Читать книгу Listen My Son - Dwight Longenecker - Страница 28

Whenever anything important has to be done in the monastery the Abbot must assemble the whole community and explain what is under consideration. When he has heard the counsel of the brethren, he should give it consideration and then take what seems to him the best course. The reason why we say that all should be called to council is this: It is often to a younger brother that the Lord reveals the best course. But the brethren must give their counsel submissively and humbly and not presume stubbornly to defend their opinions. The decision should, however, depend mainly on the Abbot's judgement, and all should be joined in obedience to what he considers the soundest course. But just as it is fitting that disciples should obey their master, so it is incumbent on him to settle everything with foresight and justice.

Jesus did not establish a republic, but a Kingdom. So the monastery, the Christian home and the Church are not democracies. When there is an important decision to be taken Benedict expects the abbot to summon the brethren not for a vote, but for consultation. The Latin word here is consilium not concilium – counsel not council. The abbot is to listen and consult, but in the end he bears the authority so he makes the decision.

Benedict's advice is balanced and wise. There are two temptations in communal living: one, to let the leader take all responsibility, and the other, to let committees and elections take all the responsibility. Neither extreme works well. In the first the majority have no say, and in the second they have all the say. The first is wrong because one person is never always right and the second is wrong because the crowd is never always right.

So Benedict establishes a balance in which the clear authority of the abbot is balanced with consultation and genuine listening to the needs and opinions of all the brothers. It is especially interesting that the youngest of the brothers should also be listened to, for God often speaks through the mouth of the youngest since they have a special wisdom and purity which is linked with their youth and inexperience.

So likewise a Christian family is neither a dictatorship of the father nor a democracy of the mob. Instead the father and mother have absolute authority in the home, but that authority is exercised for the good of the children. They may not often be summoned for a formal family meeting, but the good father and mother will listen to the children and be sensitive to their needs at all times.

Listening attentively to our children is the best and most natural form of consultation. Listening to them is difficult because their conversation is often banal and repetitious. But in granting them full attention we construct a regular form of consultation and maintain open channels of communication which are invaluable. With this kind of listening, parents will be able to settle everything with justice and foresight. Furthermore, the time spent listening to our toddlers will pay off later because we will find we have open and loving teenagers instead of sullen, silent ones.