WCCM Oblate Blog: Reflections from Daily Reading of the Rule of St. Benedict

WCCM Benedictine Oblates are encouraged to read a designated portion of the Rule daily, and to write a brief, personal response. I hope that this blog will support our Oblate community in this practice. Please, keep blog entries brief and in a first-person ("I") voice. Refrain from discussing, offering an opinion, or commenting on other entries. Simply consider how a particular section of the Rule is speaking to you in your present circumstances.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Chapter 70: The offence of striking another

Every occasion for presumptuous behaviour in a monastery must be avoided, so we insist that no one in the community may excommunicate or strike another unless given the power to do so by the superior.

(From Ch. 70 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry OSB, 1997.)

What is presumptuous behavior, but self-righteousness, the ego stepping forward to seize control?

1 comment:

Roger SessionsAugust 28, 2012 at 7:58 PM
Ego finds it easy to convince us that violence is justified.
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