41. At What Times the Brethren Should Take Their Refection
From holy Easter till Pentecost let the brethren dine at the sixth hour and take supper in the evening.
From Pentecost on, however, during the whole summer, if the monks have no work in the fields and the excess of the heat does not interfere, let them fast on Wednesday and Friday until the ninth hour; but on the other days let them dine at the sixth hour.
This sixth hour for dinner is to be continued, if they have work in the fields or the heat of the summer is great.
Let the Abbot provide for this; and so let him manage and adapt everything that souls may be saved, and that what the brethren do, they may do without having a reasonable cause to murmur.
From the ides of September until the beginning of Lent let them always dine at the ninth hour.
During Lent, however, until Easter, let them dine in the evening:
But let this evening hour be so arranged that they will not need lamp-light during their meal; but let everything be finished whilst it is still day.
But at all times let the hour of meals, whether for dinner or for supper, be so arranged that everything is done by daylight.
42. That No One Speak after Complin
Monks should always be given to silence, especially, however, during the hours of the night.
Therefore, on every day, whether of fast or of a mid-day meal, as soon as they have risen from their evening meal, let all sit together in one place, and let one read the Conferences or the Lives of the Fathers, or something else that will edify the hearers;
not, however, the Heptateuch or the Books of the Kings, because it would not be wholesome for weak minds to hear this part of the Scripture at that hour; they should, however, be read at other times.
But if it was a fast-day, then, when Vespers have been said, and after a short interval, let them next come together for the reading of the Conferences, as we have said;
and when the four or five pages have been read, or as much as the hour will permit, and all have assembled in one place during the time of the reading, let him also come who was perchance engaged in work enjoined on him.
All, therefore, having assembled in one place, let them say Complin, and after going out from Complin, let there be no more permission from that time on for anyone to say anything.
If, however, anyone is found to break this rule, let him undergo heavy punishment, unless the needs of guests should arise, or the Abbot should perhaps give a command to anyone. But let even this be done with the utmost gravity and moderation.
43. Of Those Who Are Tardy in Coming to the Work of God or to Table
As soon as the signal for the time of the divine office is heard, let everyone, leaving whatever he has in his hands, hasten with all speed, yet with gravity, that there may be no cause for levity.
Therefore, let nothing be preferred to the Work of God.
If at Matins anyone comes after the Gloria of the 94th psalm, which on that account we wish to be much drawn out and said slowly,
let him not stand in his place in the choir; but let him stand last of all, or in a place which the Abbot has set apart for such careless ones, that he may be seen by him and by all, until, the Work of God being ended, he makes satisfaction by public penance.
The reason, however, why we think they should stand in the last place, or apart from the rest, is this, that seen by all they may amend for very shame:
For if they stayed outside the oratory, there might be one who would go back to sleep, or anyhow would seat himself outside, indulge in vain gossip, and give a "chance to the devil" (Eph 4:27; 1 Tm 5:14).
Let him go inside, therefore, that he may not lose the whole, and may amend for the future.
At the day hours, however, whoever does not arrive for the Work of God after the verse and the Gloria of the first psalm, which is said after the verse,
let him stand in the last place, according to the rule which we stated above; and let him not attempt to join the choir of the chanters until he has made satisfaction,
unless, perchance, the Abbot's permission has given him leave to do so, with the understanding that he atone the fault afterwards.
If anyone does not come to table before the verse, so that all may say the verse and pray together and sit down to table at the same time, let him be twice corrected for this, if he failed to come through his own fault and negligence.
If he does not amend after this, let him not be permitted to eat at the common table; but separated from the company of all, let him eat alone, his portion of wine being taken from him, until he has made satisfaction and has amended.
In like manner let him suffer who is not present also at the verse which is said after the refection.
And let no one presume to take food or drink before or after the appointed time.
But if anything should be offered to a brother by the Superior and he refuses to accept it, and afterwards desires what at first he refused or anything else, let him receive nothing at all, until he makes due satisfaction.
44. Of Those Who Are Excommunicated—How They Make Satisfaction
Whoever is excommunicated for graver faults from the oratory and the table, let him, at the time that the Work of God is celebrated in the oratory, lie stretched, face down in silence before the door of the oratory at the feet of all who pass out. And let him do this until the Abbot judges that it is enough.
When he then comes at the Abbot's bidding, let him cast himself at the Abbot's feet, then at the feet of all, that they may pray for him.
If then the Abbot orders it, let him be received back into the choir in the place which the Abbot shall direct; yet so that he does not presume to intone a psalm or a lesson or anything else in the oratory, unless the Abbot again bids him to do so.
Then, at all the Hours, when the Work of God is ended, let him cast himself on the ground in the place where he stands, and thus let him make satisfaction, until the Abbot again bids him finally to cease from this penance.
But let those who are excommunicated for lighter faults from the table only make satisfaction in the oratory, as long as the Abbot commands, and let them perform this until he gives his blessing and says, "It is enough."
45. Of Those Who Commit a Fault in the Oratory
If anyone whilst he recites a psalm, a responsory, an antiphon, or a lesson, makes a mistake, and does not humble himself there before all by making satisfaction,
let him undergo a greater punishment, because he would not correct by humility what he did amiss through negligence. But let children be beaten for such a fault.
