Rejoicing in False Blame

When the time of the annual meeting was drawing near, Francis said to his fellow, “It seems to me that I am not a Friar Minor, unless I am in the state which I will tell you. Look how the friars invite me with honor to the Chapter and moved by their devotion I go to the annual meeting with them.  But once gathered together, they ask me to announce to them the Word of God and to preach among them.  And rising up, I preach to them as the Holy Spirit had taught me.  If it should be, after I have finished my sermon, they all cry out against me, ‘We will not have you to rule over us for you are not eloquent, as is right, and you are too simple and idiotic and we wouldn’t want such a simple and despised a superior over us.  Therefore, do not call yourself our leader!’  In this way they cast me out with blame and reproach.  It would seem to me then that I was not a Friar Minor, if I did not rejoice to the same extent when they reproached me and cast me out with shame, unwilling that I should be their leader, as when they venerate and honor me—holding their benefit and usefulness to be equal in either case.  For if I am glad when they exalt and honor me on account of their devotion, where there may still be a danger to my soul—then much more should I rejoice and be glad of my personal benefit and the salvation of my soul when they blame me, because the gain to my soul is certain.”

                        -Mirror of Perfection, Section IV, Chapter 64

This may seem another example of Francis' extremism.  But Francis is simply putting together two principles of Jesus.  

Jesus said that we are not to take honor in outward show.  He commanded this in Matthew 6, where our prayers are to be secret and our fasting private only to God.  Jesus also said in Matthew 23 that leaders who make a display in order to receive honor should only have shame.  Any leader who is recognized for great works or how wonderful they are should be made uncomfortable by adulation. 

Jesus also said that his true disciple would have persecution and rejection.  Paul went so far as to say, "Anyone who lives a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."  Thus, when persecution comes, we ought to rejoice that we are true disciples of Jesus, and not reject it at all.  Even so, in Acts 5, when the apostles were scourged, they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for Jesus' name.  

How often do we have that attitude when being rejected for doing right?  Perhaps we should meditate like Francis more often, to be ready to accept persecution correctly when it comes.

Hypocrisy

As Francis went through the city of Assisi, a certain poor old woman begged an alms of him for the love of God.  And he immediately gave her the mantle which he had on his back and without delay he confessed in the presence of those who followed how in this he had pride.  And we have seen and heard so many other example like this of his great humility, we who were always in his company, that neither with words nor with letters can we narrate them.  For Francis had his main focus on that he would not be a hypocrite before God, and though on account of his infirmity a liberty would be necessary to him, yet he took thought with himself, always to show a good example to the friars and to others, so that he sustained all poverty patiently that he might take away from everyone all occasion of murmuring.

                        -Mirror of Perfection, Section IV, Chapter 63

As in the last selection, we see Francis' high demands on himself requires shame that we might not recommend to others.  Perhaps it is enough that Francis could have a private confession of his thoughts of pride.

On the other hand, like Jesus, Francis took hypocrisy very seriously.  If it looked like he was doing one thing, but really doing another, he wanted it to be known, and to recognize that his thoughts aren't always saintly.  Francis may or may not have sought to be a saint, but he knew himself to often not have holy or loving intentions.  This is important for all of us.  We need to clearly see ourselves as who we really are, and not make ourselves to be more holy, more religious, more pious or more God-loving than we really are.

There are many churches that encourage the opposite.  They want to see more God language, more praising, more outward show.  This isn't necessarily bad, but if there isn't also the outward confession of saying what one doesn't really feel or acting in a way that doesn't reflect a real inner life, that is bad.

We've got to recognize all of our occasional hypocrisy.  But we also need to do what we can to do away with such religious falsity. 

Scruples

At one point, Francis had suffered from an illness, but he had become a little stronger after the worst of it.  It seemed to him that he had given himself some leniency during that weakness, even though he had only eaten a little.  He arose one day, although he was not yet free from the fever, and he had the people of Assisi called together in the marketplace, for preaching.  When his sermon was done he warned the people that no one should go away from there until he returned to them.  Then he entered the cathedral of St. Rufinus with many friars and with Brother Peter of Catana who had been canon of that church and was chosen first Minister-General by Francis, he spoke to that brother peter, ordering him by obedience, that he should without contradiction do whatever he said to him.  Brother Peter answered, “Brother, I neither may nor ought, will or do anything except as it may please you.”  Casting off his tunic, Francis told him to bind a cord around his neck and to drag him naked to the place where he had preached, and then at that place to throw ashes over his face.  But Brother Peter did not obey him because of the compassion he had for him.  But Peter did take the cord bound around his neck, dragged him out, as Francis had ordered.  He was weeping so hard, and the other friars who were with him shed tears of compassion and of bitterness. 

            When Francis had been led naked before everyone up to the place where he had preached, he said, “You, and all those who, after my example, leave this world and enter religion and the life of the friars, believe me to be a holy man, but I confess to God and to you that I have eaten in my infirmity meat and broth made from meat.”  And all began to weep over him for great pity and compassion, especially because it was then Winter and a very intense frost, and he was not yet recovered from his fever.  Striking their breasts, they accused themselves, saying, “If this saint, for just and clear necessity, accuses himself with so much shame—although we know him to be holy, and we know to be living in the flesh as if almost dead on account of the great abstinence and austerity which he has made to his body from the beginning of his conversion to Christ— what shall we wretched ones do, who for the whole time of our lives have lived and still live according to the desires of our flesh?”

