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Rule

St Benedict of Nursia, tr. Hunter Blair, 1907

Chapter 27

LET the Abbot shew all care and solicitude towards the offending brethren, for “they that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.” To which end he ought, as a wise physician, to use every means in his power, sending some brethren of mature years and wisdom,¹ who may, as it were secretly, console the wavering brother, and induce him to make humble satisfaction. Let them comfort him, that he be not overwhelmed by excess of sorrow; but as the Apostle saith, “Let charity be strengthened towards him,” and let all pray for him. For the Abbot is bound to use the greatest care, and to strive with all possible prudence and zeal, not to lose any one of the sheep committed to him. He must know that he hath undertaken the charge of weakly souls, and not a tyranny over the strong; and let him fear the threat of the prophet, through whom God saith: “What ye saw to be fat that ye took to yourselves, and what was diseased ye cast away.” Let him imitate the loving example of the Good Shepherd, who, leaving the ninety and nine sheep on the mountains, went to seek one which had gone astray, on whose weakness He had such compassion that He vouchsafed to lay it on His own sacred shoulders and so bring it back to the flock.

Notes

Note M (p. 88).—Sympæctas: from the Greek συμ-παίζειν, literally play fellows, collusores, and hence those who combine together for any purpose—not necessarily an unlawful one, as is now implied by “collusion.” The sympæctæ here referred to may perhaps signify those brethren who had been brought up in the Monastery from childhood with the delinquent, and might thus be supposed to have special influence with him; or, more probably, the allusion is to the combination, or conspiracy, so to speak, between the Abbot and some of the elder and more discreet members of his community, with the object of bringing the refractory brother to a better mind.