Commentary Par XXII 73-87

Beginning with the foot of Jacob's Ladder, as it were, Benedict now rounds on the current members of his order.  Their degeneracy is reflected in the crumbling physical plant of the monastery; in the attempt to find some use for the cowls of the monks (since apparently those who wear them are few) as bags for flour; in the flagrant usury employed by them (quel frutto, the disgraceful 'harvest' of their misguided lavoro). On this last charge, see Tozer (DDP Tozer.Par.XXII.79-84), describing it as 'covetousness in misappropriating the revenues of the Church, which rightfully belong to God's poor, to the purposes of nepotism and licentiousness.  This in the sight of God is a worse sin than usury.'

Benedict's remarks come to momentary cessation in the image of human sinfulness quickly undoing even fresh and worthy initiatives; these are snuffed out soon after inception.