                        -Mirror of Perfection, Section IV, Chapter 61

Was Francis justified to condemn himself for such a small action?  We don't know his heart, or his personal commitment before God, but certainly eating some extra protein when he is sick isn't a sin.  In fact, if it were one of Francis' brothers, he would insist that the brother be forgiven and that nothing be done in punishment to him.  But Francis wouldn't forgive himself.  His guilt was such that he insisted on such an extreme punishment.

God does not require such dramatics in order to be forgiven.  God wants a penitent heart and a confessing mouth, and God is ready to forgive.  Francis himself displays that in other stories.  For some of us, it is much harder for us to forgive ourselves than it is for God to forgive us, or for us to forgive others.  We need to remember that God demands mercy, not sacrifice-- even for ourselves.  If God has forgiven us and we refuse to forgive ourselves, then we are calling God a liar.

Accepting the Outcast

Francis, having returned to the church of blessed Mary of the Porziuncula, found Brother James the Simple with a certain leper much ulcerated.  For Francis has commended that leper and all others to him, because he was as it were their physician, and he freely touched their wounds and cleansed them and took care of them, for then the friars used to abide in the hospitals of the lepers.

            But Francis said to Brother James, as if reproving him, “You ought not to lead out these Christians, because it is neither decent for you nor for them.”  For though he wished to serve them, he did not wish that those who were most afflicted to be taken out of the hospital because people would be abhorred in seeing them.  Brother James was so simple that he used to go with them from the hospital to the church of St. Mary of the Porziuncula, as he would have gone with one of the friars.  And Francis used to call the lepers Christian brothers. 

            After Francis had said this, he immediately blamed himself, believing that the leper had been put to shame for the blame which he had thrown on Brother James.  Therefore, desiring to satisfy God and the leper, he confessed to Brother Peter of Catana, who was then Minister-General.  And he said, “I wish that you would confirm to me the penance which I have chosen to do for this fault and that you would not contradict me.”  He answered, “Brother, do as you please,” for Brother Peter so venerated and feared him that he did not presume to contradict him, even though Francis was often afflicted with guilt.  Then Francis said, “Let this be my penance, that I eat of the same dish as my Christian brother.” 

Therefore, when Francis sat down to the table with the leper and with other friars, one dish was placed between Francis and the leper.  But the leper was all ulcerated and loathsome, and especially he had his fingers shriveled and bleeding with which he took up lumps from the dish, so that when he put them in the dish the blood and matter of the fingers flowed into it.  And, seeing this, Brother Peter and the other friars were saddened, but did not dare to say anything on account of the far and reverence of Francis.  He who saw this wrote it down and bears testimony of these things.

                        Mirror of Perfection, Section IV, Chapter 58

Francis, Francis.  What am I going to do with you?  

Francis' impulse was wonderful here.  He wanted to feed and clean the lepers, and this was partly because of his own deep fear of lepers from a young age.  Of course, we now know that leprosy (now called Hansen's Disease) isn't really contagious to adults.  But in the ancient world, it was considered extremely contagious. 

Francis was so mortified by his possible rejection of unity with his leper brother that he caused even MORE embarrassment to the leper by insisting that they ate of the same bowl, and then calling it "penance". 

Francis wanted to accept the outcast, especially the outcast he was particularly averse to.  It is a good notion, but what is more important that we love all the outcast, which means radical acceptance, even in the fact of society's rejection.  The mentally ill, the homeless, homosexuals, felons, and all others that are rejected by society, we need to go out of our way to accept.  Not in a halfhearted way, like Francis, but with full love, and full joy.  This doesn't mean we don't take care to not recognize the weaknesses of those we accept-- whether it be contagion or potential criminal behavior.  But we find ways to make our friends be comfortable and helped in as much as we can.

Cleanliness Next to Godliness

On a time when he was staying at St. Mary of the Porziuncula, and there were as yet but few friars, blessed Francis went by those villages and churches in the neighborhood of Assisi announcing and preaching to men that they should do penance, and he carried a broom to sweep out unclean churches.  For the holy Father grieved much when he saw any church not so clean as he wished.  And therefore, when the preaching as finished, he always made all the priests who were there gather together in some remote place, lest he should be overheard by the lay folk, and preached to them of the salvation of souls and especially that they should be careful to keep clean the churches and altars, and all things which pertained to the celebration of the divine mysteries.

                        -Mirror of Perfection, Section IV, Chapter 56

Early in Francis' life he was called by God to "Rebuild my Temple." Francis at first thought he was to repair a chapel near his town.  So it only makes sense that he would become a fanatic about churches being clean.  It's kind of how he started on the path to sainthood.

Cleanliness by itself isn't that significant.  It's nice to keep things clean, but not at the heart of godliness.  However, to clean for another is to show respect for them.  It is to humble oneself low enough to do a demeaning task that we pay minimum wage for.  Cleaning for others, and especially cleaning for God, is important for a healthy soul. 

Francis Animated

A cartoon giving a non-canonical story about Francis and Brother Philip.  I like the animation.  Kinda VeggieTalesish. 

