Admonitions of St Francis of Assisi

Day 12 Admonition 12

2012-01-12T16:08:00.001+11:00

Day 12 Admonition 12

Of Knowing The Spirit Of God.

Thus may the servant of God know if he has the Spirit of God: if when the Lord works some good through him, his body—since it is ever at variance with all that is good—is not therefore puffed up; but if he rather becomes viler in his own sight and if he esteems himself less than other men.

[1] Cod O and Is. read “If therefore his body is puffed up, he has not the Spirit of God. If, however, he becomes rather viler in his own sight, then he truly has the Spirit of God.”

Of Discernment.

King David prayed, and taken from the archaic though poetical Authorised version

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.”

Is this the knowing of the Spirit of God that we fear to lose it and to be bereft of consolation even in the Lord’s presence?

Francis speaks of the knowledge of the spirit of God as being something detected when we feel vile and worthless in our own eyes.

Is the Spirit of God something that ebbs and flows within us according to our self-esteem?

Then surely those who lie within the pit of depression have the spirit of God?

Cleanliness of heart, a fresh page in our book of life, each day is as a new beginning as when that blessed Spirit first lit upon our mind; First the joy of a swept out and dusted heart and then the knowledge of the Spirit of God, not in our worthlessness but because the Lord so pleased to send us his Spirit.

Robinson, P. 1906,The Writings of Saint Francis of Assisi [1906] The Online Library of Liberty A Project Of Liberty Fund, Inc.

Deep regression

2011-12-04T13:12:00.000+11:00

It has been sometime since I recorded here, thoughts of our little brother Francis and of what he may have meant to his contemporaries - what he means today. I have been in regression, one might say since out of the depths of my deep depression no light has penetrated my darkness.

By this time I ought to be familiar with the tides that fall so far away from the shore that no human sign reaches them. Tides of my mind, have become my world and even the Saviour seems to have no help for me and so my Faith has failed.

Yet I have despaired and can no longer speak from the depth can no longer console me with possibilities of light-ending my darkness. And so I am.

Self-control

2011-10-13T10:49:00.001+11:00

Day 13. Admonition 10

Of Bodily Mortification.

There are many who if they commit sin or suffer wrong often blame their enemy or their neighbor. But this is not right, for everyone has their enemy in their own control. This is their own body by which they sin. Therefore blessed is that servant who always holds captive the enemy thus given into their power. Who wisely guards themselves from it. As long as they act like this, then no other enemy, visible or invisible, can do them harm.

“Let us go to St Peter and St Paul, and let us pray them together that they may teach us and help us to possess the unbounded treasure of holy poverty, for it is a treasure so great and so divine, that we are not worthy to possess it in these vile bodies of ours.” 1

Francis was crazy about his body, not that he was handsome, rather the opposite though that was not why he constantly referred to it as ‘vile’: He pronounced it his enemy, the enemy of all who would follow Christ.

Francis teaches self-control in the literal sense, that we can control our deeds by keeping our body’s captive.

While it is true that it is in our bodies we enact sin, always our actions follow our intentions.

Thoughts then deeds. But can our mind be captive of our deeds and so is incapable of doing the good?

1( upon the occasion of brother Masseo’s elevation while at prayer: Ch. XIII of The Little Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi

By Brother Ugolino)

Murderers

2011-09-06T21:05:00.001+10:00

Homicides

For there are many religious who, under pretext of seeing better things than those which their superiors command, look back and return to the vomit of their own will. These are homicides and by their bad example cause the loss of many souls.

2 Peter2 20

20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.

21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.

22 Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,”* and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.”

The word homicides ought to read murderers since a homicide is the death of a man rather than the killer of one.

If we get above ourselves when it is thought best we do another thing than is wanted of us, and look back upon our former lives with nostalgia – we may become murderers of those smaller Christians who look to us for example.

This is something I seem to understand within me though cannot articulate it. There is a yearning in me to return to places where I was surefooted and knew my way, rather than continue in this way where I know not the way.

God calls us away from the comfortable roads we tread be they however rocky and rutted and towards another way that is full of mystery and never will be known even when traversed.

Though others look to us for guidance we need not fear to lead them astray for we are not blind guides; the Lord who is the light of the world goes before us. Even though we still do not see the way God guides us to lead them onward, nevertheless be not afraid for he goes with us.

*Proverbs 26:11

As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.

Slings and arrows

2011-09-04T18:35:00.001+10:00

Of Perfect and imperfect obedience – ₁

If, however, a superior command anything to a subject that is against his soul it is

permissible for him to disobey, but he must not leave him [the superior], and if in

consequence he suffer persecution from some, he should love them the more for

God’s sake.

For he who would rather suffer persecution than wish to be separated from his brethren, truly abides in perfect obedience because he lays down his life for his brothers.

Whenever someone asks us to do anything that is against our own conscience we are permitted to disobey- in fact we must.

For those of us in religious life, though we do so (disobey) we ought to remain with our Superior, Guardian, brother or sister Shepherd; even when as the result of our disobedience we suffer persecution from our fellows in religion.

These slings and arrows are to move us to greater love for them, such a love like unto dying for them. Being like Christ for them.

If I have made proper sense of his writing, it appears here that it might be possible for a Subject to mistake the bridling of their own will for the pangs of conscience that would suggest to them that they do not enact the request.

Disobedience in this case is like returning to the vomit of our own self-will. Losing ground after we have come so far.

1 Firstly, because Francis wrote these words of admonishment for himself and his brothers I have decided not to sanitize his words by rendering them gender neutral – as I do sometimes.

What to make of his last sentence: “These are homicides and by their bad example cause the loss of many souls”?

Gossamer threads or thorn bushes

2011-09-03T13:39:00.001+10:00

Gossamer threads or thorn bushes

Of Perfect and imperfect Obedience

The Lord says in the Gospel: they “that do not renounce all that they possess cannot be” a “disciple” and “they that will save their life, shall lose it.”

A person is truly obedient when they leave all they possess, lose their body (and their soul), and wholly obeys their superior, doing whatever the superior requires - (provided the person know that what they do is good and not contrary to the superior’s will).

If at times a person sees things which would be better, or more useful to, them than those which the superior asks of them, let them sacrifice their will to God.

Let them strive to fulfil the work requested by the superior. This is true and charitable obedience, which is pleasing to God and to one’s neighbour.

Obedience, thought to be the domain least visited by most children, can be a thorn bush seeming to ambush the adult in Religion.

I believe that St. Francis must have had difficulties with obedience himself; we read of his childhood escapades, his disobedience to his father. And I feel that his struggle went with him into religious life.

This is one of the longest Admonitions he wrote – and this is just the first half of it. The longest one, I think is the one he wrote on the Body of Christ.

(I have chosen to omit that one – for now, from the comments this month.)

