The abbot must exercise the utmost care and concern for wayward brothers . . . . Therefore, he ought to use every skill of a wise physician and send in . . . mature and wise brothers who . . . may support the wavering brother, urge him to be humble as a way of …
Tag Archives: discipline
Persevere
For Scripture has it: Anyone who perseveres to the end will be saved, [Matthew 10:22]and again, Be brave of heart and rely on the Lord. [Psalm 27:14]. (Rule of St. Benedict 7.36-37) Discipline for a goal always was, and still is worth it. People with ordinary faces get up every day and keep going: for the sake …
Love Your Enemies
Love your enemies (Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 6: 27-35). (RB 4. 31) Loving your enemies sounds like a nice idea until you actually have enemies yourself. An enemy is not merely someone with whom you disagree. You can disagree with your friends passionately and perpetually. Nor is an enemy an opponent in a game. An opponent recognizes …
Curb Your Urge
For this reason Scripture warns us, Pursue not your lusts Sirach 18:30. (Rule of St. Benedict 7.25) We live in a culture where it’s supposed to be fun to let yourself go. People announce that they’re about to let themselves go, and then they do it. Not only do they not feel shame: they expect you …
Hold Yourself Together
You must not be proud, nor be given to wine Titus 1:7; 1 Timothy 3:3. Refrain from too much eating or sleeping, and from laziness Romans 12:11. Do not grumble or speak ill of others. (Rule of St. Benedict 4. 34-40) Hold yourself together. You let yourself go when you begin to imagine yourself superior to other people. Or maybe you …
Eat Your Vegetables
Raising Kids …we must be vigilant every hour… (Rule of St. Benedict 7.29) The kid who is old enough to chew solid food will also be smart enough to realize that you’re cooking peas with his pasta. He’s willful enough to feel insulted. He’s passionate enough to throw a screaming fit. Because you’re a Christian …
Punish For Posterity
He should not gloss over the sins of those who err, but cut them out while he can, as soon as they begin to sprout, remembering the fate of Eli, priest of Shiloh 1 Samuel 2:11-4:18…. Strike your son with a rod and you will free his soul from death Proverbs 23:14. (Rule of St. …
Discipline To Win
In his teaching, the abbot should always observe the Apostle’s recommendation, in which he says: Use argument, appeal, reproof 2 Timothy 4:2. This means that he must vary with circumstances, threatening and coaxing by turns, stern as a taskmaster, devoted and tender as only a father can be. (Rule of St. Benedict 2.23-24) The purpose of …
The Call: Awake!
Let us get up then, at long last, for the Scriptures rouse us when they say: “It is high time for us to arise from sleep” Romans 13:11 (Rule of St. Benedict, Prologue.8) This “sleep” is the spiritual stupor of ordinary people who imagine that the front line is somewhere else. They think that they themselves …