Francis and Christ Crucified

After his initial vision, Francis sought out secluded places, where one could mourn in peace, and he would groan and pray aloud.  Finally, his prayers were answered and he received an answer from the Lord.   At one point completely absorbed in the Lord, he saw a vision of Christ, crucified before him.  Francis’ soul melted within him, and this vision impressed him so strongly that anytime he had remembrance of Christ on the cross, he would have to restrain himself from weeping.    It was by this vision that Francis finally understood the meaning of Jesus’ words, “If you would come after me, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me.”

From this point on, Francis took on poverty, humility and goodness.   Up until this point, not only the proximity, but even the distant sight of lepers would disgust him.  But since he saw Christ, marred and despised as any leper, he finally overcame himself.  He would constantly seek to offer humble and gentle service to any leper when he saw them.  He would go to lepers’ homes, offer them alms and then kiss their hands and faces. 

When Francis saw the poor, he would never hesitate to give them something, sometimes his own necessity, stripping off his clothes, or tearing at them to give the poor at least a scrap, when he had nothing else to give.  If he saw a poor priest, he would treat them with the utmost respect and offer them not only goods, but something  for them to place on their altar, so he shared in their worship.

At one point, he visited St. Peters and he saw a group of beggars before the church.  He gladly stripped off his garments, gave them to the neediest beggar there.  Then he spent his day with the beggars, gladly partaking in the poverty of the gospel.

All this he did before he had donned any habit or formed his way of life. 

-From The Life of Francis by Bonaventure, Chapter 1, sections 5 and 6

Francis' Vision

Francis had no thought of his future, but was caught up in his father’s textile business and his father’s wealth.  The Lord desired to give Francis insight, so he afflicted Francis with a disabling illness.  Once Francis had recovered, he dressed in his fine clothes and went out.  After leaving, Francis met a soldier who was of noble birth, but had fallen on hard times, and was dressed poorly.  Francis immediately took off his outer garments and gave them to the man, showing his honor to a former soldier and his compassion for a poor man.

That night, Francis slept and dreamed of approaching a huge, opulent castle, filled with banners and shields that bore the cross of Christ.  When he asked the occupants whose they were, he was told that they were his and that all the soldiers were his to command.  

When he awoke in the morning, he knew that the dream had been given to him by God, so he thought how he might act to receive this wonderful prize.  So he walked to Apulia, where a wealthy count was battling.  He thought that to win glory in war was certainly a way to obtain great riches.

On his way to the city, he heard the voice of God speaking to him as if He were a friend, saying, “Francis, who can provide you the greater reward: the wealthy man or the poor man?” 

Francis immediately answered: “Well, the wealthy one, of course.”

The Lord then said, “Then why do you seek help from the servant instead of the Lord, from a poor mortal instead of the wealthy God?”

Francis stopped and said, “Well, then, what should I do?”

He was told, “Go back home. The vision you saw was from the Spirit, and you must seek such wealth from God and not from human counsel.”

Francis rested overnight and then hurried back to Assisi, rejoicing and awaiting God’s instructions.

-Paraphrased from Bonaventure's Life of Francis, 1.2 and 1.3 

Francis the Merchant

THERE was a man in the city of Assisi, by name Francis, whose memory is blessed, for that God, graciously preventing him with the blessings of goodness, delivered him in His mercy from the perils of this present life, and abundantly filled him with the gifts of heavenly grace. For, albeit in his youth he was reared in vanity amid the vain sons of men, and, after gaining some knowledge of letters, was appointed unto a profitable business of merchandise, nevertheless, by the aid of the divine protection, he went not astray among the wanton youths after the lusts of the flesh, albeit given up unto pleasures ; nor among the covetous merchants, albeit intent on his gains, did he put his trust in money and treasure. For there was divinely implanted in the heart of the young Francis a certain generous compassion toward the poor, the which, growing up with him from infancy, had so filled his heart with kindliness that, when he came to be no deaf hearer of the Gospel, he was minded to give unto all that asked of him, in especial if they pleaded the love of God.

But once on a time, when he had been busied with the cares of his trading, and, contrary unto his wont, had sent empty away a certain beggar who besought an alms for the love of God, he forthwith, returning unto his pitiful mind, ran after him, and bestowed alms in merciful wise upon him; promising unto the Lord God that thenceforward he would never, while he could, refuse any that asked of him, pleading the love of God. And this promise with unwearied goodness he did observe until his death, thereby winning abundant increase of the love and grace of God. For he was wont to say in after time, when he had perfectly put on Christ, that, even while he was in the secular state, he could scarce ever hear words telling of the love of God, and remain unmoved in heart. Assuredly the charm of his gentleness and his courtly bearing, his submissiveness and docility surpassing mens wont, his open-handed largesse even beyond his means, were all clear tokens of the fair disposition of the youth, and seemed to be a presage of the abundance of divine blessing that should thereafter be poured out more richly upon him.