Obedience has a hefty price tag that only the poor might pay. Forsaking everything one owns in order to follow Jesus is too high a price for most. Yet if we don’t, the Gospel tells us we will lose our lives! Surely we will not die for sake of thirty thousand dollars or more (and will we pass through the Needle Gate if we do forsake it?)

What is obedience?

In monetary terms: -For us today it is firstly: to set aside our income, once all our commitments are met and to dedicate it to the Lord’s use. To make beggars of ourselves is far too irresponsible a vocation for religious life today. We are to minister to the children of God and in today’s world that requires money, however tainted the ‘lucre’ may be.

Secondly, to do so with as perfect grace as we can muster – and this will grow as our relationship to our Saviour deepens.

Spiritually - Regarding our Superiors wills, more important than in any other age we must be careful that our words and deeds reflect honesty and goodness – that if our Superior asks anything of us that bruises their own conscience, in charity we must refrain from it and gently chastise our Superior concerning it.

The binding by gossamer threads of Obedience may be the most challenging binding there is for we can forget ourselves in our zeal to amount to something in our own eyes. Given patience we will find our hearts desires,( for higher education or greater skills or a posting to the more traditional Mission Fields) are become our Father’s will for us.

When we have proven that we can be obedient in the little things…

When I have Love

2011-09-01T15:11:00.001+10:00

27.

Of The Virtues Putting Vices To Flight.

Where there is charity and wisdom there is neither fear nor ignorance

Where there is

patience and humility there is neither anger nor worry.

Where there is poverty and joy there is neither cupidity nor avarice.

Where there is quiet and meditation there is neither solicitude nor dissipation.

Where there is the fear of the Lord to guard the house the enemy cannot find a way to enter.

Where there is mercy and discretion there is neither superfluity nor hard-heartedness.

When I have love and know all things, I am neither ignorant nor afraid.

When I have patience and trust in the Lord as only the meek can trust I am neither angry nor careful of anything.

When I have not a care in the world, I am joyful and want for nothing.

When I sit quietly amid the glory of the Lord I neither care too much nor indulge in anything.

When I sit in awe of my God, he guards me from all fear of the foe for my enemy cannot find any way to my soul.

For, when I have mercy and can be trusted in all things I have all that I need and my heart is not hardened against neither man nor beast.

True Love

2011-08-28T17:24:00.001+10:00

Day 28.

Of True Love.

Blessed are those who would love their fellows as much as when they are ill and not able to assist, as they would love them when they are well, and are able to assist.

Blessed are they who would love and fear their fellow human, as much when they are from them, as they would when they are with them.

Who would not say anything about them, behind their backs that could not, with charity, be said in their presence?

True love is to love someone at all times no matter where they are or whether they are in sickness or in health.

So, do we love only as long as they are well enough to help us or do we love them no matter what?

Does absence make our heart grow fonder or are they out of sight and out of mind?

Do we take the advantage of their absence to gossip about them? Things we wouldn’t say in their presence?

True love has neither condition nor place loving all completely and fully. There being nothing ill to say about them whether in their presence or not.

Know thyself'

2011-08-27T13:19:00.001+10:00

Day 27.

Of True Humility.

Blessed are those servants who shall be found as humble among their subjects as if they were among their masters.

Blessed are they who always continue under the rod of correction.

They are “faithful and wise servants” who do not delay to punish themselves for all their offences, interiorly by contrition and exteriorly by confession and by works of satisfaction.

‘Know thyself’

Socrates' guiding rule was, "Know Thyself”1, and another says “Express yourself exactly as your are – and face the consequences”2

In knowing ourselves truly, of all our bumps and bruises, our bad habits, pride avarice – those things that always go before a fall. And we can be so mindful of other’s sayings about these things that we neglect to come to terms with ourselves.

So that we might be of one mind whether in the company of our teachers or our pupils we must offer ourselves to the scrutiny of our brother, the Christ. And so continue to carry our own burdens under Jesus’ easy yolk.

The EFO does not hold with corporal self-chastisement; rather we turn again to Christ for we can mend our ways as often as we break them. Christ will always forgive us and so we need to behave always in the knowledge that we are subjects of the Most High God. To be humble wherever we may be, to know our own worth.

If we know our own worth then we have no reason to boast to our subjects or impress our masters, with false humility.

1Well worth reading

2 For the quote rather than the content of the page.

Listen and Learn

2011-08-25T20:40:00.001+10:00

Day 25.

Of the Frivolous and Talkative Religious.

Blessed is that servant who does not speak through the hope of receiving a reward. Who does not know everything, and who is not “hasty to speak,” but who wisely sees what they should say and answer.

Woe to that religious, who does not conceal in their heart, the good things which the Lord has disclosed to them. Who does not show them to others by the work they do, but rather seeks a reward by telling others about them. These religious have already received their recompense, and their hearers take away little fruit.

They say ‘listen and learn’ and that is a useful maxim for those of us seeking enlightenment in a certain area.

Ever been the little child, eager to show their worth through precocious talk and putting their feet right in the mire of a conversation too deep for little voices.

Wisdom, the awareness of the moment in which to speak and the moment where golden silence speaks more eruditely than any teacher can teach.

In the world of the ‘Religious’ prudence, wisdom and economy of speech all assisted one in the steep climb of the stairway to heaven. It definitely does not pay one to brag or boast of anything, save one display one’s ignorance for all to see!

Far better to do than to tell.

Again it is facta non verba!

Joy or kill-joy

2011-08-24T15:31:00.001+10:00

Day 24.

Of the Happy and the Vain Religious.

Blessed is that religious who feels no pleasure, or joy, save in most holy conversation and the works of the Lord.

Who by these means leads others in joy and gladness to the love of God.

Woe to that religious who takes delight in idle and vain words. Who by this means, provokes others to laughter.

Joy or kill-joy?

It is to our credit when we spend time with the Lord, in our own room, even in our hearts if it is not possible to withdraw from our busy world.

St. Paul tells the Ephesians to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. (and) With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:18 NIV

And like our Saviour, we can teach others to pray, lead others to the joy knowledge and love of Christ brings. Yet does that mean that this is our only joy?

Do we not take joy in creation? Even though God created it and has given it into our charge. Are we not to be joyful at the birth of a new baby, or when we get top marks in a subject we find difficult?

Even those called to active lives in religion need to have fun otherwise we will not be healthy people, will not have balanced lives – and will be useless to others.

Do not kill joy, laughter is good medicine,

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4: 8,9 NIV

The Talents

2011-08-22T16:21:00.001+10:00

Day 22.

Of the Happy and Unhappy Servant.

Blessed are those servants who give up all their goods to the Lord God, for those who retain anything for themselves hide “(their) Lord’s money,” (See Matt 25 18) and that “which they think they, have shall be taken away from them.” (See Luke 8 18.)