Rejoicing in the Poor Offering

Francis, seeing that the Lord wished to multiply the number of his friars, said to them, “Dearest brothers and my little sons, I see that the Lord wills to multiply us.  So it seems good and religious to me that we should obtain either from the canons of St. Rufinus or from the Abbot of St. Benedict, some church where the friars may say their Hours and only have near it some small sorry hut constructed from mud and branches, where the brethren may rest and work.  For this place is not fitting nor sufficient to the friars, since the Lord wishes to multiply them and especially since we have here no church where the friars may say their Hours.  And if any friar should die, it would not be fitting to bury him here, nor in a church of the secular clergy.”   And this speech pleased all of the friars.

            So he went to the Bishop of Assisi, and laid the request before him.  The Bishop replied to him, “Brother, I have no church which I can give you,” and the canons also said the same.  Then he went to the Abbot of St. Benedict of Monte Subasio and laid the same proposition before him.  But he Abbot, moved with piety, having counseled with his monks, with the divine will and grace operating, conceded to Francis and his friars the church of St. Mary of the Porziuncula, as the smallest and poorest church they had.  And the Abbot said to blessed Francis, “Behold, brother, we have granted what you have asked.  But if the Lord should multiply this congregation, we wish that this place would be foremost among your dwellings.” 

And the speech pleased Francis and his brothers, and Francis rejoiced greatly concerning the place conceded to the friars, especially on account of the name of the church, of the Mother of Christ, and because it was so small and poor a church, and also because it was named the Porziuncula, in which it was prefigured that it should be the head and the mother of the poor Friars Minor.  For the church was called the Porziuncula, because of that court which was formerly called “the little portion.”  So Francis was given to say, “The Lord wished that no other church should be granted to the friars, and that the first friars should not as then build a new church nor have any other except that, since by this, through the advent of the Friars Minor, a certain prophecy was fulfilled.”  

And though it was poor and now destroyed, yet for a great time the men of the city of Assisi and of all its lordship had had great devotion to that church, and they have a greater today and dail honor it.  So as the brothers went there to live, from that time the Lord multiplied their number almost daily and their reputation was wonderfully scattered through all the valley of Spoleto, and many parts of the land.  Yet of old it was called St. Mary of the Angels because, as it was said, the songs of Angels and of celestial spirits were there heard of those coming to the place.

                        -Mirror of Perfection Section IV, Chapter 55

I love this story partly because it reflects an event that happened in the early days of Anawim. 

In 2003, my family and I were being kicked out of our apartment because we invited the homeless to visit and sometimes stay with us.  The new owner didn't like our kind of people, so he gave us a 30 day notice, which was his right.  However, years before we had moved in without a deposit in the lowest rent district in town... and finding a new place would be difficult at best.  Frankly, we just didn't have the money for it. 

I called two people for prayer-- my pastoral overseer and my father-- for prayer, because we didn't know what to do.  Two days later, my father called me and offered to purchase a house for us.  

We were shocked, and praising God, and overjoyed.  But we also realized that we had only a little time to find another place.  So we looked at the internet, and we sought God.  I felt God was saying to look nearby downtown Portland, so we did... with no luck.  It wasn't so much that the places around downtown were so expensive, but that they were so difficult to do ministry out of.  We had a family of five who were ministering to the homeless-- what kind of house would do for that?

Diane (my wife) and I took to driving down streets, looking for houses for sale.  One house we drove by was just right-- it was large, and just north of downtown Portland. Diane said, "It's going to be way too expensive."  I said that it couldn't hurt to try, so we called our realtor and set up an appointment.  

The house WAS huge.  It had six bedrooms and a couple sheds in the back.  It had a shower downstairs that could be used for the homeless.  And it wasn't too expensive.  The sellers were an old couple who had done ministry to the homeless out of the house for years.  We took a liking to each other just as soon as we met.  It was done.

However, the house was beat up, torn down, and filled with at least thirty years of junk.  There were whole rooms full of trash and old wood.  It took almost a year to clear it all out.  The wiring was old and problematic.  But overall, it is wonderful and we appreciate it so much.

We have had dozens of people stay in our house-- at one point we had as many as 16 people in the house.  It is a wonderful gift of God-- and my father-- and we appreciate it every day.   

A gift that is broken down and weak is still a gift.  And the gift given with generosity and sincerity will always be rewarded.

Truth Through Presence

While he was staying at Siena, there came to him a certain doctor of divinity of the Order of Preachers, a man both humble and spiritually righteous.  After discussing with Francis for some time concerning the words of the Lord, the doctor asked him concerning the words of Ezekiel, “If you do not speak to warn the wicked from his wicked ways, his blood will I require at your hand.”  The doctor said, “I know many, however, good Father, that are in mortal sin, to whom I do not speak to warn them of their impiety—will their souls then be required at my hands?”  

Francis humbly replied that he was but a simpleton, and that therefore he would rather be taught of him rather than explaining to this doctor the meaning of Scripture.  The humble master replied, “Brother, though I have heard an exposition of this text from many wise men, yet I would willingly learn your understanding of it.”  Therefore Francis said, “If the text is to be understood for all, I would take it this way—that the servant of God should so burn and shine forth by life and holiness in himself, that by the light of his example and by the speech of his holy conversation he should reprove all the impious.  Thus, say I, the glory and the odor of his reputation will announce to all their iniquities.”  The doctor then left being edified and said to his brothers, “My brothers, the theology of this man, founded on purity and contemplation, is a flying eagle, while our study crawls on its belly on the earth.”

