Becoming a Community of Disciples

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Becoming a Community of Disciples

him or engage him in conversation. 3 Laboring in solitude at the work enjoined on him, persisting in the sorrow of penitence, he is to consider that dreadful sentence of the apostle who says: 4 such a man is handed over for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord (1 Cor 5:5). 5 And his meals are to be taken alone, in the measure and at the hour the Abbot considers best for him: 6 he may not be blessed by any who pass by, nor may the food be blessed that is given to him. 1 If a brother who is frequently corrected for some fault, or even excommunicated, does not amend, he should receive a more severe correction: that is, let the punishment of beatings be administered to him. 2 If he then does not correct himself, or even (may it never happen!), inflamed with pride, he wishes to defend his actions, then the Abbot should act as a wise physician: 3 if he has applied compresses and the ointment of his admonitions, the medicine of the Sacred Scriptures, and ultimately the cautery 3 of excommunication or strokes of the rod; 4 and if he still sees that his labors are unavailing, he should add what is even greater—his prayers and those of all the brothers for him, 5 that the Lord who can do all things may affect the healing of the sick brother. 6 But if even by this means he is not healed, then the Abbot may use the knife for amputation, as the apostle says: Banish the evil one from you (1 Cor 5:13), and again: 7 If the unfaithful one departs, let him depart (1 Cor 7:15), 8 lest one diseased sheep infect the whole flock. ThoseWho, Despite Frequent Correction, Do Not Amend (RBen §28)

3 Cautery – medicine.