Surrender ourselves to the Lord, keep nothing back and God can work wonders through us.

Hiding our torch under the bed does no one any good, and indeed may bring harm to both to ourselves and others.

Matthew 25:18

But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

Luke 8:₁₈

Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.”

Scripture with thanks from http://biblos.com/

Sticks and stones

2011-08-21T16:03:00.001+10:00

Day 21.

Of Compassion toward one’s Neighbour.

Blessed is the person who bears with their neighbour according to the frailty of the neighbour’s nature as much as they would wish to be borne with by the neighbour, if they were like their neighbour.

Sticks and stones

We must all know this adage; that ‘sticks and stones may break our bones bit names will never hurt us.’

How untrue it is, broken bones heal – most of the time yet the unkind word or name callings can linger forever. Especially when we are not our usual selves.

When we are under the weather, sick in mind and heart we can ill bear the one who undermines our self-esteem and spiritual welfare by putting us down.

Let us always remember this when others are in the same boat as we were.

Do not leave our pure hearts empty..

2011-08-19T22:10:00.001+10:00

Day 19. Admonition 16

Of Cleanness of Heart.

“Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.” People are clean in their heart, when they despise earthly things. Always seeking those of heaven, and who, with a pure heart and mind, never cease to adore and contemplate the Lord God Living and True.

I don’t know about you, I have a rather delightful image of a cherub sweeping out its heart, and polishing it to make sure it is clean.

Little eyes and little heart looking to heaven, adoration on their lips and bright shining faces, poised to do the will of the Lord.

In Francis’ time the Christian world was dichotomous - being clean of heart automatically implied despite of earthly things. Today we can fall into the same trap, wanting to divorce ourselves from anything to do with the everyday world so that we can purify ourselves and seek heavenly things.

We must do both, at one and the same time clean up our language and raise our thoughts, give ourselves high ideals and all the while adoring and contemplating God.

And think about this:

“When the evil spirit arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. ₄₅ Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.” (Matthew 12:44,45 NIV)

Do not leave our pure hearts empty.

I could not find anybody to console me

2011-08-19T21:17:00.001+10:00

Day 16. Admonition 13

Of Patience.

While a servant of God is content, they do not know how much interior patience and humility they have.

But when the time comes that those who ought to please them, go against them.

Then they have as much patience and humility as they show at this time, and no more.

But when the time comes that those who ought to please them, go against them.

Francis Psalm II reads

“My heart has grown accustomed to unhappiness and reproaches.

And I endured it when one person who should have sympathised with me did not, and when I could not find anybody to console me.” (Francis Psalm II 10-1;as translated by Sr. Giles EFO)

In his Psalm Francis refers to our Lord Jesus as he was on trial before Pontius Pilate. Though Jesus knew that Peter would betray him nevertheless he still acknowledged his humanity before his Father as he says ‘the one person who should have sympathised with me did not.

Jesus.

Francis takes this up again in his 13^th admonition – adding that it is in these times when our friends desert us or turn against us that we have only as much patience, or enough of any of the virtues, as we have in these adverse moments.

Puffer Fish

2011-08-15T14:58:00.001+10:00

Day 15. Admonition

Of Knowing the Spirit of God.

A servant of God may know if they have the Spirit of God: if when the Lord works some good through them, their body—since it is ever at variance with all that is good—is not puffed up. But rather they become viler in their own sight, and they esteem themselves less than others. [4]

Puffer Fish

My reaction to this admonition is different than before, immediately I read the admonition I thought of ‘Puffer Fish”

They are also known as blowfish, Puffer fish are clumsy swimmers who fill their elastic stomachs with huge amounts of water (and sometimes air) to blow themselves up, hence Blowfish/Puffer fish, to several times their normal size.

Puffer fish do appear on the menu here and there and unless the soup is properly prepared can be deadly, resulting in the person becoming a zombie.

Yet the poison resides not in the fish but rather in its previous meal.

In carrying out God’s work in the world we can become puffed up with pride when we lose sight of the fact that in our selves we can do nothing for the Lord; we are vessels of the Holy Spirit who works through us.

In forgetting this we sometimes become full of ourselves, forgetting the Holy Spirit, puffing ourselves up for all to see, the poison of our delusions of grandeur doing mischief…

Despite this I feel that reviling ourselves is too strong a term for today’s world. We do need to keep our proportions right, but rather than cause harm to ourselves, better to pray for the Spirit of thoughtfulness to remind us that it is God borrowing us for God’s own good purposes.

We are only truly human when we are conscious of our place in the hierarchy of the created

[4 ]Cod O and Is. read “If therefore his body is puffed up, he has not the Spirit of God. If, however, he becomes rather viler in his own sight, then he truly has the Spirit

of God.”

Information about puffer fish from National Geographic for kids

And Wikipedia

If my finger sins.

2011-08-13T14:27:00.000+10:00

Day 13. Admonition 10

Of Bodily Mortification.

There are many who if they commit sin or suffer wrong often blame their enemy or their neighbour. But this is not right, for everyone has their enemy in their own control. This is their own body by which they sin. Therefore blessed is that servant who always holds captive the enemy thus given into their power. Who wisely guards themselves from it. As long as they act like this, then no other enemy, visible or invisible, can do them harm.

If my finger sins.

In these times, in my experience, it is more likely that the Holy Spirit will send us to Reconciliation for the sins of the mind, and by extension our fingers rather than those of the body.

The mischief in our minds in translated to our fingers and we type merrily away sending blessings or curses over the web, texting away on our mobile phones to send evil to those far away. Else we write calumny in News Print and rain scepticism down upon the heads of the innocent; then we point the finger at someone else, protesting our innocence as we do so.

In his own way Francis calls us to the blessings of a changed heart to turn our minds away from thinking evil and our fingers from writing hurt and to place these in the Father’s hands for God has no hand nor mind of God’s own to work well in the world, save our own

How is the Shepherd good?

2011-08-09T11:08:00.001+10:00

Day 9 Admonition 6

Of the Imitation of the Lord.

Let us all consider the Good Shepherd who to save His sheep bore the suffering of the Cross. The sheep of the Lord followed Him in tribulation and persecution and shame, in hunger and thirst, in infirmity and temptations and in all other ways. For doing these things they have received everlasting life from the Lord. So it is a great shame for us, the servants of God, that, while the Saints have practiced works, we expect to receive honour, and glory, for reading and preaching the about them.

How is the Shepherd good?

Unlike the shepherds of his time, Jesus was a good shepherd ,Robert Monti in his Short Pastoral Theology tells us that in the Palestine , of Christ’s day, shepherding was considered a dishonourable profession and held in contempt by the religious leaders of the time._*

From the very beginning of his ministry Jesus shared this contempt and was considered vile and detestable by the Religious leaders of his time.