                        -Mirror of Perfection Section IV, Chapter 53

It is said that Francis spoke, “Speak the gospel at all times.  If necessary use words.”

Words are necessary, and they can at times be a clear presentation of the gospel.  But we must remember that the gospel of Jesus is not only His teachings, but His life.  Not only did Jesus teach us God’s truth, he showed it to us.  In this way, we should have learned, that the True Teacher not only speaks, but lives out her teaching.

Even if we never say a word, let the light of God’s presence be shown through our actions.  May the love of the Holy Spirit display God’s love before we ever open our mouth about His grace.

Responding to Criticism

This we have seen with our eyes who were with him as also he himself witnessed, that when some of the friars did not satisfy him in his requirements, or said to him some word with which a man would be disturbed, he immediately went to prayer and when he returned, he would remember nothing.  He would never say, “This one disturbed me,” or, “This one said this to me.”  In this way he persevered and so much more as he drew near to death, considering how he might live and die in all humility and poverty and in perfection of all the virtues.

                        -Mirror of Perfection Section IV, Chapter 46

Ah, I wish I could be as Francis in this area.  I, as well as many of us, brood over the negative input we receive, the criticisms and barbs that people throw at us.  Sometimes they keep us up at night, squeezing our sleep from us, wondering what we could say in response, wishing we had been wise enough to say a good thing, or quick enough to respond in kind. 

The true wisdom of Francis is evident, for he takes such matters to prayer.  Then, offering such negativity to the Lord, he then forgets about it.  For how can one, being in the glory of the Ever Loving One, remember such insignificant matters as destructive language that passes away like a leaf in autumn?  Only love remains forever.  Let us leave all bitterness and anger behind for what endures.

Surrendering Leadership

Francis wished to remain in perfect humility and subjection to his death.  So, some time before his death, he said to the Minister-General, “I wish that you would place your rule over me to one of my brothers, to whom I may do obedience in your place.  In this way I might obtain the merit of obedience that I desire in life and it would remain for me in death.” So from that time forward he had one of his brothers as a warden, whom he obeyed instead of the Minister-General. 

            At one time he said to his brothers, “The Lord has granted me this grace amidst all the others—to obey as diligently the novice who enters the Order today, if he were assigned to me for a Warden, as he who is foremost and ancient in life and in the Order.  For a subject should not look upon his superior as a man, but as God for whose love he is subject to him.”  Later he said, “There is no prelate in the whole world who is to much feared as the Lord would make me to be feared, if I so wished it, by my brethren.  But the Lord has granted me this grace, that I wish to be content with all, as he that is lease in the Order.”

                        -Mirror of Perfection Section IV, Chapter 46

Of all things that Francis did, I find this to be the most amazing.  Francis surrendered his leadership of the order he founded, and the vision he developed, to another and chose to put himself under the orders of another. 

It is natural for people to want to retain what they have received.  If they have gained a regular benefit—even at the generous hand of another—they will be angry if that benefit is taken away, for it feels like an injustice to them.  If we have obtained a certain amount of power, we want to keep that power long after the retaining of it has helped others.  Francis’ humility was such that not only did he surrender leadership, but he moved his position from one of authority to one of complete subservience.  Unbelieveable.

                                                                                                                                                            

And yet, this is the kind of leadership Jesus’ requires.  “The elder shall serve the younger.”  Jesus commands His leaders to undertake whatever sacrifice necessary to act for the benefit of all.  Sometimes this will mean making commands.  Sometimes this will mean receiving commands from those underneath.  Only God can grant us the grace to do either, and to give us the wisdom to know when one should be done or the other.

All Praise Goes To Jesus

When he ad been preaching to the people in Rieti in the market place of the city, after the preaching was finished, the bishop of that city straightway rose up, a man both discreet and spiritual and said to the people, “The Lord, from the first day in which He planted and built up His church has always adorned it with holy men, to nourish it by word and example.  But now, in this latest hour He has adorned it with the poor and despised and unlettered man, Francis, and therefore are we bound to love and honor the Lord, and beware of sin.  For he has not done after this manner to any nation.”  Having finished these words, the bishop came down from the place where he had preached and entered the Cathedral.  And Francis coming to him, throwing himself at his feet, bowed down before him and said, “In truth I say to you, my lord Bishop, that no man has done so much honor to me in this life as you have done to me today.  Now those men say, “This is a holy man” attributing to me glory and sanctity and not to the Creator.  But you, as one discreet, have separated the precious from the vile.”

            For when Francis used to be praised and called holy, he tended to respond to such speeches this way, “I am not yet so secure that I may not have sons and daughters.  For at whatever hour the Lord should take away from me the treasure which He has commended to me, what else would remain to me, what else would remain to me but body and soul, which even infidels have?  No, I ought to believe that if the Lord should have granted so many and so great gifts to a thief or an infidel as to me they would have been more faithful to their Lord than I.  For, as in the picture of the Lord and the Virgin painted on wood, the Lord and the Virgin are honored, and yet the wood and the picture take nothing of it to themselves, so the servant of God is in a manner a picture of God, wherein God is honored  on account of His goodness.  But he ought to take nothing of this to himself, since in respect of God, he is less than the wood and the picture—rather he is pure nothing.  And therefore unto God alone must the glory and honor be rendered but unto him only shame and tribulation while he lives among the miseries of this life.”

