Chapter 54: The reception of letters and gifts in the monastery

No one in a monastic community may receive or send to other letters, gifts of piety or any little tokens without the permission of the superior, whether it is their parents who are concerned or anyone else at all or another member of the community.

(From Ch. 54 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry OSB, 1997.)

This reminds me to discern the difference between gifts I give or receive, that come from a selfless heart, or a controlling ego.