Fridays with Benedict: Chapter 71, A Blessing To Be Shown By All

Chapter 71 of The Rule of St. Benedict is about mutual obedience. The chapter starts:

1Obedience is a blessing to be shown by all, not only to the abbot but also to one another as brothers, 2since we know that it is by this way of obedience that we go to God.

I think this emphasis on and praise of obedience in The Rule is the toughest thing for us to get our heads around. When it comes to issues of obedience and submission we are very worried about the potential for abuse.

So I think it's important here to remember that obedience is a "blessing" when it is "shown by all."

It's also good to keep in mind some of the things Benedict has been saying over the last few chapters. For example, in this chapter Benedict is keen to point out how the younger monks should be quick to obey the requests of the older monks. By contrast, in the chapter we covered last week the younger monks were told to not misuse their power over the older monks. Compare:

Chapter 70.6
If a brother, without the abbot's command, assumes power over those older...flares up and treats them unreasonably, he is to be subjected to the discipline of the rule.

Chapter 71.4
...younger monks should obey their seniors with all love and concern.

The point here is that the younger monks had some power--via their youth--over the older monks and they are asked to use it in a non-abusive way. In fact, the younger monks are to be responsive to the older monks with "all love and concern." The potential for abuse in Chapter 70 is dealt with by mutual obedience in Chapter 71.

Obedience is a two-edged sword. Obedience is both a problem and the solution. Obedience is a problem when it's asymmetrical, when one person "assumes power" over another. Obedience is the solution when it's symmetrical, when each person submits to the other.

Obedience is only a blessing when it is shown by all.