                        -Mirror of Perfection, Section IV, Chapter 45

Living With Lepers

Blessed Francis, from the beginning of his conversion, the Lord aiding him, founded himself like a wise builder upon the rock: namely, the great humility and poverty of the Son of God, calling his Order that of the Friars Minor because of his great humility. From the beginning of the order he wished that the friars should live in leper houses to serve the sick, and there lay a foundation of holy humility.  For when gentle and simple folk came to the order, amid the other things which were announced to them, he tended to say that it was good for them to serve lepers and abide in their houses.  

So it was in the first Rule: “They are willing to have nothing under heaven except holy poverty, by this they may be fed by the Lord in this world with bodily and spiritual food, and in the life to come they will attain their heavenly inheritance.”  In this way he chose for himself and others a foundation on the greatest humility and poverty.  He might have chosen to have been a great prelate in the church of God, he chose and wished to be lowly, not only in the church of God, but also among his brethren.  For this lowliness, in his opinion and desire, was very great exaltation in the sight of God and man.

-Section IV, Chapter 44

Humility isn’t about seeing yourself as some invalid or monster.  Humility isn’t lying about yourself to seem more-modest-than-thou.  Humility is putting oneself in situations that lowers your social standing.  Francis wanted his Brothers Minor to live with lepers partly to assist the lepers, and to give them a better context in which to live.  But mostly he did it because he realized that if they lived with lepers, they would also be outcast from normal society.

Isn’t that the way of it?  If you hang around with the outcasts, the outcastness rubs off on you.  In the Mosaic Law, that was a bad thing.  You didn’t want to be separated from society, to be declared “unclean”.  But Jesus had parties with the outcast, and welcomed their attention.  He touched the leper who was not supposed to be touched.  He forgave those who should not be forgiven. And he loved those who should not be loved.

This is the true way of humility: loving those who “should” not be loved.  Surrendering your own reputation and personal well being to do so.  This is the way of Jesus. 

Instructions to Sick Brothers

Francis was not ashamed to obtain meat for a sick friar in the public places of the cities, yet he warned them that lay sick to bear want patiently, and not to rise in scandal when they were not fully satisfied.  He wrote in the first Rule, “I beseech my brethren that in their infirmities they grow not angry, nor be disturbed against God or their brethren, nor demand medicines too eagerly, nor desire too greatly to set free the flesh that so soon shall die, which is the enemy of the spirit.  But let them give thanks for all things, and desire to be such as God would have them to be.  For those, whom the Lord hath preordained to life eternal, He teaches with the stings of scourges and infirmities, as He himself says, ‘As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.’”

                        -Section IV, Chapter 42

Growing up, it was a tradition that any of the men of the house (there were three of us), when we were sick, that we would be miserable and attempt to share that misery with those around us.  We would whine and complain, both about how we were feeling and about how we were being ignored.  Well, of course everyone ignored us.  We were awful.

Francis wisely points out that just because we are sick, we don’t forget that Jesus main command was to love one another.  We do not have permission to ignore this command just because we are sick, or weak, or mentally ill or poor or under other limitations.  Our weakness may limit our capacity to give love, but we never, for any reason, have to make others miserable. 

Surrendering Leadership

To observe the virtue of holy humility, a few years after his conversion he resigned the office of his prelacy in a certain chapter before the friars, saying, “From now on I am dead to you, but behold Brother Peter of Catana, whom both I and we all will obey.”  And throwing himself on the earth before him, he promised him obedience and reverence. At this point all the friars wept and their exceeding great grief forced from them deep sighs, when they saw themselves in a manner become orphans of such a father.  But the holy Father rising, with his eyes raised to heaven and his hands joined, said, “Lord, I commend to You your family which you have previously committed to me.  Now on account of the infirmities which You know, O most sweet Lord, being unable to have the care of it, I commend it to its Ministers, who shall be held in the day of judgment to show cause before You, O Lord, if any brother should perish through their negligence or evil example or bitter correction.”  He remained therefore from that time a subject until the day of his death, bearing himself more humbly in all things than any of the others.

                        -Mirror of Perfection Section IV, Chapter 39

The person who has power wants to retain that power.  But the leader under Christ knows the time to relinquish power and surrenders it with humility.  Even then, it is difficult to do this correctly.  To assist others to follow the new leader.  To stop up all bitterness that some would have against the new leader simply because they are not the old leader.

Francis, as always, leads by example and prayer.  He shows his own willingness to completely submit to the new leader, and insists for the rest of his life that he is just one among the brothers.  And in his prayer he does the greatest act—he surrenders his leadership, not to the new leader, but to God.  So now God rules over the brothers and guides them by His mercy. 

