Our beloved Saint Benedict makes a clear distinction between hospitality and receiving new members into the community. Visitors are to be welcomed guests. They benefit from the fruits of the communal norms, receiving compassion, nourishment, and rest. While guests receive from the community, they receive from what is available. They are not to contribute to shaping the community. They do not have a vote in the internal affairs of the community. They are guests.
However, the community is comprised of the voices of its brothers or sisters. There is a difference between guests and members. There is an interdependence among the members of the community that strengthens (or threatens) the whole. There must be a common understanding of the social norms (The Rule) and a common affection for the welfare of the community beyond the personal desires of the individual. The monastic community is a microcosm of a common culture. Therefore, newcomers must complete a process of learning and accepting the fundamentals of the vows taken by the Benedictine.
This chapter begins by the warning, “Do not grant newcomers to the monastic life an easy entry, but as the Apostle says, Test the spirits to see if they are from God(1 John 4:1).[1]These words acknowledge that monastic spirituality is not for everyone. Those who desire to pursue vowed religious life must journey into its streams slowly. This path is not a set of exercises that one adds to their own lifestyle. It is not a hobby that one takes up for a season. Monastic spirituality demands a complete surrender of self-will. It demands a humble teachability as a new disciple.
The journey into Benedictine Spirituality takes one into the depths of their soul that changes their life, focuses their efforts, and leads one into a new view of life itself. This journey demands commitment, and Benedict desired proof of commitment to truth and perseverance. There must be a testing of the spirit before admittance into the community. This testing comes in various forms such as patience and obedience. The newcomer must demonstrate a desire that compels, and the initiative to pursue. Monastic life is not easy. Where there is spiritual formation, there is also Spiritual Warfare. It is important for the newcomer to soberly approach this path. It is important for the community to ensure the newcomer is committed to the journey. This is a journey of holiness.
Sr. Joan Chittister emphasizes that, “We must develop the rigor it takes to live through what life deals us. We can’t set out to get holy in the hope that we will then automatically become faithful. We must require fidelity of ourselves even when we fail, in the hope that someday, as a result, we will finally become holy.”[2]Entry into monastic life is a solemn commitment. The vows we take are more than a promise to a community, these are vows to God to pursue communion with Him through the community. Therefore, there is a time of testing and trial. The testing and trial are both for the community to receive the newcomer AND the newcomer to receive the community. We live in a throw away society. That temporal nature has permeated beyond the material and into the relational. Not only do we throw away our “toys” when the break or we grow tired of them, many of us throw away relationships in the same manner. You offended me, and I throw you away. I am tired of you and I throw you out. However, our vows include the vow of stability. We are not to throw out relationships but grow together into the likeness of our Lord. So, there is a period for the newcomer to simply observe. Become acquainted with the rhythms of the community; Divine Office, studies, and service to one another. If these things are troubling for the newcomer, if he/she cannot abide by the community norms, then the newcomer is free to leave. After a period of time, the newcomer is expected to make a commitment. The Rule suggests that six-month period, and then The Ruleis read to the newcomer. There are to be no surprises to the Benedictine Spiritual Journey. If the newcomer still desires to enter the community, another period of time (The Ruleoffers four-months) The Ruleis read a second time. Being fully aware of the monastic life, if the newcomer is faithful to The Rule, obedient, and continues to desire joining the community then they are received into the community with a lifelong commitment. This way of life must not be entered into lightly.
Our community has implemented this procedure through its formation process. I sometimes equate the newcomer to the window shopper who is interested in a jacket in the store window. They enter the store and try the jacket to see if it fits. They may think they like the jacket and decide to wear it around in the store for a while. This is the postulant step of the monastic journey. They may decide they want to wear the jacket home. They purchase the jacket with a full guarantee they can return it to the store with no questions asked. This is the novice period. Liking the feel and fit of the jacket, they decide to keep it for a trial period and test the durability of the jacket. This is the juniorate period of one’s formation. After the trial period, a decision is in order. They return the jacket to the store or commit to keeping the jacket for a lifetime. These are the solemnly vowed brothers and sisters of the community.
Such a permanent commitment is sobering. It should be. Few places do we see such an expectation. Unfortunately, even the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony has been compromised by social pressures. Again, quoting Sr. Chittister, “The point of Benedictine spirituality is that we have to decide, once and for all, what we are about and then live in a way that makes that possible and makes that real.”[3]
[1]Benedict and Timothy Fry, RB 1980: The Rule of St. Benedict in English (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1982), 78.
[2]Joan Chittister, The Rule of Benedict: A Spirituality for the 21st Century (New York: Crossroad, 2010), 245.
[3]_____, 252.
