Monday, July 2, 2012

Chapter 25: Punishment for more serious faults


None of the community should associate with or talk to the guilty person, who is to persevere alone in sorrow and penance in whatever work has been allotted, remembering St Paul's fearful judgement when he wrote to the Corinthians that: such a one should be handed over for the destruction of the flesh so that the spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord. (From Chapter 25 of Saint Benedict's Rule.)

I can sit a long time with Benedict's difficult directives on excommunication, trying to discern the wisdom and compassion they hold for me. In this passage, I identify with the "guilty person" who blames others for my faults and frustrations. Benedict urges me to take responsibility for my own shortcomings, to place my cares in Christ, and to give to the community from the abundance of a realized heart.
Posted by at

1 comment:

  1. Roger SessionsJuly 2, 2012 at 8:53 AM

    I read this as a continuation of the last two days reading. As a group, these readings discuss the communal response to transgressions against the community.

    The guilty person has done something to violate the community trust. These three readings show that the community should respond with as little force as possible to correct the fault. The starting point for the correction is a private chat (Chapter 23). If that doesn't work, then another private chat. Only if that doesn't work, then a public rebuke (Chapter 23). Then if that doesn't work, exclusion from public worship (Chapter 24). Then exclusion from communal meals. Then total isolation from the community.

    The point for me is that the purpose is not to vindictively punish the guilty or to exact revenge, but to correct with the least force possible and then as soon as possible to welcome the guilty party back into full communion with the community.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)