If we would share his ministry then we must be willing to share this contempt, to be detested and vilified; to allow the religious leaders of our time to send us to our deaths, if they deem it necessary. For this we will receive everlasting life in His name.

Unless we are willing to do this, rather than merely speak of it, (for talk is cheap) and of those who did so brings, shame upon us. There will be no honour or glory for us in this.

*Robert R. Monti

Pastoral Theology

Regent University

Summer, 2001

Through the Glass darkly

2011-08-03T15:44:00.001+10:00

Day3 Admonition 1c

Of the Lord’s Body.

So they who have the Spirit of the Lord, (which dwells in Gods faithful people), they, are the ones who receive the most holy Body and Blood of the Lord. All others who do not have this same Spirit (and who presume to receive Him), eat and drink judgment to themselves.

“O ye human, how long will you be dull of heart?” Why will you not know the truth and “believe in the Son of God?” Behold daily He humbles Himself as when from His “royal throne” He came into the womb of the Virgin. Daily He Himself comes to us with like humility; daily He descends from the bosom of His Father upon the altar in the hands of the priest.

Just as He appeared in true flesh to the Holy Apostles, so now He shows Himself to us in the sacred Bread. The Apostles, by means of their human eyes, saw only His flesh. Yet when contemplating Jesus with their spiritual eyes, the Apostles believed Him to be God.

So today we, seeing the bread and wine with our human eyes, see and firmly believe it to be His most holy Body and true and living Blood. In this way our Lord is ever with His faithful. For, as He Himself said: “Behold I am with you all days, even to the end of the world.”

Through the Glass darkly.

St Paul uses these words when he speaks of all things that fail except for Love.

He says” ¹²For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.”

Francis speaks of Jesus descending from the bosom of his Father into the womb of the virgin, and this is the same as when he

Descends to the Altar at the hands of a priest…

When we do neither see Jesus in the Sacred bread nor contemplate him with Spiritual eyes we do not see God and do not know him to be God…and our eating of his flesh and blood condemns us.

But when we do our knowledge is complete, our vision is clear and we know that Jesus is with us until this world passes away.

God alone knows Godself

2011-08-03T15:15:00.001+10:00

Day 2 Admonition 1b

Of the Lord’s Body.

For neither is the Son, (inasmuch as He is equal to the Father), seen by anyone other than the Father, other than by the Holy Spirit. So, all those who saw the Lord Jesus Christ according to his humanity, and did not see and believe according to the Spirit and the Divinity, that He was the Son of God, were condemned.

In like manner, all those who behold the Sacrament of the Body of Christ (in the form of bread and wine, which is sanctified by the word of the Lord) upon the altar in the hands of the priest, and who do not see and believe according to the Spirit and Divinity that it really is the most holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, are condemned..

The Most High having declared it when God said, “This is My Body, and the Blood of the New Testament” and “those that eat My Flesh and drink My Blood have everlasting life.”

God alone knows Godself

Unless we see Christ and therefore the Father through spiritual eyes, we do not see God at all.

Those that did see Jesus, physically, Nicodemus, his disciples and all others who saw him, were condemned unless they perceived his deity through the gift of the Holy Spirit.

When we behold the holy Sacrament of the Altar and, through the eyes of the holy Spirit, believe it to be the Flesh and Blood of our Saviour then we are not condemned.

The Lord’s Supper Instituted

²⁶While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” ²⁷And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; ²⁸for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.

Matthew 26:26-28 NASB

Present with his disciples

2011-08-03T14:47:00.001+10:00

Admonition 1a

Of the Lord’s Body:

The Lord Jesus said to His disciples: “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father, but by Me. If you had known Me you would, without doubt, have known My Father also: and from now on you shall know Him, and you have seen Him.

Philip said to Him: Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us. Jesus said to him: Have I been so long a time with you and have you not known Me? Philip, they that see Me, see the Father also.

How can you say, Show us the Father?” The Father “lives in inaccessible light,” and “God is a spirit,” and “no human has seen God at any time.” Because God is a spirit, it is only by the spirit that He can be seen, for “it is the spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing.”

Present with his disciples.

John 3:16 was one of the first Biblical references having meaning for me. The story of Nicodemus holds a special place in my heart, because he came by night, because he feared what his peers might say or do.

Later in time, Philip and the other disciples saw him, and yet unknowingly, saw the Father also.

If Jesus is the way the truth and the life and we see him not how then can we come to the Father?

We see Jesus through the intercessions of the holy Spirit, and therefore come to the Father who likewise is Spirit.

Above all things - Pray

2011-07-30T13:24:00.001+10:00

Day 30

Of the Virtues putting Vices to flight.

Where there is charity and wisdom there is neither fear nor ignorance Where there is patience and humility there is neither anger nor worry. Where there is poverty and joy there is neither cupidity nor avarice. Where there is quiet and meditation there is neither solicitude nor dissipation. Where there is the fear of the Lord to guard the house the enemy cannot find a way to enter. Where there is mercy and discretion there is neither excess nor hard-heartedness.

We, in the Ecumenical Franciscan Order Meditate on the Admonitions of St. Francis daily, as part of our Daily Office, our Br. Shepherd has therefore divided these into 31 parts; today we think about virtues and vice.

Why is Solicitude a vice? – Why is it more virtuous to be quiet than kind?

When taken to its extreme being kind, concerned, attentive etc. are degrees of anxiety and to be anxious is a vice.

Paul tells us in Philippians 4: 6, 7 – that anxiety is overcome through prayer.

6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Therefore the most virtuous thing we might do is to pray.

NIV

This is an interesting Admonition; (Part 2)

2011-07-26T14:56:00.000+10:00

26^th July

Admonition 26

How the Servants of God should honour Priests.

Blessed is the servant of God who puts faith in those priests who live upright lives according to the Roman Church.

And woe to those who despise them. For no one should criticise a priest-even one who is a sinner, because the Lord reserves to Himself alone the judgement of a priest.

For, just as so much greater is their responsibility concerning the holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which they possess , and which they receive, and which they alone can minister to others,

so much so is the sin of one who sins against a priest greater than any other sin found amongst men in the whole world.

Translation Pia Fugaccia aka Sr. Giles

This is an interesting Admonition;

(Part 2)

And to sin against Priests is greater than any sin we can commit, (because it is like judging Christ himself)?

In today’s world, in the everyday sense, when we assess another by their behaviour we tend not to count this assessment as a verdict requiring secular or religious censure, rather something necessary for the good of all.

What if the person is a Priest who has committed paedophilia?

Do we think that St. Francis would have it that anyone condemning a Priest for such heinous crimes yet sins against Christ himself?

Rather I believe that any paedophile, Priest or not, sins against Christ… To rape a child is to rape Christ…

How far then do we take Matthew 7:1

What think you?

