Chapter 57. The Artisans of the Community
If there are artisans in the monastery, they are to practice their craft with all humility, but only with the abbot's permission. If one of them becomes puffed up by his skillfulness in his craft, and feels that he is conferring something on the monastery, he is to be removed from practicing his craft and not allowed to resume it unless, after manifesting his humility, he is so ordered by the abbot.
Whenever products of these artisans are sold, those responsible for the sale must not dare to practice any fraud. Let them always remember Ananias and Sapphira, who incurred bodily death (Acts 5:1-11), lest they and all who perpetrate fraud in monastery affairs suffer spiritual death.
The evil of avarice must have no part in establishing prices, which should, therefore, always be a little lower than people outside the monastery are able to set, so that in all things God may be glorified (1 Pet. 4:11)
There is little doubt in my mind that Benedict was a very poor economist. Of course, greed is a sin, but pricing yourself below the market price a little bit won't hurt. Then again, if you price under market price you may sell more, but exactly how much cheese and fruitcake, or candy, or fudge, or jelly do you have to sell in volume to make up for what you could have made by pricing it at the right price at the beginning.
The fact that Benedict opens this chapter talking about artisans is interesting to me. For anyone who has ever created something of which they are proud, this chapter may seem a little harsh. What Benedict is saying is don't think you're the only means of support here, or that what you do can't be done by someone else.
Pride! Pride and greed are the sins this chapter is really getting at. I might think "without me at the organ bench the liturgy can't go on," until the replacement comes in and plays better than I do! Or that my icons are perfect and "if this monastery didn't have me then they'd be hurting," until the new icon writer replaces me and produces more spiritual and beautiful icons.
In the life of Lay Cistercians this plays out again and again in the secular world. We see it in others, catch it in ourselves, and pray for grace to not be puffed up. There are always those who whisper in our ear, "you're not paid enough to do this job." Or, "you're worth far more than this." Or, "I'll show them." Each of those, while they may be true, are pretty close to sin. How? Because they cause us to think more highly of ourselves than we should. I'm not advocating a policy of self loathing that goes well with that "old time religion" but of knowing who you are, where you are, and having a self worth that doesn't need to be puffed up or have the air popped out of it. Benedict is telling us the same thing.
May God bring us altogether to everlasting life.
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