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.

Monday, October 31, 2016

Chapter 24: Different degrees of severity in punishment

The severity of excommunication or any other punishment should correspond to the gravity of the fault committed, and it is for the superior to decide about the seriousness of faults. (From Ch. 24 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

This direction from Benedict powerfully focusses the light on my responsibility, by linking my self-righteousness about "punishing" another with an urge to overreact. I'm responsible in any situation where I get hurt or angry, and have an opportunity to respond to another. Do I react with a wallop of uncontrolled emotion? Do I step back and consult my Inner Teacher? Do I with respond with love, appropriateness, and concern for the other and our relationship?

1 comment:

UnknownOctober 31, 2016 at 11:35 PM
Often, I am blind to my faults. How wonderful it is to have a loving community in which I do not seek to hide or to justify my faults. How wonderful it is to have a community that is willing to shine its loving light of my faults.
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