The Rule of St Benedict Chapter 51
Of brothers who do not go far away
Text
Brothers who go out for any reason and hope to return to the monastery on the same day should not presume to eat outside, even if they are asked to by anyone: unless perhaps his Abbot has given permission. If any do otherwise, let them be excommunicated.
Fratres qui pro quovis responso proficiscuntur, et ea die sperant reverti ad monasterium, non praesumant foris manducare, etiamsi a quovis rogentur: nisi forte eis ab Abbate suo praecipiatur. Quod si aliter fecerint, excommunicentur.
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Comment
This would seem an odd chapter for most of us. Once again, the title is not an accurate summary of the contents; this chapter is about eating outside the monastery, which is clearly forbidden. Why?
It’s definitely not about those on a long journey but only those stepping outside the monastery for a brief time. Perhaps St Benedict is recalling that he was subject to attempted poisoning more than once, though monks were involved in that! Perhaps we should look at chapter 12 in St Gregory’s life of St Benedict; he did not allow his monks to eat or drink outside, but one day some monks did eat and drink and then lied about it to St Benedict when asked. He knew (miraculously) exactly what they had eaten and drunk.
But this chapter still does not explain why the prohibition is in place. It may go back to the Desert Fathers and early monastic rules, or it could be that if you sit and eat with someone outside the monastery you are likely to engage in frivolous conversation or even, God forbid, get drunk.
Dom Delatte suggests:
Our Holy Father wishes that at every instant and in every place the monk should remain a monk and preserve all that he can of his profession. Let us beware of thinking that once we are outside the monastery it is good form to walk, gaze, and act as do men of the world and to be monks only in dress.
For those of us who are not monks, the lesson I take from this chapter is that our religion should be evident to all me meet and should direct our actions in the world. We should always be slightly apart from those of the world and not follow blindly. It may mean making the sign of the cross at the beginning of a meal or silently praying; whatever we do we should remember our purpose in the world and not seek to blend in.
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