Let the brethren who are sent on a journey commend themselves to the prayers of all the brethren and of the Abbot; and always at the last prayer of the Work of God let a commemoration be made of all absent brethren. When brethren return from a journey, at the end of each canonical Hour of the Work of God on the day they return, let them lie prostrate on the floor of the oratory and beg the prayers of all on account of any faults that may have surprised them on the road, through the seeing or hearing of something evil, or through idle talk. And let no one presume to tell another whatever he may have seen or heard outside of the monastery, because this causes very great harm. But if anyone presumes to do so, let him undergo the punishment of the Rule. And let him be punished likewise who would presume to leave the enclosure of the monastery and go anywhere or do anything, however small, without an order from the Abbot.

For many -- perhaps most -- religious or spiritual people there are times when a monastic life has its attractions. But after sixty-seven days with the Rule, I know that Benedict's vision is not mine.

His world was, almost certainly, more fractured and violent than mine. So I can appreciate the priority he gives to preserving the sanctity and spiritual security of the monastery. I might even agree that in a tumultuous time Benedict did what was necessary to store the seed grain of spiritual renewal.

But for our time and place I hear a call to active engagement with the world and all its surprises. It is especially important for those who seek the way of Christ to be about in the world, being our salty and yeasty selves.

Certainly Benedict was not detached from the world, as the scene above captures so well. This is from a collection of works on the life of Benedict by Neroccio de' Landi.

At the gate of the monastery let there be placed a wise old woman, who knows how to receive and to give a message, and whose maturity will prevent her from straying about. This porter should have a room near the gate, so that those who come may always find someone at hand to attend to their business.And as soon as anyone knocks or a poor person hails her,let her answer "Thanks be to God" or "A blessing!"Then let her attend to them promptly, with all the meekness inspired by the fear of God and with the warmth of charity. Should the porter need help, let her have one of the younger sisters. If it can be done, the monastery should be so established that all the necessary things, such as water, mill, garden and various workshops, may be within the enclosure, so that there is no necessity for the sisters to go about outside of it, since that is not at all profitable for their souls.We desire that this Rule be read often in the community, so that none of the sisters may excuse herself on the ground of ignorance.

Some suggest that prior to his public ministry Jesus was a monastic. The gospels are clear that he preceded his ministry with an extended retreat-from-the-world and regularly undertook shorter periods of separation and contemplation.

Yet Jesus was also clear that we are called off the mountain and into life's valleys.

A vibrant monasticism is always connected to the world. When the world arrives at the monastery's door the response should always be, "Thanks be to God" or "A Blessing." In study, prayer, and service the monastic remains in the world.

But the monastery should not be of the world. In setting its physical and spiritual boundaries the monastery seeks to point toward the possibility -- the existing reality -- of another world.

To us, therefore, it seems expedient for the preservation of peace and charity that the Abbot have in his hands the full administration of his monastery. And if possible let all the affairs of the monastery, as we have already arranged, be administered by deans according to the Abbot's directions. Thus, with the duties being shared by several, no one person will become proud. But if the circumstances of the place require it, or if the community asks for it with reason and with humility, and the Abbot judges it to be expedient, let the Abbot himself constitute as his Prior whomsoever he shall choose with the counsel of God-fearing brethren. That Prior, however, shall perform respectfully the duties enjoined on him by his Abbot and do nothing against the Abbot's will or direction; for the more he is raised above the rest, the more carefully should he observe the precepts of the Rule. If it should be found that the Prior has serious faults, or that he is deceived by his exaltation and yields to pride, or if he should be proved to be a despiser of the Holy Rule, let him be admonished verbally up to four times. If he fails to amend, let the correction of regular discipline be applied to him. But if even then he does not reform, let him be deposed from the office of Prior and another be appointed in his place who is worthy of it. And if afterwards he is not quiet and obedient in the community, let him even be expelled from the monastery. But the Abbot, for his part, should bear in mind that he will have to render an account to God for all his judgments, lest the flame of envy or jealousy be kindled in his soul.

I was once the co-CEO of an international educational organization. The dual leadership had many practical benefits, especially because we had substantial operations in both the US and Japan.

As co-leaders we were inclined to give each other the benefit of the doubt and to defer to one another. In good times these tendencies were helpful. But when tough times came, the same habits delayed and complicated tough decisions.

Eventually - and reluctantly - we divided the organization. My colleague remained with the core mission and program. I spun-off an element of our work that he had never especially valued. Separately each survived. While paradoxical, it is difficult to imagine how we might have achieved together what was achieved separately.

A decision separates, it chooses one option over another. A decision cuts. When Jesus chose Peter, he did not choose John.

A decision's intention may be creative and healing. But in being decisive the leader will choose -- or lead the community through a process of choosing -- that will eliminate some possibilities and favor others.

It happens all too often that the constituting of a Prior gives rise to grave scandals in monasteries. For there are some who become inflated with the evil spirit of pride and consider themselves second Abbots. By usurping power they foster scandals and cause dissensions in the community. Especially does this happen in those places where the Prior is constituted by the same Bishop or the same Abbots who constitute the Abbot himself. What an absurd procedure this is can easily be seen; for it gives the Prior an occasion for becoming proud from the very time of his constitution, by putting the thought into his mind that he is freed from the authority of his Abbot: "For," he will say to himself, "you were constituted by the same persons who constitute the Abbot." From this source are stirred up envy, quarrels, detraction, rivalry, dissensions and disorders. For while the Abbot and the Prior are at variance, their souls cannot but be endangered by this dissension; and those who are under them, currying favor with one side or the other, go to ruin. The guilt for this dangerous state of affairs rests on the heads of those whose action brought about such disorder.

