Rule Of St. Benedict Ch 1.docx

12 It is better to keep silent than to speak of all these and their disgraceful way of life. 13 Let us pass them by, then, and with the help of the Lord,

Chapter 1: The Kinds of Monks

proceed to draw up a plan for the strong kind, the cenobites. Commentary by Philip Lawrence, OSB, Abbot of Christ in the Desert

1 There are clearly four kinds of monks. 2 First, there are the cenobites,that

As we begin to hear the actual Rule of Benedict, Saint Benedict identifies different

is to say, those who belong to a monastery, where they serve under a rule

kinds of monks. For us, who are Cenobites, he identifies our life with living under a rule

and an abbot.

and an abbot. These are important factors in our lives. So often in the present age people choose to live under the Rule of Benedict as a form on inspiration. To choose

3 Second, there are the anchorites or hermits, who have come through the test of living in a monastery for a long time, and have passed beyond the first fervor of monastic life. 4 Thanks to the help and guidance of many, they are now trained to fight against the devil. 5 They have built up their strength and go from the battle line in the ranks of their brothers to the single combat of the desert. Self-reliant now, without the support of another, they are ready with God’s help to grapple single-handed with the vices of body and mind.

to live under an abbot is another thing entirely. If we choose just the Rule of Benedict, we are free to interpret it in our own way. To live under both a rule and an abbot means to subject myself to another human being. That is really a challenge. Benedict is absolutely clear throughout his Rule that the real asceticism is subjecting oneself to other human beings who are only frail vessels just as we are. The next kind of monk is the Hermit. Again, Benedict approves of this form of monastic life, when hermits have been really trained properly. For a person to be a hermit,

6 Third, there are the sarabaites, the most detestable kind of monks, who

Benedict insists that they have lived in community for a long time and have passed

with no experience to guide them, no rule to try them as gold is tried in a

through the first fervor of monastic life. There are other ways to be hermits, and the

furnace (Prov 27:21), have a character as soft as lead. 7 Still loyal to the world

Church allows other ways, but this is the way that Benedict would see a hermit

by their actions, they clearly lie to God by their tonsure. 8 Two or three

emerging from the community. There is a real purification in living in community and

together, or even alone, without a shepherd, they pen themselves up in their

Benedict thinks that that purification is very important before one sets out as a hermit.

own sheepfolds, not the Lord’s. Their law is what they like to do, whatever

The defects that a monk has in community will be with him when he passes to the

strikes their fancy. 9 Anything they believe in and choose, they call holy;

hermitage. In our own time there are many who become hermits because they cannot

anything they dislike, they consider forbidden.

live in community, and this, thinks Saint Benedict, is not such an ideal situation. Others become hermits because it allows them to live as they want, and this also is less than

10 Fourth and finally, there are the monks called gyrovagues, who spend their entire lives drifting from region to region, staying as guests for three or four days in different monasteries. 11 Always on the move, they never settle down, and are slaves to their own wills and gross appetites. In every way they are worse than the sarabaites.

ideal. Both of those types of hermits can still be purified by the grace of God. What Benedict describes is simply the practical manner that he finds best for forming hermits. Some interpreters of the Rule think that the aim of the Rule is to form hermits and that the ideal is to pass from the cenobium to the hermitage. Others think that the ideal is to remain in the cenobium all of one’s life. Benedict seems not to opt in either direction and so the commentators are normally reflecting themselves and not the Rule. Among

other things, the arguments are based on the influences of Saint John Cassian and Saint

on this phenomenon. As always, we must look deeply into the situation of a monk who

Augustine in the Rule of Benedict.

is moving from one house to another to find whether this is of God or simply of human

I suppose that we are all Sarabaites to some degree, and must fight constantly against

desire.

that tendency. Benedict describes this kind of monk: “Their law is what they like to do,

To become strong monks according to the Rule is our desire and the goal of this

whatever strikes their fancy. 9 Anything they believe in and choose, they call holy;

monastic community. We must want to allow ourselves to be formed by the Rule and

anything they dislike, they consider forbidden.”

by the desert monastic tradition. We must want to allow ourselves to be formed by

Saint Benedict would prefer his monks to act from principles. There is a real formation

the Roman Catholic Church, since we are a Roman Catholic Monastery. We must use

in giving oneself over to be formed in a community that is clear about what is expected

the means given to us by the Rule and the monastic tradition and the Roman Catholic

and yet merciful and flexible in living a truly human and Christian life. There is a real

Church in order to be formed by the sacraments and the teachings of our tradition.

formation in having to deal with other human persons in a community and with having

With Benedict, we can say, let us go forward in the cenobitic life and work at being

to learn to live with a superior who is not perfect and yet to whom we give our

cenobitic monks in this tradition. We do not need to spend time looking as other ways.

obedience. Our lives can become open to the Divine Spirit in a wonderful way in a

This way is ours, let us get on with seeking Christ!

Monastery that is functioning well–yet is never perfect. Humanly, of course, we all tend to call holy what we believe in and to consider forbidden that which we dislike. This is part of the gift of having a tradition that we can accept and grow in. For instance, the acceptance of the new Catechism of the Catholic Church is a real test for many persons in our time who disagree with this or that teaching. The Catechism is clearly advocating a strong and biblically based morality of living and of following Christ. Not everyone will be able to accept it. Benedict would ask of us, I am sure, the same kind of response as to living under a Rule and an abbot: give ourselves. Does that mean never question anything? Of course not! But as with all the questions that Benedict foresees in the Rule, we must always question with respect and with acceptance of the role of authority. There is finally the Gyrovague style of Monasticism. These monks sound less offensive to us than the sarabaites, but Benedict thinks they are worse. He describes them: “Always on the move, they never settle down, and are slaves to their own wills and gross appetites. In every way they are worse than the Sarabaites.” That is a pretty strong condemnation! Perhaps because the Sarabaites at least live in small groups, they find themselves having to be subject a bit to others. Gyrovagues are simply wanderers looking for a soft way of living. We must be careful today not to confuse Sarabaites with monks changing their original monastic home. Benedict obviously knows of monks moving from one monastery to another, and does not comment much