Iberian Fathers, Volume 2

Pact

PACT DN THE NAME OF the Holy Trinity, Father and Son and Holy Spirit. " What we believe in our heart, we profess also with our mouth. We believe in the Father unborn, the Son born, and the Holy Spirit proceeding from both, that the Son alone received flesh from the Virgin and descended into the world for the salvation of all who believe in Him and that He never left the Father and the Holy Spirit. For He Himself said: "I and the Father are one."! And: "Who has me also has the Father." And: "Who sees me also sees the Father."2 The same also said: "The heavens are my throne, the earth is my footstool."3 In heaven, the angels worship the whole Trinity, and on earth, the Lord preaches to men, saying: "Go, sell all that thou hast and give to the poor, and come, follow me."4 And again: "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."il And elsewhere: "He who loves his father or mother, wife, children, or all the things that perish with the world, more than me, is not worthy of me."6 And again: "Who does not hate his soul for my sake is not worthy of me."i And: "He who loses it for my sake will find it in eternal life."8 So it is better, far better, to contemn the world, to listen to Christ, 1 John 10.30. 2 Cf. John 14.9. 3 Isa. 66.1; Acts 7.49. 4 Matt. 19.21; Luke 12.33. 5 Matt. 16.24; Luke 9.23. 6 Matt. 10.37; Luke 14.26. 7 Cf. Matt. 10.37; Luke 9.24. 8 Matt. 16.25; Luke 17.33; John 12.25. 207 208 FRUCTUOSUS OF BRAGA to fulfill the Gospel, to possess a blessed life with the holy angels forever through all ages. Thus, fired with divine ardor, 10, all of us whose names are subscribed below entrust our souls to God and to you, our master and our father, that we may live in one monastery under Christ's guidance and your teaching according to the edict of the apostles and the Rule, and as sanctioned by the holy authority of the fathers in the past. Whatever you desire for the safety of our souls to pronounce , teach, perfonn, reprimand, command, excommunicate , or correct in accordance with the Rule, we shall completely carry out with humble heart, all arrogance aside, with mind intent, with burning zeal, with the aid of divine grace, without making excuses, and with the Lord's favor. If any of us shall be complaining, obstinate, disobedient, or slandering against the Rule and against your command, then, you may have the power to bring all into an assembly and to read the Rule in the presence of all and to correct our guilt publicly , and each one who is guilty shall receive his due, the lash or ban of excommunication, with due consideration for his misconduct. If anyone shall secretly intrigue with his parents , brothers, sons, relatives, or neighbors, or especially with a fellow brother in the absence of the above-mentioned father, you may have the power over each one who has attempted such a crime to have him put under ban of excommunication and confined to a dark cell for six months on bread and water alone, wearing a penitential tunic or sackcloth , without cincture and without shoes. If a monk is unwilling to undertake such penance with full consent, he is to be stretched out naked and given 72 blows with a lash, and to be deprived of the clothing of the- monastery and to be expelled from the institution in conspicuous' disgrace, wearing the clothes that he brought with him when he entered, but torn. And this we declare both for men and for women. We also promise to God and to you, our father, that if anyone through sinfulness goes anywhere else to live without PACT 209 the blessing of the brothers and your consent, you may have the power to pursue the imprudent will of any monk who has tried such a thing, and to seize him and bring him before the judges9 and of returning him to the censure of the Rule: and if any bishop or any of his own order or any layman...