Reading 02/29/08

February 29, June 30, October 30
Chapter 23: On Excommunication for Faults


If a brother is found to be obstinate,
or disobedient, or proud, or murmuring,
or habitually transgressing the Holy Rule in any point
and contemptuous of the orders of his seniors,
the latter shall admonish him secretly a first and a second time,
as Our Lord commands (Matt. 18:15).
If he fails to amend,
let him be given a public rebuke in front of the whole community.
But if even then he does not reform,
let him be placed under excommunication,
provided that he understands the seriousness of that penalty;
if he is perverse, however,
let him undergo corporal punishment.

Some thoughts:

How much trouble would be eliminated in this world if we had the intolerance for the obstinate, disobedient, proud, murmurers etc that St. Benedict had. OTOH, people like I would be continually under discipline for these sorts of behaviors. But maybe that would be a small price to pay if by it we would to get our eyes off of what people do wrong and concentrate on what people do right.