46. Of Those Who Fail in Any Other Matters
If anyone whilst engaged in any work, in the kitchen, in the cellar, in serving, in the bakery, in the garden, at any art or work in any place whatever, commits a fault, or breaks or loses anything, or transgresses in any way whatever,
and he does not forthwith come before the Abbot and the community, and of his own accord confess his offense and make satisfaction, and it becomes known through another,
let him be subjected to a greater correction.
If, however, the cause of the offense is secret, let him disclose it to the Abbot alone, or to his spiritual Superiors, who know how to heal their own wounds, and not expose and make public those of others.
47. Of Giving the Signal for the Time of the Work of God
Let it be the Abbot's care that the time for the Work of God be announced both by day and by night; either to announce it himself, or to entrust this charge to a careful brother that everything may be done at the proper time.
Let those who have been ordered, intone the psalms or the antiphons in their turn after the Abbot.
No one, however, should presume to sing or read unless he is able so to perform this office that the hearers may be edified; and let it be done with humility, gravity, and reverence by him whom the Abbot has ordered.
48. Of the Daily Work
Idleness is the enemy of the soul; and therefore the brethren ought to be employed in manual labour at certain times, at others, in devout reading.
Hence, we believe that the time for each will be properly ordered by the following arrangement; namely,
that from Easter till the calends of October, they go out in the morning from the first till about the fourth hour, to do the necessary work, but that from the fourth till about the sixth hour they devote to reading.
After the sixth hour, however, when they have risen from table, let them rest in their beds in complete silence; or if, perhaps, anyone desires to read for himself, let him so read that he does not disturb others.
Let none be said somewhat earlier, about the middle of the eighth hour; and then let them work again at what is necessary until Vespers.
If, however, the needs of the place, or poverty should require that they do the work of gathering the harvest themselves, let them not be downcast, for then are they monks in truth, if they live by the work of their hands, as did also our forefathers and the Apostles.
However, on account of the faint-hearted let all things be done with moderation.
From the calends of October till the beginning of Lent, let them apply themselves to reading until the second hour complete. At the second hour let Tierce be said, and then let all be employed in the work which has been assigned to them till the ninth hour.
When, however, the first signal for the hour of noon has been given, let each one leave off from work and be ready when the second signal shall strike. But after their repast let them devote themselves to reading or the psalms.
During the Lenten season let them be employed in reading from morning until the third hour, and till the tenth hour let them do the work which is imposed on them.
During these days of Lent let all receive books from the library, and let them read them through in order. These books are to be given out at the beginning of the Lenten season.
Above all, let one or two of the seniors be appointed to go about the monastery during the time that the brethren devote to reading and take notice,
lest perhaps a slothful brother be found who gives himself up to idleness or vain talk, and does not attend to his reading, and is unprofitable, not only to himself, but disturbs also others:
If such a one be found (which God forbid), let him be punished once and again.
If he does not amend, let him come under the correction of the Rule in such a way that others may fear. And let not brother join brother at undue times.
On Sunday also let all devote themselves to reading, except those who are appointed to the various functions. But if anyone should be so careless and slothful that he will not or cannot meditate or read, let some work be given him to do, that he may not be idle.
Let such work or charge be given to the weak and the sickly brethren that they are neither idle, nor so wearied with the strain of work that they are driven away. Their weakness must be taken into account by the Abbot.
49. On the Keeping of Lent
The life of a monk ought always to be a Lenten observance.
However, since such virtue is that of few, we advise that during these days of Lent he guard his life with all purity and at the same time wash away during these holy days all the shortcomings of other times.
This will then be worthily done, if we restrain ourselves from all vices. Let us devote ourselves to tearful prayers, to reading and compunction of heart, and to abstinence.
During these days, therefore, let us add something to the usual amount of our service, special prayers, abstinence from food and drink, that each one offer to God "with the joy of the Holy Ghost" (1 Thes 1:6), of his own accord,
something above his prescribed measure; namely, let him withdraw from his body somewhat of food, drink, sleep, speech, merriment, and with the gladness of spiritual desire await holy Easter.
Let each one, however, make known to his Abbot what he offers and let it be done with his approval and blessing; because what is done without permission of the spiritual father will be imputed to presumption and vain glory, and not to merit.
Therefore, let all be done with the approval of the Abbot.
50. Of Brethren Who Work a Long Distance from the Oratory or Are on a Journey
The brethren who are at work too far away, and cannot come to the oratory at the appointed time, and the Abbot has assured himself that such is the case—let them perform the Work of God in the fear of God and on bended knees where they are working.
In like manner let those who are sent on a journey not permit the appointed hours to pass by; but let them say the office by themselves as best they can, and not neglect to fulfil the obligation of divine service.
51. Of the Brethren Who Do Not Go Very Far Away
A brother who is sent out on any business and is expected to return to the monastery the same day, may not presume to eat outside, even though he be urgently requested to do so, unless, indeed, it is commanded him by his Abbot.
If he acts otherwise, let him be excommunicated.