The cluniac and subsequent monastic reforms have removed this particular cause of conflict between the two leaders. But temptation persists to envy, quarrels, detraction, rivalry, dissensions and disorders.

Some of these temptations are, it seems to me, endemic to the human condition. But they can be resisted, combated, and -- what is usually most effective -- displaced.

We most often fall into these venal temptations when we are preoccupied by the trivial. Where our perceived purpose and task is tedious, we will often create intrigue.

Where our purpose inspires and our our tasks clearly contribute to achieving a meaningful purpose our contentious pride can be tamed.

The leader who truly leads toward the Good, the Beautiful, and the True is much less likely to suffer internal dissent (less likely is different than none). Moreover, if the leader is effective in this way he or she will increase the likelihood of external attack.

Above is The Temptation of St. Benedict by Allesandro Allori. I am not specifically aware of the back-story, but the possibilities are evocative.

Once she has been constituted,let the Abbess always bear in mind what a burden she has undertaken and to whom she will have to give an account of her stewardship, and let her know that her duty is rather to profit her sisters than to preside over them. She must therefore be learned in the divine law, that she may have a treasure of knowledge from which to bring forth new things and old. She must be chaste, sober and merciful. Let her exalt mercy above judgment, that she herself may obtain mercy. She should hate vices; she should love the sisterhood. In administering correction she should act prudently and not go to excess,lest in seeking too eagerly to scrape off the rust she break the vessel. Let her keep her own frailty ever before her eyes and remember that the bruised reed must not be broken. By this we do not mean that she should allow vices to grow; on the contrary, as we have already said, she should eradicate them prudently and with charity, in the way which may seem best in each case. Let her study rather to be loved than to be feared. Let her not be excitable and worried, nor exacting and headstrong, nor jealous and over-suspicious; for then she is never at rest. In her commands let her be prudent and considerate; and whether the work which she enjoins concerns God or the world, let her be discreet and moderate, bearing in mind the discretion of holy Jacob, who said, "If I cause my flocks to be overdriven, they will all die in one day."Taking this, then, and other examples of discretion, the mother of virtues, let her so temper all things that the strong may have something to strive after, and the weak may not fall back in dismay. And especially let her keep this Rule in all its details, so that after a good ministry she may hear from the Lord what the good servant heard who gave the fellow-servants wheat in due season: "Indeed, I tell you, he will set that one over all his goods" (Matt. 24:27).

Pastoring, parenting, teaching, managing and much more can be expressions of leadership.

All these roles benefit from - perhaps require - the balance of skills outlined by Benedict.

The leader endeavors to find a way forward "that the strong may have something to strive after, and the weak may not fall back in dismay."

The way is discovered through knowledge, character and action aimed at serving the needs of others.

The truly effective leader will "exalt mercy above judgment."

In the constituting of an Abbess let this plan always be followed, that the office be conferred on the one who is chosen either by the whole community unanimously in the fear of God
or else by a part of the community, however small, if its counsel is more wholesome. Merit of life and wisdom of doctrine should determine the choice of the one to be constituted, even if she be the last of the order of the community. But if (which God forbid) the whole community should agree to choose a person who will acquiesce in their vices, and if those vices somehow become known to the Bishop to whose diocese the place belongs, or to the Abbots, Abbesses or the faithful of the vicinity, let them prevent the success of this conspiracy of the wicked, and set a worthy steward over the house of God. They may be sure that they will receive a good reward for this action if they do it with a pure intention and out of zeal for God; as, on the contrary, they will sin if they fail to do it.

Based on legendary tales, history, and our contemporary observation of more primitive tribes, democracy may be the most common approach to choosing leaders.

But it is also common for leaders to beget leaders, through dynastic ambition or personal favor. We can seek immortality through our genes or our memes.

After the ascension of Jesus the apostles cast lots in choosing Matthias to replace Judas. Bishops were elected by the people of a single city. Generations were required before a self-perpetuating hierarchy emerged.

Before casting lots it is written that the eleven prayed, "Lord you know everyones heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship..." (Acts 1:24-25)

Each elector is encouraged not to vote self-interest, but to advance our best understanding of God's will and kingdom.

The juniors, therefore, should honor their seniors, and the seniors love their juniors. In the very manner of address, let no one call another by the mere name; but let the seniors call their juniors Brothers, and the juniors call their seniors Fathers, by which is conveyed the reverence due to a father. But the Abbot, since he is believed to represent Christ, shall be called Lord and Abbot, not for any pretensions of his own but out of honor and love for Christ. Let the Abbot himself reflect on this, and show himself worthy of such an honor. And wherever the brethren meet one another the junior shall ask the senior for his blessing. When a senior passes by, a junior shall rise and give him a place to sit, nor shall the junior presume to sit with him unless his senior bid him, that it may be as was written, "In honor anticipating one another."Boys, both small and adolescent, shall keep strictly to their rank in oratory and at table. But outside of that, wherever they may be, let them be under supervision and discipline, until they come to the age of discretion.

We ought to honor one another. At the very least we should acknowledge one another.

I travel a good deal. There is a signal difference between a "tourist hotel" and a "business hotel." At a tourist hotel you are greeted by strangers in the hallways and elevators. In a business hotel there is no greeting.

It may be more stereotype than science, but I expect that the tourists who greet have arrived from a place where they are expected to acknowledge the other. I live in a place where, for about the first two miles, drivers are expected to wave to passing cars whether or not they recognize the car or driver.

The homeless remark that at least as much as some loose change, they would value being acknowledged. The greatest pain is being treated as if invisible.

It is not only the Abbot who represents Christ. "When did we see you hungry and feed you or see you thirsty and give you something to drink?" Jesus answered, "'I tell you with certainty, since you did it for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did it for me." (Matthew 25: 31-40)