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.