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Holy Rule for March 5
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St. Mary's Monastery
Mar 4, 2025, 5:22:22 PMMar 4
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Br. Jerome Leo’s Daily Reflection on the Holy Rule
March 5, July 5, November 4
Chapter 28: On Those Who Will Not Amend after Repeated Corrections
If a sister who has been frequently corrected for some fault, and even excommunicated, does not amend, let a harsher correction be applied, that is, let the punishment of the rod be administered.
But if she still does not reform or perhaps (which God forbid) even rises up in pride and wants to defend her conduct, then let the Abbess do what a wise physician would do. Having used applications, the ointments of exhortation, the medicines of the Holy Scriptures, finally the cautery of excommunication and of the strokes of the rod, if she sees that her efforts are of no avail, let her apply a still greater remedy, her own prayers and those of all the others, that the Lord, who can do all things may restore health to the sister who is sick.
But if she is not healed even in this way, then let the Abbess use the knife of amputation, according to the Apostle's words, "Expel the evil one from your midst" (1 Cor. 5:13), and again, "If the faithless one departs, let him depart" (1 Cor. 7:15) lest one diseased sheep contaminate the whole flock.
REFLECTION
The Holy Rule and its author, St. Benedict, are tremendously kind, insisting that we go all the way we possibly can and even a bit beyond with the erring. All that love and care and sorely tried patience is absolutely necessary before this point, "the knife of amputation," is reached. This, too, is a great and important part of mercy, though we may not easily see that at first.
This is so hard for us, to finally, seemingly "give up" on someone. In truth, we never do that. We still pray, we must, but we must also have the humility to admit that we no longer be of useful help, that we are even likely to harm further by enabling.
That is an affront to our natural pride: we should to be able to heal anything, anyone... Sigh... But we aren't. We are also wounded, also imperfect, neither better nor more capable than the poor sufferer for whom we erroneously think we can be a healer.
St. Benedict is NOT saying to give up on the person - I still pray for people who left decades ago and probably should have done so. I have no idea where they are or what they're doing, but I do know the monastery didn't seem to be the place that was most helpful to them, nor were they particularly a gift to the community.
What St. Benedict is saying is that we must have the wisdom and humility to stop trying things that don't work, for the good of all concerned, including ourselves. When this point is reached, no one can help but God. Fix what you can and pray for the rest.
Br. Jerome Leo Hughes, OSB (RIP)
Br. Jerome Leo’s Daily Reflection on the Holy Rule
March 5, July 5, November 4
Chapter 28: On Those Who Will Not Amend after Repeated Corrections
If a sister who has been frequently corrected for some fault, and even excommunicated, does not amend, let a harsher correction be applied, that is, let the punishment of the rod be administered.
But if she still does not reform or perhaps (which God forbid) even rises up in pride and wants to defend her conduct, then let the Abbess do what a wise physician would do. Having used applications, the ointments of exhortation, the medicines of the Holy Scriptures, finally the cautery of excommunication and of the strokes of the rod, if she sees that her efforts are of no avail, let her apply a still greater remedy, her own prayers and those of all the others, that the Lord, who can do all things may restore health to the sister who is sick.
But if she is not healed even in this way, then let the Abbess use the knife of amputation, according to the Apostle's words, "Expel the evil one from your midst" (1 Cor. 5:13), and again, "If the faithless one departs, let him depart" (1 Cor. 7:15) lest one diseased sheep contaminate the whole flock.
REFLECTION
The Holy Rule and its author, St. Benedict, are tremendously kind, insisting that we go all the way we possibly can and even a bit beyond with the erring. All that love and care and sorely tried patience is absolutely necessary before this point, "the knife of amputation," is reached. This, too, is a great and important part of mercy, though we may not easily see that at first.
This is so hard for us, to finally, seemingly "give up" on someone. In truth, we never do that. We still pray, we must, but we must also have the humility to admit that we no longer be of useful help, that we are even likely to harm further by enabling.
That is an affront to our natural pride: we should to be able to heal anything, anyone... Sigh... But we aren't. We are also wounded, also imperfect, neither better nor more capable than the poor sufferer for whom we erroneously think we can be a healer.
St. Benedict is NOT saying to give up on the person - I still pray for people who left decades ago and probably should have done so. I have no idea where they are or what they're doing, but I do know the monastery didn't seem to be the place that was most helpful to them, nor were they particularly a gift to the community.
What St. Benedict is saying is that we must have the wisdom and humility to stop trying things that don't work, for the good of all concerned, including ourselves. When this point is reached, no one can help but God. Fix what you can and pray for the rest.
Br. Jerome Leo Hughes, OSB (RIP)
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