Day 23. Admonition 20

Of the Good and Humble Religious. Blessed are they who do not regard themselves as better when they are esteemed and extolled by others, than when they are reputed as mean and despicable, so much they are and no more. 1 Woe to those religious who are elevated in dignity by others and, who by their own will are not ready to descend. Blessed are they (Matt.24:26) who are raised in dignity not by their own will, and who always desire to be beneath the feet of others. Rather than comment on this Admonition, I have chosen to include the passage cited below.

Chapter VI.I Francis’ Humility and Obedience –God’s Condescension to His Slightest Wish Francis had humility in abundance, the guardian and the crowning glory of all virtue. He was a mirror and a shining example of Christian perfection but in his own eyes he was only a sinner, and it was on this that he based his spiritual progress, laying the foundation he had learned from Christ, as a careful architect should (cf. 1Cor3, 10). The Son of God, he used to say, descended from the sublimity of the Father’s bosom to share our misery and become our Lord and Teacher, in order to teach us humility by word and example. Therefore as Christ’s true disciple, he was careful to preserve a low opinion of himself and appear worthless in the eyes of others, keeping in mind the words of the supreme Teacher, “What is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in God’s sight” (Lk 16, 15). He often used to remark, “What a man is before God, that he is and no more,” Consequently he was convinced that it was foolish to be elated when people showed him marks of respect; he was upset by praise, but overjoyed when he was insulted. He liked to have people scorn him --- that spurred him on to do better--- and hated to be praised, which could lead to a fall. When people praised the height of his sanctity, he used to command one of the friars to do the opposite and heap insults on him. Then, as the friar obeyed reluctantly and called him a boor and a time-server, worthless and good for nothing. He would listen cheerfully and say with a smile, “God bless you my son. What you say is true. That is the kind of thing the son of Peter Bernadone should have to listen to.”

1.See Bonav Leg Maj, VI, 1. “And he had these words continually in his mouth ‘what a man is in the eyes of God, so much he is, and no more’ ” See also Imitation of Christ, Bk III, Chap L, where the same saying of St Francis is quoted

1.    Fr. Benen Fahy O.F.M,(trans) 1991 , ‘Major Life of St. Francis, by St. Bonaventure in M. A. Habig (ed.), St. Francis of Assisi Writings and Early Biographies, English  Omnibus of Sources, Franciscan Press Quincy University, p 671