How Solicitous the Abbot Should Be for the Excommunicated
Mar. 4—July 4—Nov. 3
Let the Abbot be most solicitous in his concern for delinquent brethren,
for “it is not the healthy but the sick who need a physician.” And
therefore he ought to use every means that a wise physician would use.
Let him send “senpectae,” that is, brethren of mature years and wisdom,
who may as it were secretly console the wavering brother and induce him
to make humble satisfaction; comforting him that he may not “be
overwhelmed by excessive grief,” but that, as the Apostle says, charity
may be strengthened in him. And let everyone pray for him.
For the Abbot must have the utmost solicitude and exercise all prudence
and diligence lest he lose any of the sheep entrusted to him. Let him
know that what he has undertaken is the care of weak souls and not a
tyranny over strong ones; and let him fear the Prophet’s warning through
which God says, “What you saw to be fat you took to yourselves, and what
was feeble you cast away.” Let him rather imitate the loving example of
the Good Shepherd who left the ninety-nine sheep in the mountains and
went to look for the one sheep that had gone astray, on whose weakness
He had such compassion that He deigned to place it on His own sacred
shoulders and thus carry it back to the flock.