How the Servants of God should honour Priests. -part 1

2011-07-26T14:33:00.000+10:00

26^th July Admonition 26

Blessed is the servant of God who puts faith in those priests who live upright lives according to the Roman Church.

And woe to those who despise them. For no one should criticise a priest-even one who is a sinner, because the Lord reserves to Himself alone the judgement of a priest.

so much so is the sin of one who sins against a priest greater than any other sin found amongst men in the whole world.

Translation Pia Fugaccia aka Sr. Giles

This is an interesting Admonition; (Part 1)

Francis indicates that our self-regard depends on our regard for others.

When we trust our neighbour we will feel respectful.

When we disapprove of him/her we will feel disrespectful ourselves.

When the one whom we respect or disrespect is a Priest then not only will we experience respectfulness or disrespectfulness, we will incur judgement because God alone judges Priests.

God’s Word translation has 1”’Stop judging so that you will not be judged. 2 Otherwise, you will be judged by the same standard you use to judge others. The standards you use for others will be applied to you”’

Is Francis telling us that if we judge a priest, even an unrighteous one, then God will judge us as severely as if we are Priests ourselves?

And why?

Because (Francis believed) that those who are set aside as Priests are the only Christians permitted and empowered to confect the Eucharist and to administer it to others.

And to sin against Priests is greater than any sin we can commit, (because it is like judging Christ himself)?

Of Bodily Mortification.

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Admonition 10.

There are many who if they commit sin or suffer wrong often blame their enemy or

their neighbor.

But this is not right, for each one has his enemy in his power,—to wit, the body by which he sins.

Wherefore blessed is that servant who always holds captive the enemy thus given into his power and wisely guards himself from it, for so long as he acts thus no other enemy visible or invisible can do him harm.

Well, it is convenient to blame another for our own shortcomings, children do this.

Coming to maturity we learn to face the consequences of our own actions, be they wise or unwise.

We develop ‘self-control’, we come to know ourselves, ‘warts an’ all’ and as often as we can we do not place ourselves in temptation’s way.

Of course, Francis did not have these little things in mind when he taught about ‘Bodily mortification’. Francis taught self-sacrifice or even self-harm as aids to sanctification.

Francis referred to his body as ‘brother Ass’

In his way, he taught responsibility for ones deeds, pointing out that the human body, our human body, is within our own control and could be beaten into submission. Such self-inflicted pain making up for the suffering of Christ, aiding the Holy Souls in their procession to heaven, even aiding their own salvation.

This must not be our way today, self-control, self-knowledge aided by prayer will keep ourselves safe without doing ourselves harm.

Lent is always an opportunity to reach our goal weight.

Of what might we be envious?

2011-07-08T22:34:00.001+10:00

Admonition 8.

Of Avoiding The Sin Of Envy.

The Apostle affirms that “no man can say the Lord Jesus but by the Holy Ghost,”₁

And “there is none that doth good, no not one.”₂

Whosoever, therefore, envies his brother on account of the good which the Lord says or does in him, commits a sin akin to blasphemy, because he envies the Most High Himself who says and does all that is good.

Once more let us reflect; of what might we be envious?

Francis and Paul are talking about people who work miracles, as Francis himself did.

They teach that it is only through the power of Christ working through them that they do miraculous things.

If anyone envies another because they can work miracles, then they envy the one who works through that one who is our Lord Jesus Christ.

This says Francis is blasphemy because when we envy God we would be gods ourselves.

1 I Cor. 12 : 3

2 Ps 52: 4

Of Avoiding The Sin Of Envy.

2011-07-08T22:08:00.001+10:00

Admonition 8.

The Apostle affirms that “no man can say the Lord Jesus but by the Holy Ghost,”₁

And “there is none that doth good, no not one.”₂

Of Avoiding the sin of Envy,

of the spiteful words we associate with it when someone has done something we wanted to do or something was given to someone other than to ourselves.

Avoiding being envious or jealous of or spiteful towards seems a passive act to me, rather I hope I would act by shunning such emotions by actively pushing them away from me.

Francis records that St. Paul wrote that unless one possessed the holy Spirit one could not confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

The Psalmist wrote that no one can do good deeds by themselves.

So, two things here - belonging to, acknowledging, the Lordship of Christ, happens only when we have God’s Spirit within us.

When we have God’s Spirit within us we understand that God is responsible for any good we do because God uses our body’s to work through because God has no physical form.

Since we can do nothing good it is a sin to envy what God does through another because that is envying God.

1 I Cor. 12 : 3

2 Ps 52: 4

Of The Imitation Of The Lord.

2011-07-06T16:41:00.001+10:00

Admonition 6.

Let us all, brothers, consider the Good Shepherd who to save His sheep bore the

suffering of the Cross.

(“’HE WHO follows Me, walks not in darkness,’ says the Lord ₁ By these words of Christ we are advised to imitate His life and habits, if we wish to be truly enlightened and free from all blindness of heart. Let our chief effort, therefore, be to study the life of Jesus Christ.” Thomas à Kempis)

The sheep of the Lord followed Him in tribulation and persecution and shame, in hunger and thirst, in infirmity and temptations and in all other ways;₂ and for these things they have received everlasting life from the Lord.

Wherefore it is a great shame for us, the servants of God, that, whereas the Saints

have practised works, we should expect to receive honor and glory for reading and

preaching the same.

Whenever I read this Admonition I think of Thomas à Kempis, (1380-1471) and his Imitation of Christ.(see beside)

Francis came before him ( Yet it was Thomas who first inspired me, he came first for me) and may have inspired him in some way.

Francis, in a similar manner to our reading of Thomas, exhorts his brothers to follow Christ in every way, everywhere, whereby receiving from Him, everlasting Life.

Francis details this and records that imitating Christ involves all manner of deprivation and suffering.

When have we been in dire straits in one way or another and have not offered it for the glory of God and his Christ?

And I always find it amusing here, where Francis says that it is a great shame for us to expect ‘glory’ just by reading of and preaching about their deeds. Mayhap a little like myself who attempts to preach Christ via the words of the Saints rather than from my own experience and from the Scriptures.

1 John 8:12 & Book 1, The first chapter: Imitating Christ and despising all vanities on earth.

2. See John 10:11, Heb. 12: 2, John 10:4, Rom. 8:35

That No One Should Glory Save In The Cross Of The Lord

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Admonition 5

Consider, O man, how great the excellence in which the Lord has placed you because

He has created and formed you to the image of His beloved Son according to the body and to His own likeness according to the spirit.1 And all the creatures that are under heaven serve and know and obey their Creator in their own way better than you

And even the demons did not crucify Him, but you together with them crucified Him and still crucify Him by taking delight in vices and sins. Wherefore then can you glory?

