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 thy 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.)

What does this teach me about mutual obedience? What exactly is the situation St Benedict describes? The junior may have done something wrong, but whatever happened the senior is angry, though the emotion may be well under control. However, the junior is perceptive of the senior's feelings. So, the junior is the one who must prostrate, while the senior must (eventually) give a blessing, and this mutual encounter will "heal the upset". Perhaps, like many human encounters, it's not clear who is responsible for what, but the community order holds true, and everyone must be obedient to making the necessary gesture of forgiveness. So, perhaps I am to learn that a spirit of mutual obedience ensures a spirit of mutual forgiveness.