“Let No One Follow the Bent of His Own Heart” (Day 17 of the Holy Rule)

"Let all follow the Rule as their guide in everything, and let no one rashly depart from it. Let no one in the monastery follow the bent of his own heart..."

Benedict doesn't focus too much on the exceptions to his Rule, but he does make allowances.

Note here in his words above the qualifier "rashly" which implies that one could depart from the strict observance if circumstances warranted it.

Two reasons for this safe interpretation: first, old monastic custom of the Rule of St. Albert (Carmelites) says that "necessity" overrides the law. This dictum was specific to the laws of fasting in 11th century Palestine, but can be applied to most disciplinary rules because they are invoked as a customary approach to the law that borders on a legal principle.  The law-- like the Sabbath-- was made for man...

Secondly, Father Benedict writes how in "matters of less importance", where "the welfare of the monastery" are concerned, that the Abbot himself is to "use the counsel of the Seniors only, as it is written: “Do all things with counsel, and thou shalt not repent when thou hast done.”"  

Here, Benedict reveals that there are other sources aside from the Rule for the management of things (above all, strict honesty and fearful fair dealing before God and respect for elders and their practical wisdom).  

And so, while there is room for slight adjustments when the occassion calls for something unprecedented, they are to be kept exceptional while honoring the Rule as the forge of saintly habits.  

Stability (a unique vow of the Benedictine shared only by Oratorian imitation) is the warchword that never gets explicit treatment because it is so fundamental to the Rule: do nothing drastic that disturbs the rhythm of a place but only stay the course and persevere!

To further this end, Benedict's early chapters are instead about authority and the monastic's own common telos that requires a governor of sound mind and holy desires.

Again and again, we are reminded how a good father is neither to be too rigid or set in his ways such that he harshly undermines the welfare of his charges for the sake of impossible standards, nor is he to follow his own caprices and whims at every turn lest he become an unruly man.

Balance, discernment, prudence-- all hang by the Timor Dei, or "fear of the Lord".  Do you, old soul, stand by what you did?  Would you bring this account before God?

Let us tremble then at the thought of any premeditated injustice that afflicts the conscience; and all else will naturally follow in due proportion as our human limitations allow.

This is the purity that God expects in our face-to-face at the end of our days.