For if you were so clever and wise that you possessed all science, and if you knew

how to interpret every form of language and to investigate heavenly things minutely, you could not glory in all this, because one demon has known more of heavenly things and still knows more of earthly things than all men, although there may be some man who has received from the Lord a special knowledge of sovereign wisdom.

In like manner, if you were handsomer and richer than all others, and even if you

could work wonders and put the demons to flight, all these things are hurtful to you

and in nowise belong to you, and in them you cannot glory; that, however, in which

we may glory is in our infirmities,2 and in bearing daily the holy cross of our Lord

Jesus Christ.

Aside (As I read the Admonition for today I am struck by its likeness to the rhythm or beat of St. Paul’s prose, (as in Douay –Rheims) even in English, the similar stresses and unstressed words that carry us along within his teachings.)

Francis says ‘Consider O man, how great the excellence in which the Lord has placed you…’ Francis seems to build us up to take the fall of our disobedience, our presumption; because all other creatures serve, know and obey their creator, (after the manner of each kind in its capacity to know and love God) better than we do.

Our Father created us to be ‘a little lower than the angels crowned us with glory and honour and set us over all other beings, (Psalm 8:5) yet, in our service of God we fall from this position of trust.

I will leave us with some words by the Writer to the Hebrews:-

26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins,

27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose you, shall he be thought worthy, who has trodden underfoot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant, with which he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and has done despite to the Spirit of grace?

30 For we know him that has said, Vengeance belongs to me, I will recompense, said the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.

31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Admonition 25

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Admonition 25

Of True Love.

Blessed is that brother who would love his brother as much when he is ill and not able to assist him as he loves him when he is well and able to assist him.

Blessed is the brother who would love and fear his brother as much when he is far from him as he would when with him, and who would not say anything about him behind his back that he could not with charity say in his presence. (Robinson)

We might write about the virtue of constancy in loving, what I will ask is this:

Is there any circumstance wherein love, or the highest positive regard for a brother or sister would cease, or be withdrawn (by us)?

Day 1 Admonition 1a

2011-06-01T17:18:00.001+10:00

Of the Lord’s Body:

The Lord Jesus said to His disciples: “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.

No man comes to the Father, but by Me. If you had known Me you would, without doubt, have known My Father also: and from now on you shall know Him, and you have seen Him.

Philip said to Him: Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us. Jesus said to him: Have I been so long a time with you and have you not known Me? Philip, they that see Me, see the Father also.

Returning again to the 1^st of the month it is our pleasure to contemplate St Francis teachings to his brothers concerning the Eucharist.

When we receive the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ in the substance and form of bread and wine, we may not give a thought to what we are truly doing when we receive Jesus in our hands or on our tongue.

A most blessed thing that we do over and over again, such that there may always be someone in the Body somewhere in the world receiving Him who so loved us that he gave Himself for us.

St John the Evangelist teaches us that we cannot reach God unless we daily follow Jesus, reading his words keeping His commandments receiving him often in the Form of bread and wine.

When we receive the Eucharist we are present at the Altar of the Cross during that one and only sacrifice, we stand in the Spirit with the women at the foot of the cross, present with our Lord in the time of His death.

From where we receive Him unto eternal life.

How grave a sin it is to deny anyone this opportunity.

St. Francis's Reflection on the Eucharist

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Let every one be struck with fear,
let the whole world tremble,
and let the heavens exult
when Christ the Son of the Living God,
is present on the altar in the hands of a priest!
O wonderful loftiness and stupendous dignity!
O sublime humility!
O humble sublimity!
The Lord of the universe,
God and the Son of God,
so humbles Himself
that for our salvation
He hides Himself
under an ordinary piece of bread!
Brothers, look at the humility of God,
and pour out your hearts before him!
Humble yourselves
that you may be exalted by Him!
Hold back nothing of yourselves for yourselves,
that He who gives Himself totally to you
May receive you totally!

Amen.

Love of self is most important.

2011-05-26T17:41:00.001+10:00

Love of self is most important.

26^th May 2011,

Love of self is most important….

Jesus taught us to love our neighbour as our self.

The Greatest Commandment

₃₄Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. ₃₅One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:

₃₆“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” ₃₇Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

₃₈This is the first and greatest commandment. ₃₉ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ ₄₀All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (NIV)

As a child I was taught to put God first, others second and myself last, to do this requires enough love for ourselves, of ourselves so that we can return love to God and extend it to others.

When we are twisted with self-hate we have nothing to return to God but that hate and most assuredly no one would want to receive such a love from us.

Lord teach us to love ourselves that we might love God and humans rightly.

Day 26. Admonition 23.

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Day 26. Admonition 23.

Of True Correction.

· Blessed is the servant who bears discipline, accusation, and blame from others, as patiently as if they came from themselves.

· Blessed is the servant who, when reproved, mildly submits, modestly obeys, humbly confesses, and willingly satisfies.

· Blessed is the servant who, when they are without fault, is not prompted to excuse themselves, but who humbly bears the shame and reproof for the sin.

How many of us, today, do find ourselves in the position of bearing discipline, accusation and blame from others?

Is this something one might expect to face in everyday working life?

Might we still be accountable in our Parish lives?

Francis wrote for the benefit of his brothers in Religion.

As I read today’s Admonition questions present themselves to me, as though I am trying not to confront the situation wherein I am accountable to someone for something.

In all things we are accountable to God

To bear discipline, accusation and blame from others as patiently as I would bear them from myself begs patience from me, for me. If I am harsh with myself then I will not want to receive the same patience from another.

I am blessed when I have enough patience with myself that I do not cringe at receiving admonition from another. That I can be blessed in receiving correction.

Enough patience to cope with consequences.

And by all means carry this over into working and family life.

Day 31 Admonition 28

2011-04-01T17:40:00.001+11:00

Day 31. Of hiding Good lest it be lost.

Blessed is the servant who stores up in heaven the good things which the Lord shows them; and who does not wish to manifest the good things to people through the hope of reward.

For the Most High will Himself manifest his works to whomsoever He may please.

Blessed is the servant who keeps the secrets of the Lord in their heart.

Day 30. Admonition 27

2011-04-01T17:33:00.001+11:00

Day 30. Admonition 27

Of the Virtues putting Vices to flight.

1. Where there is charity and wisdom there is neither fear nor ignorance

2. Where there is patience and humility there is neither anger nor worry.

3. Where there is poverty and joy there is neither cupidity nor avarice.

4. Where there is quiet and meditation there is neither solicitude nor dissipation.

5. Where there is the fear of the Lord to guard the house the enemy cannot find a way to enter.

6. Where there is mercy and discretion there is neither excess nor hard-heartedness.

Day 29. Admonition 26

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That the Servants of God should honour Clerics.

