Chapter 71: Mutual obedience in the monastery

Obedience is of such value that it should be shown not only to the superior but all members of the community should be obedient to each other in the sure knowledge that this way of obedience is the one that will take them straight to God. (From para. 1 of Ch. 71 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

What happens when relationships are lived out in mutual obedience? It means I have to suspend judgments and labels about another, in order to see "that of God" in the other. And this demands faith and hope, that by seeing "that of God" in the other, the other may be moved to let go of whatever judgments or labels he or she might have of me.