-The Life of Francis by Bonaventure, Chapter 1.1

Francis' Weakness

A certain companion once said to Francis, “Father, forgive me if I say anything to you which you may have already considered.  You know how previously through the grace of God the whole Order flourished in the purity of perfection.  You know how all friars with great enthusiasm and encouragement lived out holy poverty in everything, in small and poor buildings and furniture in few and poor books and clothes.  In these areas and in all external actions they were of one mind and action and they were encouraging the observation of all things which pertain to our profession and vocation and example of all.  And thus they were of one mind in the love of God and to their neighbor, as men who were apostolic and evangelical in truth. 

            “But recently this purity and love begins to change.  There are many who excuse the friars on account of its popularity, saying that because of so many friars the Rule cannot be observed by them.  Many friars have, in fact, come to such blindness that they think that people will be more edified and turn to devotion by this way rather than the former, and it seems to them that they now live more decently because they despise and count as nothing the way of holy simplicity, humility and poverty, which was the beginning and foundation of our Order.  Now we observe these things and we believe that they are displeasing to you.  But we wonder that if they really do displease you, why do you allow them and not correct them?”

            Francis answered him, “May the Lord have mercy on you, brother since you will be in opposition to me and try to get be involved in things that do not pertain to my office.  For as long as I had the office of superior over the friars I satisfied them by example and preaching, even though I was often ill,  and they remained in their vocation and profession.  After I saw that the Lord multiplied the number of friars and I saw that they began to depart from the right and secure way by which they had been used to walk and entered the broad way which leads to death because of their lukewarmness and lack of spirit.  They were not following their vocation and profession and a good example.  And they did not abandon this dangerous path, despite my preaching and admonition and the example which I showed to them continually.  Therefore I handed over the rule of the Order to the Lord and the Ministers.  At the time, I excused myself from leadership in the Chapter-General for the reason of my illnesses and I gave up the office of superiority over the friars.  But if the friars desired to walk according to my will even now, for their consolation and usefulness, I would desire that they had no other minister except me to the day of my death. I would actually rejoice at the benefit and the welfare because of the gain they and I would have.  Even if I were lying in bed I would not be ashamed to assist them, because my office of superiority is spiritual only—just to keep under control faults and to correct them spiritually.  

"But since I am not able to correct them by preaching, admonition and example, I will not become an executioner by punishing and flogging them, like the magistrates of this world.  For I trust in the Lord that the invisible enemies, who are the police officers of the Lord for punishment in this world and in the next, will take vengeance on those who have transgressed the commands of God and the vow of their profession and will cause them to be corrected by the men of this world to their disgrace and shame.  In this way, they will return to their vocation and profession.  Yet until the day of my death I will not cease at once to teach the brothers by example and the good works which the Lord has shown me and I will walk by that way which I have taught and show them by word and example.  In this way they will not have an excuse before god and I will not be forced to give an account of them before God.”

                        -Mirror of Perfection, Section IV, Chapter 71

It is good for leaders to recognize their weakness and their inabilities in leadership.  It is sad when only on leader will keep the organization following Jesus.  But some leaders are better at following Jesus than establishing an organization that will help all within it to follow Jesus.  We all have different giftings.

The Fallen Order

Francis used to say, “The time will come in which this Order, loved by God, will be so disrespected by the bad example of evil friars that it will be ashamed to go out in public.  But they who in that time will come to join the Order, will be led only by the working of the Holy Spirit, and flesh and blood will raise no stain on them, and they will be blessed by the Lord.  Unfortunately, good deeds will not be found in them, since charity which makes the saints work hard grows cold.  Great temptations will come upon them; and those in that time will have been found more worthy than their predecessors.  But woe to those who, in the form and appearance only of religious conversation, applauding themselves in their wisdom and confident in their learning, be found idle.  These idle are not acting in the works of virtue, in the way of repentance and in the pure observation of the Gospel, which, by their profession they are bound to observe pure and simply.  For these will not persistently resist the temptation which shall be permitted to happen for the proving of the elect.  But those who have been tried and approved will receive the crown of life, which, in the meantime, the malice of the reprobate will urge them on.

                        Mirror of Perfection, Section IV, Chapter 70

Every organization shifts and focuses on a new purpose.  Every organization eventually gets caught up in a mix of dead tradition and moves ahead in purposes grown out of lowest human endeavors.   Most organizations cannot remain in the way of Jesus, no matter how godly or inspired the founders.  Organizations become redundant, self-consuming, a blight on society.  This is not a possibility, it is a prophecy, a certainty that must eventually unfold.  The only way to avoid this is to have the leaders constantly examine themselves and their work to determine if it is following the path Jesus established in the gospels.