1. Blessed is the servant of God who exhibits confidence in clerics who live uprightly according to the form of the holy Church.

2 Woe to those people who despise the cleric. Even if the clerics may be sinners, no one ought to judge them. Because the Lord Himself reserves to Himself alone the right of judging them.

3. For their duty of administering the most holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which they receive and which they alone administer to others—is greater than all others.

4. So the sin of those who offend against the cleric is greater than any sin against all the other people in this world.

I believe that all of us, at some time, have the difficulty of separating the deed from the doer.

Therefore, when the Cleric seems to be all they should be in the eyes of their congregation, it is easy to trust them.

We receive the sacraments from them in confidence - because we see that they live life according to the form of the holy church.

We do not expect their outward appearance to differ from the interior and so we are confident in them.

Exteriors are deceiving…

In today’s world it is easier to see that a cleric is first of all human and we may dislike this person.

They might be a known sinner yet we are not to pass judgement on them because they are priests of God.

Remember: Exteriors are deceiving…

They stand in the place of Christ at the altar and confect the blessed sacrament for us.

They alone may do this and Francis tells us that God alone reserves the right to judge them; Francis also says that those who pass judgement on the Cleric commit a sin greater than any other.

Day 28. Admonition 24 & 25

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Of True Love.

24 Blessed is that person who would love their fellow human as much as when they are ill and not able to assist, as they would love their fellow humans when they are well, and are able to assist.

25 Blessed is the person who would love and fear their fellow human, as much when they are from them, as they would when they are with him.

Who would not say anything about them, behind their backs that could not, with charity, be said in their presence

Ooo000oooO

The Admonition set for today’s Meditation is really two.

Admonition 24 is titled “Of True Love” and the following one reads, more a less “to the same purpose or likewise.

Both deal with emotions, behaviours far and near,

As per usual. Francis deals with a situation that seems close to his heart, the way that fellow religious, are to behave lovingly toward each other.

I have mentioned before that Francis’ Admonitions are ‘relational’, social; none of them would apply to a hermit in a cave. They are meant for us, that wherever we are we hold our fellow humans in the highest esteem, as much as when we are apart as together.

1. Loving another no matter what happens, irrespectively of what they can do for us. Simply loving.

2. Having great respect for someone irrespective of whether you are together or apart.

3. Not talking behind each other’s backs. If it cannot be said to their face then it ought not to be said at all.

It all seems like good manners to me, something that shouldn’t need spelling out. How often, though, do we catch ourselves out in the occasional; uncharitable word or three?

Perhaps resenting someone because they cannot help out today and all smiles when they can.

Taking the mickey out of someone when they are not there to disagree, polite before their eyes and all insolence behind their backs.

Day 27. Admonition 23/ 24

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Of True Humility.

Blessed is the person who shall be found as humble among their subjects as if they were among their masters.

Blessed is the servant who always continues under the rod of correction.

They are “…faithful and wise servants” who do not delay to punish themselves for all their offences, interiorly by contrition and exteriorly by confession and by works of satisfaction.

Being as humble among their subjects as they are among their masters, assumes the person is humble. If it were any other, way this admonition would be pointless.

The sign of true humility is someone who abides with correction rather than protest they are above it.

Moreover, are truly honest with themselves, in both mind and heart availing themselves of the sacrament of Reconciliation and making amends.

Day 26. Admonition 22/23

2011-03-27T16:15:00.000+11:00

Of True Correction.

Blessed is the servant who bears discipline, accusation, and blame from others, as patiently as if they came from themselves.

Blessed is the servant who, when reproved, mildly submits, modestly obeys, humbly confesses, and willingly satisfies.

Blessed is the servant who, when they are without fault, is not prompted to excuse him or herself, but who humbly bears the shame and reproof for the sin.

Are we here yet?

Those who bear disciple in these cases are truly humble, and honest; with both themselves and others.

They are true to their vows and they trust the others. Take joy in the fact that they can do all of these things without thinking or feeling lesser in their own sight or in others.

Simply this: - it takes someone who is very sure of their intrinsic worth not to protest innocence when wrongly accused.

Day 25. Admonition 21/22

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Of the Frivolous and Talkative Religious.

_[3] Blessed is that servant who does not speak through the hope of receiving a reward.

Who does not reveal everything they know and is not “hasty to speak,”_[4]but who wisely foresees what he ought to say and answer.

Woe to that religious, who does not conceal in their heart, the good things which the Lord has disclosed to them

And who does not show them to others by the work they do, but rather seeks a reward by telling others about them.

These religious have already received their recompense, and their hearers take away little fruit.

Br Andrew EFO

Note – the Blessed one – is not necessarily a Friar or other religious person though it can be.

Francis expected more from himself and his Friars than of Lai Christians, that is why in teaching about those who fail in being true servants of God are referred to as ‘Religious’

As usual this Admonition is in two parts: the first, about the Blessed or good servant. The second about the Friar who fails to keep the Rule in one way or another.

This time the blessed servant:

knows to keep custody of his mind

And is very careful to think before speaking.

And does not expect a reward in exchange for speaking of the things of God.

The frivolous friar, on the other-hand does just the opposite:

Does not show in their works the good things God has revealed to them

Rather tells everyone about God’s revelation to them. Like a tree of knowledge – but the fruit is bruised.

And for all their attention their hearers take away only bruised fruit.

Do you know someone like this?

[3 ]This Admonition (like No 11) is wanting in Cod An (Codex St. Anthony), but is found in the Speculum Perfectionis, ed Lemmens See Doc Ant. Franc, P II, p 84.

[4 ]Prov. 29:20

“Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”(NASB)

Day 24. Admonition 20/ 21.

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Of The Happy And The Vain Religious.

Blessed is that religious who feels no pleasure or joy save in most holy conversation and the works of the Lord, and who by these means leads others2 to the love of God in joy and gladness.

And woe to that religious who takes delight in idle and vain words and by this means provokes them to laughter.

I think if we take Francis literally then we might be so heavenly minded that we are of no earthly good to anyone.

When we are with God in our interior selves, yet continuing to do our everyday chores, in our interaction with others the presence of God will shine for others to see– and lead them to ask why we seem so serene despite the ups and downs of everyday living.

Blowing one’s own trumpet and very much out of tune with real life; others will laugh at us.

Empty pitchers…

Day 23. Admonition 20

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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

Day 22 Admonition 19.

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Of The Happy And Unhappy Servant.

Blessed are the servants who give up all their goods to the Lord God, for they who retain anything for themselves hide “[their] Lord’s money,” and that “which they think they have shall be taken away from them.”

Day 22 Admonition 19

Blessed are the servants who surrender all their goods to the Lord.

To withhold anything from God is the same as hiding it from God.(See Matt 25 18)

The Lord will repossess it and the little those servants thought they had shall be taken away. (Luke 8 18.)

