Holy Rule for February 28
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St. Mary's Monastery
Feb 27, 2026, 5:49:08 PM (14 days ago) Feb 27
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Br. Jerome Leo’s Daily Reflection on the Holy Rule
February 28 (or 29), June 30, October 30
Chapter 23: On Excommunication for Faults
If a brother is found to be obstinate, or disobedient, or proud, or murmuring, or habitually transgressing the Holy Rule in any point and contemptuous of the orders of his seniors, the latter shall admonish him secretly a first and a second time, as Our Lord commands (Matt. 18:15). If he fails to amend, let him be given a public rebuke in front of the whole community. But if even then he does not reform, let him be placed under excommunication, provided that he understands the seriousness of that penalty; if he is perverse, however, let him undergo corporal punishment.
REFLECTION
It is sad, indeed, that a chapter like this ever had to be written, sad in St. Benedict's time, sad in our own. How little human beings change in some ways! Why on earth would anyone come to a monastic struggle with an attitude that says: "I know better. I'm right and they're wrong."? Why would anyone persist in staying with such an attitude?
Because they are blind. It's another favorite trick of Satan. Blurred or clouded assessments of the reality at hand are his forte. Especially when these phony lenses get applied to religious matters, the obstinacy and self-righteousness can go to extremes.
Look, beloveds, every single one of us, from the newest Oblate candidate to the Abbot Primate, came to the monastic life, to the Holy Rule, to be CHANGED. We came to learn, not to teach. We came to reform ourselves, not the monastery. We not only arrived with that attitude, we must keep it all of our lives. We came to surrender, not to demand.
That's why this chapter is both so very sad and so very important. The monastic at any point in life who has renounced that attitude of discipleship has abandoned the struggle. We must hope it is a temporary abandonment, because it can be fatal to one's vocation. It can undo all the good work we have behind us. It can delude us into thinking we are persevering when we have actually long ago quit.
Superiors and community (or family!) can be a big reality check here and that is what this chapter seeks to provide. Gentleness, love and tact are in order, but something must be done. One must be very careful at such times not to lord it over another smugly. But one must also be very careful not to do nothing at all, especially if one is in authority. The risk to the falling member is too great to ignore.
If, alas, you find yourself to be that falling member, for heaven's sake (quite literally!) LISTEN. That is such a Benedictine trait, our Holy Rule begins with that word. If others are that upset, there may well be something wrong. Don't deny it. Check it out with all the humility you can muster, but be very aware that your humility may well be the thing that is currently terribly impaired. Be as honest as truthful as you can. Try, try with all your strength, to let yourself always be changed for the good, and strive to see that good, even when it is hard.
If you are one of the lucky ones not in this leaking boat, be deeply humbled and grateful to God. Pray every day for all of those in the Order, the Church, and the world, who are sinking. They need our prayers badly. Think how different the Titanic might have been with enough lifeboats.
Br. Jerome Leo Hughes, OSB (RIP)
Br. Jerome Leo’s Daily Reflection on the Holy Rule
February 28 (or 29), June 30, October 30
Chapter 23: On Excommunication for Faults
If a brother is found to be obstinate, or disobedient, or proud, or murmuring, or habitually transgressing the Holy Rule in any point and contemptuous of the orders of his seniors, the latter shall admonish him secretly a first and a second time, as Our Lord commands (Matt. 18:15). If he fails to amend, let him be given a public rebuke in front of the whole community. But if even then he does not reform, let him be placed under excommunication, provided that he understands the seriousness of that penalty; if he is perverse, however, let him undergo corporal punishment.
REFLECTION
It is sad, indeed, that a chapter like this ever had to be written, sad in St. Benedict's time, sad in our own. How little human beings change in some ways! Why on earth would anyone come to a monastic struggle with an attitude that says: "I know better. I'm right and they're wrong."? Why would anyone persist in staying with such an attitude?
Because they are blind. It's another favorite trick of Satan. Blurred or clouded assessments of the reality at hand are his forte. Especially when these phony lenses get applied to religious matters, the obstinacy and self-righteousness can go to extremes.
Look, beloveds, every single one of us, from the newest Oblate candidate to the Abbot Primate, came to the monastic life, to the Holy Rule, to be CHANGED. We came to learn, not to teach. We came to reform ourselves, not the monastery. We not only arrived with that attitude, we must keep it all of our lives. We came to surrender, not to demand.
That's why this chapter is both so very sad and so very important. The monastic at any point in life who has renounced that attitude of discipleship has abandoned the struggle. We must hope it is a temporary abandonment, because it can be fatal to one's vocation. It can undo all the good work we have behind us. It can delude us into thinking we are persevering when we have actually long ago quit.
Superiors and community (or family!) can be a big reality check here and that is what this chapter seeks to provide. Gentleness, love and tact are in order, but something must be done. One must be very careful at such times not to lord it over another smugly. But one must also be very careful not to do nothing at all, especially if one is in authority. The risk to the falling member is too great to ignore.
If, alas, you find yourself to be that falling member, for heaven's sake (quite literally!) LISTEN. That is such a Benedictine trait, our Holy Rule begins with that word. If others are that upset, there may well be something wrong. Don't deny it. Check it out with all the humility you can muster, but be very aware that your humility may well be the thing that is currently terribly impaired. Be as honest as truthful as you can. Try, try with all your strength, to let yourself always be changed for the good, and strive to see that good, even when it is hard.
If you are one of the lucky ones not in this leaking boat, be deeply humbled and grateful to God. Pray every day for all of those in the Order, the Church, and the world, who are sinking. They need our prayers badly. Think how different the Titanic might have been with enough lifeboats.
Br. Jerome Leo Hughes, OSB (RIP)
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