Caput VII
The Rise and Fall of Monastic Pride
Odo traces how professed religious who fall into carnal wickedness are seized first by pride, fed by material ease, and then descend through luxury, with the body's own posture mirroring this spiritual collapse.
But in the previous little book, when we were speaking about acts of violence — since we had mentioned pride and luxury — we kept silent about malice. So those who, after professing the religious life, slide back into carnal wickedness are first seized through pride. In which, as it is written, 'All destruction takes its beginning' (Tob. IV, 14); it creeps in especially this way: while they grow fat and kick back, enriched by the revenues of the Church or the gifts of the faithful, and because they are not held to the labor of men, they are therefore gripped by pride. Then, with a full hand, they fall into the vice of that purple-clad rich man — daily, that is, desiring to feast splendidly and to parade in pomp with more elegant garments.✦ Then too, having forgotten their own profession, they surrender their hands to luxury. Among whom, certainly, according to the comic poet, Venus would grow cold if Ceres and Bacchus had not abounded. The very position of the limbs also shows the descent of this downfall: namely, the heart of the man swells with pride, then the belly, and finally the genitals are placed. Pride is of the spirit; the remaining two are of the flesh.
Boasting in Garments Against the Apostle
Odo rebukes religious who indulge bodily nobility and fine clothing, arguing that the monastic habit itself bears the grace of baptism and that Christ will judge those who desire what even spouses are forbidden.
Once these two vices have ensnared a person, the more sweetly they are indulged, the harder they are to put aside. Now these people — living against the Apostle according to the flesh — boast about their bodily nobility. If they truly believed themselves to be children of God, they would never admire earthly nobility after receiving their divine birth. And since it is written, "Never boast about your clothing" (Eccli. XI, 4) — these people dare to do precisely what they dare. For they are ashamed to cast off entirely the kind of clothing dedicated to religious life, on account of human disapproval — yet they eagerly seek out fine colors and soft fabrics. Indeed, some abbots, so that they might openly declare their hostility toward both themselves and the holy rule, scorn even to wear the monastic garb — that is, the cowl. And certainly, just as it is said in the book Geronticon, the same grace is given in the monastic habit as in the white garments of baptism. And as blessed Jerome testifies in his letter to the daughter of Mauricius, it is a great insult to divine grace — and a crime — after the sanctification of chrism to adorn the head or body with any kind of earthly creature's ornament, since it already shines with heavenly splendor. That rich man whom Christ mentions — dressed in purple and fine linen for great reproach — had not heard the law or the prophets, and yet he is condemned for his desire for fine clothing.✦ What, then, will that same Christ say in judgment to these people — since even monks and nuns desire what the apostles forbid not only to laypeople but even to their own spouses?
True Adornment of the Heart
Odo closes with the apostolic teaching of Peter and Paul that authentic beauty lies not in outward display but in the hidden person of the heart and in modest, chaste living.
Peter puts it this way: true adornment doesn't come from outward hairstyles, or gold jewelry, or fine clothing — it's the hidden person of the heart (1 Pet.✦ 3:3–4).✦ And Paul says the same: women should adorn themselves in modest dress, with decency and self-restraint — not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or expensive clothes, but with what is proper for women who profess chastity and a good way of life (1 Tim.✦ 2:9–10).✦
Read the original Latin
At superiori libello, cum de violentis loqueremur, cum superbia et luxuriam commemoravimus, de malitia tacentes. Hi ergo qui post professam religionem ad carnales nequitias devolvuntur, primo per superbiam capiuntur. In qua, ut scriptum est, Omnis perditio sumit initium (Tob. IV, 14); quae eis maxime per hoc subrepit, quia dum redditibus Ecclesiae, vel donariis fidelium ditati incrassantur, recalcitrant, et quia in labore hominum non sunt, tenentur ideo superbia: deinde plenam manum habentes vitium illius purpurati divitis incurrunt, quotidie videlicet splendide epulari, et cultioribus vestibus gestientes pompari. Tum quoque suae professionis obliti luxuriae manus tradunt. Apud quos utique, juxta illud comici, Venus frigeret, si Cerere et Baccho non abundasset. Cujus ruinae descensionem ipsa quoque membrorum demonstrat positio, cum videlicet cor viri superbia tumet spiritus, deinde venter, postremo genitalia collocantur. Superbia est spiritus, reliquae duae carnis.
Quae duae postquam hominem illexerunt, eo difficilius deponuntur quo dulcius utuntur. Jam vero hi tales contra Apostolum secundum carnem viventes de corporea nobilitate gloriantur: qui si pro certo Dei filios se esse crederent, nunquam post divinos natales nobilitatem admirarentur terrenam: et cum scriptum sit: Ne glorieris in vestitu unquam (Eccli. XI, 4), isti quod audent faciunt. Nam genus quidem vestimenti, quod religioni dedicatum est, penitus propter humanam reprehensionem abjicere erubescunt, colores tamen et mollitiem studiose quaerunt: quamvis nonnulli etiam abbates, ut apertas etiam inimicitias inter se et sanctam regulam protestentur, monasticum schema, videlicet cucullam, induere dedignantur. Et certe sicut in libro Geronticon dicitur, eadem datur gratia in monachico habitu, quae et in albis baptismi. Et sicut beatus Hieronymus in epistola ad filiam Mauricii perhibet, grandis divinae gratiae contumelia est mundani et saecularis ornamenti praefatio, et crimen est post chrismatis sanctificationem cujuscunque specie terrenae creaturae caput vel corpus ornari, quod jam coelesti splendore refulget. Ille dives quem ad magnam exprobrationem Christus ornatum purpura et bysso commemorat, non legem aut prophetas audierat, et tamen de appetitu vestium vituperatur. Istis ergo quid in judicio dicturus est idem Christus, quoniam etiam monachi atque sanctimoniales hoc appetunt, quod non solum a laicis, verum etiam ab eorum conjugibus apostoli prohibent?
Unde Petrus: Quarum, inquit, sit non extrinsecus capillatura, aut circumdatio auri, aut indumenti vestimentorum cultus; sed qui absconsus cordis est homo (I Petr. III, 3, 4). Et Paulus: Mulieres similiter in habitu ornato, cum verecundia et sobrietate ornantes, non in tortis crinibus, aut auro, aut margaritis, aut veste pretiosa, sed quod decet mulieres, promittentes castitatem, et bonam conversationem (I Tim. II, 9, 10).
Scripture echoes
- ↩Luke.16.19 — Now there was a certain rich man, and he used to dress in purple and fine linen, celebrating every day in splendor.
- ↩Luke.16.19 — Now there was a certain rich man, and he used to dress in purple and fine linen, celebrating every day in splendor.
- ↩1Pet.3.3-1Pet.3.4 — Let it not be the outward adorning of braiding of hair, and wearing of gold, or putting on of clothing, 1Pet.3.4 — but the hidden person of the heart, in the imperishable garment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
- ↩1Pet.3.3-1Pet.3.4 — Let it not be the outward adorning of braiding of hair, and wearing of gold, or putting on of clothing, 1Pet.3.4 — but the hidden person of the heart, in the imperishable garment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
- ↩1Tim.2.9-1Tim.2.10 — Likewise also the women are to adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and self-control, not with braided gold or pearls or costly attire, 1Tim.2.10 — but with good works, as is fitting for women who profess godliness.
- ↩1Tim.2.9-1Tim.2.10 — Likewise also the women are to adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and self-control, not with braided gold or pearls or costly attire, 1Tim.2.10 — but with good works, as is fitting for women who profess godliness.
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