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HUMBLE
LEADERSHIP
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“HUMILITY is a trait characterized by 1. an ability to accurately acknowledge one’s limitations and abilities and 2. an interpersonal stance that is other-oriented rather than self-focused.” New York Times, October, 2019
IN his Rule, Saint Benedict portrays the abbatial office as a pattern for the whole community to imitate. The virtues and skills described in the chapters concerning the abbot (esp RB 2 & 64) are spiritual “excellences” for which all should strive. THE Abbot must be skilled in the art of discernment, which may be understood as a kind of contemplation:that is a deep spiritual gaze that perceives the differences in capacity of each, and is able to recommend appropriate measures. (RB 2:31; 64.19) Although he never uses the word contemplatio in his Rule, Benedict recommends texts that define and recommend techniques of contemplation (e.g. Cassian, Basil, and the Apophthegmata, cf RB 73). In his Rule contemplation is experienced chiefly in brief glimpses of heaven and in the attainment of a love that is able to perceive Christ in members of the monastic community and to render fitting honor to them as Christ-bearers.
“HUMILITY is a trait characterized by 1. an ability to accurately acknowledge one’s limitations and abilities and 2. an interpersonal stance that is other-oriented rather than self-focused.” New York Times, October, 2019
IF humility is both perception of the true Self and openness to the truth of the Other, then part of the Abbot's “leadership in humility” is to encourage the mutual contemplative gaze that encourages and strengthens this virtue. First, the monks learn to “see” Christ in the Abbot, “who is believed to hold the place of Christ in the monastery.” RB 2.2: Christi enim agere vices in monasterio creditor But Christ must also be contemplated aurally and perhaps paradoxically in the voice of the youngest newcomers to the monastery, through whose counsel God often (saepe) indicates what is best for the community to do. RB 3.3: quia saepe iuniori Dominus revelat quod melius est
Guests, too, are to be contemplated as Christ-bearers: on arrival and departure
they “are to be received as Christ” and venerated with a bow or prostration,
“because Christ is to be adored in them just as he is received in them”.
Similarly, monks
visiting from another monastery may be the unexpected bearers
of a prophetic message from Christ.
The
sick are “truly to be served as Christ Himself […] out of honor for
God”
Thus the monks are to “outdo one another in
showing honor” that is, to
honor each
other in community as Christ-Bearers.
MODERN authors such as Lassus have described both the limits of obedience, including freedom concerning opening the heart, and the obedience superiors (and subjects) owe to the Church
BEWARE
of the ominous complaint, “THEY”
(e.g. the
canonical visitators, the President, the Dicastery
for Religious)
“DO
NOT
UNDERSTAND
OUR
CHARISM!”
The implication of this critique is that our higher
calling absolves us from temporal obedience. Lassus
regards this as a dangerous sign of “sectarian
drift,” that is, the degeneration of a community
into a cult
(Lassus
ch 6).
AMONG the virtues of which the abbot is both model and teacher is the humility that is also truth. Both medieval and modern authors, such as Lassus, have pointed out that humility leads to the discovery of truth concerning the self (Lassus, ch, 7). “Walking in the truth” as St. Teresa of Avila describes it, leads to the expectation that the monastery will be a truth-filled place.
THREATS to growth in humility include: [1] The temptation to tell half-truths or lie to “avoid disturbing the community,” or because it is assumed that others do not have maturity to understand what has happened. (Lassus, ch. 12) [2] Failure to avoid prophetic assurance by the formator that a candidate has a vocation [3] Misuse by superiors of the zeal for the extreme nature of monastic life that invites total commitment to God can be , thwarting the virtues that can arise from [moderate] oppression. [4] Sectarian Drift: that is, deterioration of a community into a sect or cult. Appropriate discretion/discernment can be difficult.
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(cf. RM 93, title) |
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CHAPTER 64: THE APPOINTMENT OF THE ABBOT |
LXIV DE ORDINANDO ABBATE |
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[...] |
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Apr 21; Aug 21; Dec 21 |
(cf. RM 15:35; 27:25; 3:72) |
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7 The one appointed abbot should always ponder what a burden he has received, and to whom he will have to give an account of his stewardship (Luke 16:2) 8 and he must know how much more fitting it is to provide for others than to preside over them. 9 He should therefore be learned in divine law, so that he knows how to bring forth new things and old (Matt 13:52).; he is to be chaste, sober, merciful, 10 and he should always allow mercy to triumph above judgment (Jas 2:13), so that he may receive mercy (Mt. 5:7). |
7 Ordinatus autem abbas cogitet semper quale onus suscepit et cui redditurus est rationem vilicationis suae, 8 sciatque sibi oportere prodesse magis quam praeesse. 9 Oportet ergo eum esse doctum lege divina, ut sciat et sit unde proferat nova et vetera, castum, sobrium, misericordem, 10 et semper superexaltet misericordiam iudicio, ut idem ipse consequatur. |
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11 He is to hate vices and love the brothers. 12 But in correcting them he is to act prudently and avoid extremes, lest in trying too ardently to scrape off the rust, he breaks the vessel:13 his own frailty he must always keep before his eyes, recalling that the bruised reed is not to be broken (Isa 42:3). 14 By this we do not mean he should permit vices to sprout: on the contrary, he should prudently and charitably cut them off as he sees best for each, as we have said: |
11 Oderit vitia, diligat fratres. 12 In ipsa autem correptione prudenter agat et ne quid nimis, ne dum nimis eradere cupit aeruginem frangatur vas; 13 suamque fragilitatem semper suspectus sit, memineritque calamum quassatum non conterendum. 14 In quibus non dicimus ut permittat nutriri vitia, sed prudenter et cum caritate ea amputet, ut viderit cuique expedire sicut iam diximus, |
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15 and he should strive to be loved rather than feared. (RA 7.3) |
15 et studeat plus amari quam timeri. |
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16 He is not to be turbulent and anxious, nor excessive and obstinate, nor jealous and prone to suspicion; for otherwise he will never be at rest: 17 In his commands he is to be farsighted and considerate; and whether the works he enjoins concern God or the world he is to be discerning and moderate, 18 reflecting on the discretion of holy Jacob, who said: If I drive my flocks too hard, they will all die in one day (Gen 33:13). 19 Thus by means of this and other examples of discretion, the mother of virtue, |
16 Non sit turbulentus et anxius, non sit nimius et obstinatus, non sit zelotypus et nimis suspiciosus, quia numquam requiescit; 17 in ipsis imperiis suis providus et consideratus, et sive secundum Deum sive secundum saeculum sit opera quam iniungit, discernat et temperet, 18 cogitans discretionem sancti Iacob dicentis: Si greges meos plus in ambulando fecero laborare, morientur cuncti una die. 19 Haec ergo aliaque testimonia discretionis matris virtutum sumens, |
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he is to regulate everything so that the strong have something to yearn for and the weak are not frightened away. |
sic omnia temperet ut sit et fortes quod cupiant et infirmi non refugiant. |
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20 And in particular he is to keep this Rule in every way, 21 so that, having ministered well, he will hear from the Lord what was heard by the good servant who gave grain to his fellow-servants in due season: 22 Truly I say to you, he said, he sets him over all his goods (Matt 24:27).. |
20 Et praecipue ut praesentem regulam in omnibus conservet, 21 ut dum bene ministraverit audiat a Domino quod servus bonus qui erogavit triticum conservis suis in tempore suo: 22 Amen dico vobis, ait, super omnia bona sua constituit eum. |
This Webpage was created for a workshop held at Saint Andrew's Abbey, Valyermo, California in 2003
