Chapter 71: Mutual obedience in the monastery
Any monk or nun who is corrected for anything by abbot or abbess or one of the seniors and perceives that the senior is upset by feelings of anger, even though they may be well in control, then that junior should at once prostrate on the ground in contrition and not move until the senior gives a blessing which will heal the upset. (From para. 2 of Ch. 71 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)
I pondered on this directive quite a bit from a justice point of view. Who's guilty, and of what? Was the junior really at fault for something or unjustly corrected? Isn't the senior's anger a fault, and isn't controlling his anger enough? Why does the junior, guilty or not, have to prostrate himself for his perceived fault to the senior? But I realize St. Benedict isn't talking about justice. He's talking about love in the form of mutual obedience, and that happens in the moment of the blessing. The blessing takes the scenario beyond a matter of justice and movies it into the realm of reconciliation.
“Do I want to be right or do I want to be happy?” Too often my ego spurs me to insist on the correctness of my point of view. My stubborn righteousness creates unhappiness for my spouse and others in my family and community. Again, the silence, stillness and simplicity of my twice-daily meditation is my best remedy, my ticket to obedience and peace.
ReplyDeleteIn the Prologue, I am told to "listen carefully...with the ear of the heart and to be "ready to give up your (my) own will, once and for all..." Sounds like passivity and meekness and weakness of character to the max and unacceptable in this day and age. But what is the bottom line in this chapter about mutual obedience and about obedience in general? It is precisely, the listening- a listening so keen that I can hear the sound of the will of God pushing up through the surface of the soil of my heart and mind with love for me and the other(thanks to Rowan Williams' Gift of Christmas on You tube). Translated it means that I have to show great love immediately and without delay to the other even if I believe I have been misunderstood. Get over, it I am told--what is more important you or the other person. And it is always the other/Other. I have Christ in life and death to lead the way. I won't be a "loser" if I follow.
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