What Kind of Man Ought the Cellarer of the Monastery to be? (RSB XXXI:1)

CHAPTER XXXI. What kind of man ought the cellarer of the monastery is to be?
8 Mar. 8 July. 7 Nov.

The cellarer of the monastery should be chosen from the community, a man wise, mature in manner, sober, not a great eater, not proud, not turbulent, not injurious, not slow, not prodigal; but a God-fearing man that may be like a father to the whole community. Of all things let him have the care; nothing do without the Abbot’s permission. Let him keep the things that are commmanded. Let him not sadden the brothers. If, by chance, any brother ask something of him unreasonably, he should not sadden him by spurning him, but, with humility, reasonably deny him that asks amiss. Let him guard his heart, mindful ever of the apostolic saying that he who shall have ministered well gains a good standing for himself. He is to carry out with all solicitude the care of the weak, of minors, of guests and poor, knowing without doubt that for all these he must render an account on the day of judgment. Let him look upon all the monastery’s vessels—and its whole estate—as if upon the sacred vessels of the altar. Let him count nothing as worthy of neglect. And let him not be eager for avarice nor prodigal and a waster of the monastery’s property. But he should do all things with measure, and in accordance with the command of the Abbot.

Hildemar’s Commentary

At Chapter today, after we had read the daily portion of the Rule of Saint Benedict, we read part of the commentary on today’s portion by the monk, Hildemar of Corbie (composed c. AD 845). His entire (lengthy but excellent) commentary is available at the Hildemar Project. 

A few sections from his commentary stood out in particular. We present a version of his comments on wisdom, maturity as sweetness and lovability, and its opposing characteristic of turbulence. What Hildemar says of the cellarer should apply to all of us.

Wisdom and Virtue

The cellarer of the monastery should be chosen from the community, a man wise. –Rule of Saint Benedict

Hildemar’s Comments:

[Saint Benedict] did well to mention wise prior to other virtues, for wisdom is the first gift of the Holy Spirit, as the prophet said: Spirit of wisdom and understanding. [Is. 11:2]

It must be observed that when he says wise he speaks not of earthly wisdom, but of the heavenly philosophy. Heavenly philosophy is to discern between vices and virtues, and next to love virtues and hate vices, and finally to study to carry out with deeds the virtues one recognises, since it is pointless to be wise and to know the good, but not to love it and use it with love. Someone who knows the good but does not use it with love is like one who acquires some wine and bread but does not eat or drink any of it.

Wisdom, sapientia, takes its name from taste, sapor, for it gives the learned a ‘taste’, that is, an understanding, of all good things.

Maturity Makes a Man Sweet and Lovable

…mature in manner… –

After [Saint Benedict] said wise, he rightly added mature in manner, because a mature character comes from heavenly wisdom. Mature characters are sweet and lovable. For just as a fruit is said to be mature when in its season it loses its harsh bitterness and becomes sweet and ready to eat, someone is said to be of a mature character when, after he loses all the earthly harsh bitterness he had in the world, he becomes ready for the love of God and sweet and lovable and courteous.

…Not turbulent…

Turbulent means dusky, not genuine, not cheerful, angry. Just as air is said to be turbulent when it is not calm (that is, clear), or water is said to be turbulent when it is not clear and serene, so a man is said to be turbulent when his face is darkened (that is, not cheerful and sweet). Such a man shows in his face the anger he has in his heart, because the cheerfulness and sadness in his heart usually show on his face.

The turbulent man that shows anger on his face exasperates a brother at the time he meets him.

A Father

…a father to the whole community…

He is to be like a father to the entire community, for a father of a family loves all according to the individual character of each and gives each what is due to his merit. Saint Benedict indicates what a father to the whole community is when he subjoins that he should have the care of all things.