Judging the Poor

When Francis had gone to preach at a certain dwelling of the friars near Rocca Brizzi, it happened that on that day on which he should preach a certain poor and infirm man came to him.  Francis had much compassion on him, so he began to speak to his friend of the man’s poverty and sickness and his friend said to him, “Brother, it is true that he seems poor enough; but it may be that in the whole province there is no one who wishes more to be rich than he.”  Francis immediately reproved the monk, and he confessed his fault.  Blessed Francis said, “Will you do the penance that I ask you to do?”  He answered, “Willingly, I will.”  Francis said to him, “Then go and take off your tunic and throw yourself naked at the poor man’s feet, and tell him how you have sinned against him in speaking evil and ask him to pray for you.”  The friar went and did all the things which blessed Francis had told him.  When he had done it, he arose and put on his tunic and returned to Francis.  And Francis said to him, “Would you like to know how you have sinned against him—and Christ, as well?  When you see a poor man, you should consider Him in whose name he comes, namely, Christ, who took our poverty and infirmity on Him.  For the infirmity and poverty of this man is as a mirror to us, on which we may see and consider with compassion the sickness and poverty of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

                        -Section III, Chapter 37

Poor people aren’t perfect.  They have a lot of errors, as do we all.  However, it is easy to look at the faults of the poor and to use that as an excuse to neglect generosity, mercy and humility.  If we use the faults of others to neglect our own Christlikeness, it is our own responsibility and we must repent. 

To see Christ in the poor is not to be ignorant of other’s sins or weaknesses.  Rather, it is to see Jesus in them despite their sin and weakness.  It is to provide for Jesus’ people despite the difficulties.  In fact, love sees other’s weaknesses and gives in a way to meet their need, not to encourage sin.  To see Christ is the poor means that we will never, ever, neglect them, for they are our brothers and sisters.

Anger in Poverty

At the hill of the lordship of Perugia, Francis met a certain poor man whom he had known before in the world, and said to him, “Brother how is it with you?”  But he with angry mind began to utter curses on his lord, saying, “By the grace of my lord, whom may the Lord curse, I can be nothing but ill, since he has taken away from me all my goods.”  But blessed Francis, seeing that he persisted in mortal hatred, having pity on his soul, said to him, “Brother, forgive your lord for the love of God and free your own soul.  It may be that he will restore what was taken away, but if you don’t you will have lost your goods and you will lose your soul.”  And he said, “I cannot forgive him at all, unless he first returns what he has taken away from me.”  Then Francis answered, “Behold, I give you this mantle—I beg you to forgive your lord for the love of the Lord God.”  And immediately his heart was sweetened, and moved by this good deed, he forgave his lord his injuries.

                        -Mirror of Perfection Section III, Chapter 32

Psalm 73 was written by a man in anger against the rich because of their oppression against the poor.  At the same time, the psalmist recognized that he was unworthy of being in God’s presence because of such anger.  The Lord allows us all the shame of being wronged, partly so we can share in the forgiveness God grants us.  To forgive is to share in the nature of God, and to refuse forgiveness—to retain bitterness and rage—is to separate ourselves from God, whose nature is love. 

Francis here is not only forgiving, but teaching forgiveness.  He is willing to part from that which is his own in order to grant another what he cannot give directly—a soft heart toward God’s nature.  This is spiritual discipleship; this is, in truth, imparting the imitation of Christ.  We must seek how to offer such participation in God’s love, by any means possible. 

Francis: Fundraiser for the Poor

At the cell of Cortona, the blessed Father was wearing a new mantle which the friars had been at some trouble to obtain for him.  A poor man came to the dwelling, weeping for his dead wife and his wretched orphaned family.  To whom the compassionate saint said, “I give you this mantle on the condition that you will not surrender it to anyone unless they buy it from you and pay you well for it.”  The friars, hearing this, ran together to the poor man to take the mantle away from him.  But the poor man, gathering boldness from the face of Francis, with clasped hands was carrying it away as his own.  At last the friars redeemed the mantle, procuring that the due price should be given to the man.

                        -Mirror of Perfection Section III, Chapter 31

At times, providing for the needy requires imagination and a sneaky nature.  Francis, taking advantage of his popularity, used it for the sake of a needy man.  Manipulation is not always wrong, if it is used for the benefit of those around us. 

Stealing From The Poor

Once when he was returning from Siena, he came across a poor man on the way and he said to his fellow, “We ought to return this mantle to its owner.  For we received it only as a loan until we should come upon one poorer than ourselves.”  But his fellow, considering the necessity of the holy Father, maintained that he ought not to neglect himself to provide for another.  To whom the saint answered, “I will not be a thief.  For it would be counted to us for a theft if we should not give to him who is more needy.”  And so the pious father handed over the mantle to the poor man.

                        -Mirror of Perfection Section III, Chapter 30

To give to the poor is to loan to the Lord.  To keep for ourselves when one with greater need is before us is to steal, not just from the poor, but from God himself.  God gives to us in order to redistribute our own belongings to those in greater need.  This is the stewardship of love. And this is the seed of abundant reward we will receive from our Father.

Let's Get Naked!

At Celano in the winter time, when Francis had a cloth folded like a mantle which a certain friend of the friars had lent to him, there came to him an old woman seeking alms.  Who forthwith loosed the cloak from his neck, and though it belonged to another, gave it to the poor old woman, saying, “Go and make a tunic for yourself, because you need it enough.”  The old woman laughed, astonished, I know not from fear or joy, took the cloth from his hands, and lest delay should bring about a danger of his taking it back, ran very swiftly and fell upon the cloth with her scissors.  But when she found the cloth was not large enough for a tunic, she came back to the first kindness of the holy Father, pointing out to him that the cloth was not large enough for a tunic.  The saint turned his eyes to his fellow who wore such another cloth on his back and said to him, “Listen to what this poor woman says.  For the love of God let us bear the cold and give that cloth to the poor woman that her tunic may be finished.”  And so as he gave, so did his fellow.  Thus both of them remained bare that the poor woman might be clothed.

