Chapter Forty-Three
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
On Those Who Are Tardy in Coming to the Work of God or to Table
AS SOON as any monk hear the signal for the Divine Office he should leave whatever he was working on and hasten there with all speed. Yet he should move with gravity, so that there may be no occasion silliness. Therefore, let nothing be preferred to the Work of God.
If anyone arrives at the Night Office after the Gloria of the 94th psalm—which is why we wish it to be slowly and with pauses—he should not stand in his place in the choir; but let him stand last of all, or in the place which the Abbot has set apart for those who are careless. In that way he may be seen by him and by all, until, the Work of God has ended, and he will make satisfaction by public penance. We have made a determination they should stand in the last place or apart from the rest for the following reason: that they may correct their ways prompted by the shame of being seen by all. For if they remained outside the oratory, there might be some who would go back to sleep, or who would sit outside and idle their time in telling stories, and so give a “chance to the devil.” (Eph. 4:27; 1 Tim. 5:14). It is better that he come in, therefore. He will not miss the whole hour, and will amend himself 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, should stand in the last place, according to the rule which we stated above. Let him not attempt to join the choir of the chanters until he has made satisfaction, unless 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 then sit down to table at the same time, let him be corrected for this once or twice, if he failed to come through his own fault and negligence. If he does not improve his ways after this, he should not be permitted to eat at the common table. Instead, he should eat alone, separated from the company of all; and his portion of wine should be taken from him, until he has made satisfaction and has changed his ways. The same rule should apply to anyone who is not present also at the verse which is said after the meal.
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 a superior and he refuses to accept it and then afterwards he desires what he had earlier refused—or, for that matter is he desires anything else—let him receive nothing at all, until he makes due satisfaction.