Scripture, and finally the cauterizing iron of excommunication and strokes of the rod, and if he then perceives that his earnest efforts are unavailing, let him apply an even better remedy: he and all the brothers should pray for him so that the Lord who can do all things, may bring about the health of the sick brother. Yet if even this procedure does not heal him, then finally, the abbot must use the knife and amputate. For the Apostle says: Banish the evil one from your midst (I Cor. 5:13); and again, If the unbeliever departs, let him depart (I Cor. 7:150, lest one diseased sheep infect the whole flock.

I hope that you who read these daily reflections appreciate the fact that struggling with a chapter like this is very, very hard for me. The fact that this was all written in the 6th century doesn't help my reaction to this chapter at all. I'm deeply curious why at the last just before the amputation, is prayer finally applied? Sure, they've been praying for him all along, and Benedict is listing the various things they've tried to bring the brother back, but for God sake why is prayer listed as the last resort?

A monastery, like any community of people who have to live together, needs to deal with the rebellious one who will attract other rebellious ones to them, and eventually will end up with a monastery in full revolt and the abbot kicked out. According to legend that is exactly what happened to Benedict before he founded Monte Casino.

We must assume then that this chapter is for the good of the community, which, does make it a little easier to swallow. But, how is this applied to the Lay Cistercian community? We both glory in our lack of structure, and are hampered by our lack of structure, because absolutely nothing is in place for dealing with situations like the past few days have been talking about. Everyone just smiles and puts up with it. Is that really the right thing to do? No one wants confrontation, yet, the prophets are always confrontational. Perhaps what we need is a prophet. Even though it makes me shudder to think of a real prophet arising among us.

Somewhere in all this is a lesson for us to learn. If we claim the Rule of Benedict as guidance for our lives, then we have to come to terms with this chapter.

May God lead us altogether to everlasting life.