CHAPTER XLIII: CONCERNING THOSE WHO COME LATE TO THE WORK OF GOD OR TO TABLE - Saint Benedict, The Rule of St. Benedict [1931]
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The Rule of St. Benedict, translated into English. A Pax Book, preface by W.K. Lowther Clarke (London: S.P.C.K., 1931).
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CHAPTER XLIII
CONCERNING THOSE WHO COME LATE TO THE WORK OF GOD OR TO TABLE
At the hour of divine office, as soon as the signal has been heard, let the monk leave whatever he may have in hand and make great haste, but with due gravity, that levity find no occasion; for let nothing be preferred before the Work of God. But if anyone shall have come in to night office after the Gloria of the ninety-fourth psalm, which for this very reason we particularly wish shall be said in a drawn out and scrupulously careful manner, let him not take his proper place in choir, but last of all, or in a place set apart by the abbot for such as are thus guilty of negligence, that he may be visible to him and to all present until, the Work of God being finished, he has made satisfaction by this public penance.
And we have adjudged that they ought thus to be placed either in the last place in choir or else in a place apart by themselves, so as to be seen by all and that they may amend for very shame’s sake; for if they remain outside the oratory one of them perchance might be such as would return to his place in the dormitory and go to sleep, or at least sit himself down outside the door and while away the time with conversation, so that occasion would be given to the enemy; let him then enter so that he may not lose the whole of the office; and for the future let him amend. But at the day hours let him who shall have come to the Work of God after the versicle and Gloria of the first psalm said after the versicle stand last and not presume to take his place among those chanting in choir until he has made satisfaction according to the rule we have stated above, unless by chance the abbot shall have personally given him leave; but on the understanding that he do penance afterwards.
If anyone has not come to table before the versicle so that all may recite the versicle and say the prayer together, let him who through his own negligence and fault has not come in be corrected for this once and again: but if even then he has not amended let him not be permitted to share in the common table, but separated from the companionship of all let him have his meal alone and be deprived of his measure of wine until he has made satisfaction and amendment. And in like manner let him suffer who is not present at that versicle which is recited after a meal. And let not anyone presume to take food or drink before or after the appointed hour: but if the superior offers anything to anyone and he refuse to accept it, when the time comes that he desires this that he had previously refused or anything else, he shall on no account receive anything, until he has made suitable satisfaction.
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