Holy Rule for March 13
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St. Mary's Monastery
Mar 12, 2026, 5:54:49 PM (17 hours ago) Mar 12
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Br. Jerome Leo’s Daily Reflection on the Holy Rule
March 13, July 13, November 12
Chapter 35: On the Weekly Servers in the Kitchen (1-11)
Let the brethren serve one another, and let no one be excused from the kitchen service except by reason of sickness or occupation in some important work. For this service brings increase of reward and of charity. But let helpers be provided for the weak ones, that they may not be distressed by this work; and indeed let everyone have help, as required by the size of the community or the circumstances of the locality. If the community is a large one, the cellarer shall be excused from the kitchen service; and so also those whose occupations are of greater utility, as we said above. Let the rest serve one another in charity.
The one who is ending his week of service shall do the cleaning on Saturday. He shall wash the towels with which the brethren wipe their hands and feet; and this server who is ending his week, aided by the one who is about to begin, shall wash the feet of all the brethren. He shall return the utensils of his office to the cellarer clean and in good condition, and the cellarer in turn shall consign them to the incoming server, in order that he may know what he gives out and what he receives back.
REFLECTION
Some houses may have moved away from having table waiters, but something is lost in that. We have cafeteria style first portions here, then the waiter goes around to offer seconds and clears the dishes. It isn't a really big deal, but it does have a great reward, as the Holy Rule points out. Because we are a small community, everyone, even the Superior, takes a turn at waiting.
Formerly, in some houses (maybe in all, but I am not sure,) the Abbot would wait tables on Holy Thursday. There was a nice connection there: he who held the place of Christ waited on all on the feast of the Last Supper, and washed the feet of twelve in Church that day.
The connection here is personalist. Waiting on people connects you very much to them, as any waiter could tell you. Restaurants may not pursue that connection to any depth, but a home situation, like a monastery, surely does.
There's a great notion here for Oblates who do not live alone: take turns waiting. We can get slumped into Dad or Mom or husband or wife always being waiter or waited upon. Switch off, care for each other, in this and many, many other ways!
There are tons of ways of serving another, serving each other, that have nothing at all to do with tables or dining. There are many, many, equivalent forms of foot-washing. Hunt for them diligently and practice them with deep love!
Br. Jerome Leo Hughes, OSB (RIP)
Br. Jerome Leo’s Daily Reflection on the Holy Rule
March 13, July 13, November 12
Chapter 35: On the Weekly Servers in the Kitchen (1-11)
Let the brethren serve one another, and let no one be excused from the kitchen service except by reason of sickness or occupation in some important work. For this service brings increase of reward and of charity. But let helpers be provided for the weak ones, that they may not be distressed by this work; and indeed let everyone have help, as required by the size of the community or the circumstances of the locality. If the community is a large one, the cellarer shall be excused from the kitchen service; and so also those whose occupations are of greater utility, as we said above. Let the rest serve one another in charity.
The one who is ending his week of service shall do the cleaning on Saturday. He shall wash the towels with which the brethren wipe their hands and feet; and this server who is ending his week, aided by the one who is about to begin, shall wash the feet of all the brethren. He shall return the utensils of his office to the cellarer clean and in good condition, and the cellarer in turn shall consign them to the incoming server, in order that he may know what he gives out and what he receives back.
REFLECTION
Some houses may have moved away from having table waiters, but something is lost in that. We have cafeteria style first portions here, then the waiter goes around to offer seconds and clears the dishes. It isn't a really big deal, but it does have a great reward, as the Holy Rule points out. Because we are a small community, everyone, even the Superior, takes a turn at waiting.
Formerly, in some houses (maybe in all, but I am not sure,) the Abbot would wait tables on Holy Thursday. There was a nice connection there: he who held the place of Christ waited on all on the feast of the Last Supper, and washed the feet of twelve in Church that day.
The connection here is personalist. Waiting on people connects you very much to them, as any waiter could tell you. Restaurants may not pursue that connection to any depth, but a home situation, like a monastery, surely does.
There's a great notion here for Oblates who do not live alone: take turns waiting. We can get slumped into Dad or Mom or husband or wife always being waiter or waited upon. Switch off, care for each other, in this and many, many other ways!
There are tons of ways of serving another, serving each other, that have nothing at all to do with tables or dining. There are many, many, equivalent forms of foot-washing. Hunt for them diligently and practice them with deep love!
Br. Jerome Leo Hughes, OSB (RIP)
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