                        -Mirror of Perfection Section III, Chapter 29

I know of people who surrendered the shoes off of their feet so another may not be shoeless.  This is not because they had shoes at home, but because the need of the other was so great.  While we should not, as Francis, make a habit of giving away that which was not ours, still we should consider our own possessions so lightly as to meet the need of the other.  This is not so that we would be in want while the other be clothed, but because we can rely on the provision of the Lord to grant us more.  We need not worry, God will provide with abundance.

Compassion on Weaker Brothers

At a certain time when Francis began to have friars, dwelling with them at Rivo Torto near Assisi, one of the friars, in the middle of the night, began crying out, “I am dying!  I am dying!”  All the brothers woke up amazed and frightened.  The holy Father rising, said, “Rise, brothers, and kindle the light!”  And when it was lit, he said, “Who is he that said, ‘I am dying’?”  The brother answered, “It was I.”  And he said to him, “What is the matter, brother?  How do you die?”  And he said, “I die of hunger.” 

And the Father caused the table to be laid right away and like a man full of charity and discretion, ate with him lest he should be put to shame by eating alone, and by his will, all the other friars ate as well.  For that brother and all the other friars who had newly turned to the Lord, used to inflict their bodies beyond measure. 

And after the meal the holy Father said to the other friars, “Dearest, I bid you, each of you, consider his nature because though one of you may be able to sustain himself on less food, yet I will that another who requires more food shall not be bound to imitate the first in this thing, but shall, considering his own nature, give his body what it requires, so that it may be able to serve the spirit.  For as we are bound to beware of superfluity of eating, which harms body and soul, so also must we beware of too great abstinence—nay, even more—since the Lord will have mercy and not sacrifice.”  And he said, “Dearest brothers, this which I have done, to wit, that on account of charity towards my brother, we have eaten together with him, lest he should be ashamed to eat alone, necessity and charity rather forced me to do.  But I say to you that I would not do so again, seeing it would be neither religious nor becoming.  But I will and command you that each of our brothers according to our poverty satisfy his body as it shall be necessary for him.”  For the first friars and the others who came after them for a long time, afflicted their bodies beyond measure with abstinence from food and drink, with vigils, with cold, with roughness of raiment and the labor of their hands; they wore next their flesh very strong iron belts and cats and hair shirts; on which account, seeing by occasion of this the friars might become weak and that some were already in that short time ill, he forbade in a certain chapter any friar to wear anything next the skin except a tunic.

            But we who were with him bear testimony of him, that though in the whole time of his life he was thus discreet and temperate concerning his brothers, yet it was so that they should at no time deviate from the way of poverty and the decorum of our Order.  Nevertheless, the most holy Father himself from the beginning of his conversion unto the end of his life, was austere to his own body, although he was by nature feeble and could not have lived in the world, except delicately.  So, considering on a certain day, that the friars were exceeding the measure of poverty and of decency in their food and in other things, in a certain sermon which he made to sundry brothers, in the presence of all the friars he said, “Let not the brothers think that some allowance is necessary to my body, for because it behooves me to be the form and example of all friars, I wish to use and be content with few and very wretched meats and to use all other things according to poverty and utterly to turn in disgust from things rare and delicate.”

            -Mirror of Perfection Section III, Chapter 27

Francis, even along with Benedict, recognizes that the austere seem, at times, to put a tremendous burden on the weak.  Indeed, this was one of the main concerns of church leadership about the early Franciscan order.  What we all must realize is that everyone is at a different level.  Some have the ability to closely follow the way of Francis.  Others will never follow that way.  The Lord has given us different starting places, and different places to finish.  Not all will be able to pray for hours a day; not all will be scholars of the Bible; not all will sacrifice their lives for Jesus; not all can endure the weight of the need of the world.  Those who can, should accept it, but those who cannot should not feel guilty.  Each of us is given a burden from the Lord, and that burden is sufficient.  Let no one add to it, and let us not feel overburdened to add to it ourselves.

Jesus himself warned us: "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea." (Mark 9:42) Paul also encouraged us: "We who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves." (Romans 15:1)  We need to accept and encourage our weak sisters and brothers, not condemn them or reject them.  

Attitude of Receiving

At another time, when the Father was at St. Mary of the Porziuncula, a certain very spiritual poor man was coming through the street returning from Assisi with alms and when along praising God in a loud voice with much joyfulness.  But when he drew near the church of Mary, Francis heard him and immediately with great fervor and joy went out to him, running up to him in the path, and with great joyfulness, he kissed the shoulder where he carried the scrip with alms.  And he took the wallet from his shoulder and put it on his own shoulder and thus brought it into the house of the friars, and in their presence said, “Thus I would that a brother of mine should go and return with alms, glad and joyful and praising God.”

                        -Mirror of Perfection Section II, Chapter 25

With great welcome and joy should we bring the needy into our house, ready to both give and to receive whatever is offered.

