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.