Advice from
Benedict for those charged with the spiritual care of Christians
I am currently in the process of reading the Latin text of
the Rule of Benedict. Benedict wrote around
540 AD and drew upon the previous tradition that provided instructions to
monks. Because of developments during
the Carolingian era, his rule would become a dominant one in medieval monasticism.
While as Lutherans we recognize inherent
theological problems with monasticism, this does not change the fact that the
Rule of Benedict contains profound spiritual insight shaped by Scripture and
the experience in the Church of
applying it to individuals.
The following is from RB 2:11-15, 30-40 (The Qualifications
of an Abbot):
Furthermore, when someone accepts the title of abbot, he
should direct his disciples by a twofold teaching. That means he should demonstrate everything
that is good and holy by his deeds more than by his words. He should teach gifted disciples the Lord’s
commands by words, but he will have to personally model the divine precepts for
those who are recalcitrant or naïve. Moreover,
his deeds should show his disciples that what he teaches as harmful is really
not to be done, “lest he be found guilty after having preached to others” (1 Cor
9:37). Then the Lord may address him
some day as a sinner: “Why do you proclaim my just deeds and take my covenant
on your lips? For you have hated
discipline and thrown my words behind you” (Ps 50:16-17) and “You noticed the
speck in your brother’s eye, but did not see the plank in your own” (Matt 7:3).
The abbot must always remember what he is and what he is
called; he should also know that more is demanded from one to whom more is
entrusted (Luke 12:48). Let him know
what a difficult and hard thing he has undertaken: to direct souls, and to
adapt to many different temperaments, some by encouragement, some by rebuke,
some by convincing argument. Let him
tailor his approach to meet each one’s character and understanding; he will
thereby suffer no loss of the sheep entrusted to him, but even enjoy the increase
of a good flock. Above all, he should
neither neglect nor undervalue the welfare of the souls committed to him by
paying more attention to fleeting, earthly, perishable matters. Let him constantly remain aware of the fact
that is it souls he has undertaken to direct and he will have to give an
account for them. He should not plead
the danger of material decline, for Scripture says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these
things will be added to you” (Matt 6:33). And again: “Nothing is lacking to those who
fear him’ (Ps 33:10).
Let him know that anyone who undertakes the direction of
souls should be prepared to render an account. Whatever the number of brothers he has under
his care, he can be sure that he will have to account for every one of them on
judgment day, and certainly of his own soul as well. He should live in continual fear of the judgment
that awaits the shepherd concerning the sheep in his charge. And so the
reckoning he must give for others makes him concerned about his own condition. The warnings he gives to others for
improvement serve to effect the correction of his own vices.
Translation taken from: Terrence G. Kardong, Benedict’s
Rule: A Translation and Commentary, Collegeville,
MN: The Liturgical Press, 1996,
46-47.
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