Prayer of St. Francis

The prayer that is often accredited to Francis (beginning, "Lord, make me an instrument...") isn't Francis' at all, although an excellent prayer.  In fact, it doesn't appear anywhere before 1912.


But Francis did have many of his own prayers that were published.  One of the most famous is the Prayer of Francis in Praise of God.  A wonderful version of this prayer was composed and performed by John Michael Talbot:

The translated original text is this:

You are holy, Lord, the only God,
and Your deeds are wonderful.
You are strong.
You are great.
You are the Most High.
You are Almighty.
You, Holy Father are King of heaven and earth.
You are Three and One, Lord God, all Good.
You are Good, all Good, supreme Good, Lord God, living and true.
You are love. You are wisdom.
You are humility. You are endurance.
You are rest. You are peace.
You are joy and gladness.
You are justice and moderation.
You are all our riches, and You suffice for us.
You are beauty.
You are gentleness.
You are our protector.
You are our guardian and defender.
You are our courage. You are our haven and our hope.
You are our faith, our great consolation.
You are our eternal life, Great and Wonderful Lord,
God Almighty, Merciful Saviour.

Laziness

In the first days of the order, when the friars dwelt at Rivo Torto near Assisi, there was among them a certain friar who prayed little and did not work, who would not ask for alms and used to eat well.  Considering these things, Francis knew by the Holy Spirit that he was a carnal man, and said to him, “Go your way, friar, fly, since you would eat of the labor of the brothers and be idle in the work of God, like a lazy and sterile drone which profits nothing and labors not but eats the labor and profit of the good bees.”  And so he went his way.  And because he was carnal, he did not seek for mercy nor did he find it.

                        -Mirror of Perfection Section II, Chapter 24

Thankfully Having Thanksgiving

When a certain minister of the friars had come to Francis to celebrate the feast of Christmas with him in the friars’ dwelling at Rieti, the friars, because of the minister and the feast, laid out the table a little worshipfully and choicely on that Christmas Day, putting on fair and white napery and glass vessels.  But the father, coming down from his cell to eat saw the tables placed on high and so choicely laid out.  Then he quickly went out secretly and took the staff and wallet of a certain poor man who had come near that day, and calling to him with a low voice one of his fellows, went out to the door of the dwelling, the brothers of the house not knowing it.  But his fellow remained near the door. 

The friars in the meantime had sat down at the table, for the father had ordered that the friars should not wait for him, when he did not come right away at meal time.  He stood for a while outside and then knocked at the door and his fellow opened the door for him, and coming with his wallet behind his back and his stick in his hand, he went to the door of the room in which the friars were eating like a pilgrim and a pauper and called out saying, “For the love of the Lord God, give an alms to this poor and infirm pilgrim.”  But the minister and the other friars knew him right away. 

And the minister answered, “Brother we are also poor and since we be many, the alms we have be necessary to us.  But for the love of the Lord whom you have named, enter the house and we will give you of the alms which the Lord has given to us.”  And when he had entered and stood before the table of the friars, the minister gave him his own platter and his own bread as well.  And humbly accepting it he sat down near the fire in the presence of the friars sitting at the table. 

And sighing, he said to the friars, “When I saw the table worshipful and sumptuously laid out, I thought within myself it was not the table of poor religious who daily go from door to door for alms.  For it becomes us, dearest, more than other religious to follow the example of the humility and poverty of Christ, because we are professed and called to this before God and men.  So it seems that I now sit as a Friar Minor, for the feasts of the Lord and of other saints are rather honored with the want and poverty by which those saints conquered heaven for themselves, than with the elegance and superfluity by which they may be made distant from heaven.” 

The friars were ashamed, considering he was speaking the pure truth.  And some of them began to weep greatly, seeing how he was sitting on the earth, and that he would correct and instruct them in so holy and pure a way.  For he admonished the friars that they should have such humble and decent tables that by them the worldly might be edified.  And if any poor man should come and be invited by the friars that he might sit as an equal beside them, and not the poor man on the earth and the friars up high.

                        -Mirror of Perfection, Section II, Chapter 20

On the surface, it seems as if there is nothing wrong with having a grand feast with fancy settings and a gourmet meal.  After all, all the earth is the Lord’s and He has given it to us to enjoy and to glorify Him.  Jesus himself participated in feasts to such a degree that he was called a glutton.  And the kingdom of God is to be celebrated in feasts and glory.

But Francis’ point should not be missed.  He is not exactly saying that feasts should not be had, but that no feast should be had to such a degree that a poor person would be uncomfortable to join in such frivolity.  If our feasting is such that a poor person cannot participate, then it is not worthy of Christ.  Jesus said, “When you give a dinner, invite the poor, the crippled, the blind and you will be blessed for they do not have the means to repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” (Luke 14:13-14)  To be a follower of Jesus is to have all of your activities shared by the most needy of this world.  If we set up part of our lives to not be shared by those in need, then we are not, in that way, living the life of Jesus.  And should not our feasts, parties and holidays, the very representatives of the Kingdom of God, be most like the love of Jesus?

Next time you have a party or feast, be sure to invite the homeless, needy, separated, outcast, immigrant and hopeless and so allow your very celebration to represent the coming kingdom of Jesus.