Chapter 2: Gifts needed by an abbot or abbess (paragraph 4)
[The abbot or abbess] should not select for special treatment any individual in the monastery. They should not love one more than another unless it is for good observance of the Rule and obedience. (From para. 4 of Ch. 2 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)
In my life, there are times I have responsibility for a group, and Benedict's words make sense. But there are also times -- personal friendship times -- when I resonate deeply with another person, perhaps because of what I see in them, perhaps because what they reflect back to me -- hopefully without too much illusion. In these situations, perhaps of spiritual friendship, "special treatment" seems to make sense. May I learn to balance these two kinds of situations, so that in whatever way is open-hearted and appropriate at the time, I see what is best in another, in every other.
“Therefore, the prioress and abbot are to show equal love to everyone and apply the same discipline to all according to their merits.”
ReplyDeleteIn the “I am my own abbot” theme, I need to love all of myself, even the parts of myself that I don’t think are lovable, and have the wisdom to know which parts of myself need discipline.