Day 21. Admonition 18

2011-03-21T16:42:00.001+11:00

Of Compassion Toward One’s Neighbour

Blessed is the one who has as much compassion for their neighbour in their frailty, as they would wish to receive from them when they, too, are frail.

(Cfr. Gal 6:2; Mt 7:12).

Gal 6:2 Help carry each other's burdens. In this way you will follow Christ's teachings

Matthew 7:12 Always do for other people everything you want them to do for you. That is [the meaning of] Moses' Teachings and the Prophets. (God’s Word Translation)

Christianity is a reciprocal/mutual religion, or is meant to be. Francis stresses this in every Admonition; human beings are social beings; Christians are called to perfect Society, to the degree that God works through them to this end.

If we expect others to be compassionate with us then we must also be as compassionate with them.

Day 20. Admonition 17 v2

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Of the humble servants of God

1. Blessed be God for the wonders he has worked through me! Blessed again for the works God has worked through you. (Mt.24:46)

2. God works more works through me than he does through you. You aren’t worthy of my praise

And if this one’s neighbour is not worthy of acknowledgement for the works God works through them then how little praise will that servant return to God?

Day 20. Admonition 17 v1

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Of the humble servants of God

Blessed are those servants (Mt.24:46) who do not ‘magnify’ themselves because of the good God says and does through them, any more than because of the good God says and works through others.

They sin when they wish to receive more from their neighbours than they, themselves, are willing to give to the Lord God. (Blair)

17.

Of The Humble Servant Of God.

Blessed is that servant who is not more puffed up because of the good the Lord says and works through him than because of that which He says and works through others.

A man sins who wishes to receive more from his neighbor than he is himself willing

to give to the Lord God. (Robinson)

Day 20. Of the Humble Servant of God.

Blessed is that servant who is not more puffed up because of the good the Lord says and does through them, than because of that which God says and works through others. A person sins when they want to receive more from their neighbour, than they are themselves willing to give to the Lord God. (Koller)

When we put together the Office ₁ of the EFO we did so with regard to any copyright of the various translations of the Admonitions. We used those of Paschal Robinson ₂ because they are in the public domain. Our Brother Shepherd modernised the English and made them gender neutral.

For my purpose:

- today I have retranslated Admonition 17 from the original Latin of Codex A. ₃using the word Magnify instead of the words ‘puffed up’.₄

If I remember correctly, the first time I came across the word ‘magnify’ was when I began to learn the Magnificat as an Initiate of the Roman Catholic Church.

Mary, sings “My soul knows how glorious my Lord is”, her very breath acknowledges the splendour of her Lord. God is Mary’s Superstar -and there are numerous similes expressing this, yet there are no words that capture this reality.

Within the context of religious life Francis teaches that we are blessed when we are not more impressed with ourselves when God uses us to say and do something marvellous, something praiseworthy; than we are when God works in the same way through others.

We sin when we are impressed with ourselves because God uses us, it is as if we have done it all by ourselves.

This is more than just a prideful thought but something we attribute to our very soul.

“How great am I, I have done it!”

Me! Me!

We sin when we ‘magnify’ ourselves – from our throne sitting at the heart of us, we are egoists and exhale conceit like carbon dioxide yet do not know it.

We are “legends”, Superstars, in our own minds.

When we are in this state, completely consumed by our own greatness we are unlikely to give much praise to our fellows and even less likely to praise God.

i. 1. Br Luke Koller E.F.O. (Ed.), 2007,” EFO Rule of Life”, 2^nd edition Version 1, Winmalee, Community Press.

1. 2.The Writings of Saint Francis of Assisi, newly translated into English with an Introduction and Notes by Father Paschal Robinson of the Order of Friars minor (Philadelphia: The Dolphin Press,

1906). And Online Library of Liberty

2. 3.Directorio Franciscano Escritos de San Francisco de Asis en Latin, Admonitiones [Adm]forma [A]

Day 19. Admonition 16

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Day 19. Admonition 16

Of Cleanness of Heart.

“Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8 Douay- Rheims) People are clean in their heart, when they despise earthly things.

Always seeking those of heaven, and who, with a pure heart and mind, never cease to adore and contemplate the Lord God Living and True.

Francis speaks of the clean of heart ‘despising earthly things’.

This is a teaching for the individual as a measure of cleanliness of heart.

Jesus teaches us the connection between an impure mind and an unclean heart in his teaching about the perfect Law of love.

(See Matthew 5 for his teaching on Adultery, murder, divorce and oaths)

When our minds are pure and our hearts clean we have the disposition to seek the things that are of God.

Turning to God, by the minute, contemplating Jesus in the Holy Sacrament of the Altar ‘till one day we shall see him.

Day 18. Admonition 15

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Day 18. Admonition 15

Of Peacemakers.

“Blessed are the peacemakers:₁ for they shall be called the children of God.”

People are truly peacemakers, when in the middle of all they suffer in this world; they maintain peace in their soul and in their body, and for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Matt. 5. 9.

What really is a peacemaker?

I have primarily associated the term ‘Peacemaker’ with someone engaged in the process of bringing waring nations factions together again:

A Diplomat, Intermediary, Arbiter are terms referring to Peacemakers in specific instances; stark definitions that don’t quite hit the nail on the head.

Peacemaking begins within us as we come to terms with who we are and forgive ourselves for everything. (Here you might like to go to Clarity to read an article about Peacemaking by Annie Zalezak.)

It is in dwelling in perfect peace, being peaceful; this new serenity fits us to begin to devote ourselves to making peace between others.

And so we shall be called children of God.

Day 17. Admonition 14

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Of Poverty of Spirit.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” ₁ Many apply themselves to prayers and offices, and practice much abstinence and bodily mortification.

When a single word, which seems to be hurtful to their bodies or because of something being taken from them, they are scandalized and troubled.

These people are not poor in spirit. Someone who is truly poor in spirit, hates themselves and loves those who strike them on the cheek. ₂

000ooo000

What does it mean to be “poor in spirit”?

I used to think that the first Beatitude read ‘Blessed are the Poor’ and have always found this perplexing because why would anyone who is poor be happy. The correct reading is ‘Blessed are the Poor in Spirit’ which makes no more sense than previously.

Francis has omitted the key word ‘know’ as in ‘Blessed are those who know they are poor in spirit.’ This word is absent in the Vulgate, and in the Greek.

The Blessing comes in knowing that we are poor in spirit:

To be poor in spirit is to realize that nothing we have is worth more than the kingdom of God.

Knowing this, we become willing to part with anything we have if it hinders us from receiving the kingdom. This is why Jesus said, ‘No one of you can be my disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.’” (Luke 14:33)₃

In this Admonition Francis attempts to illustrate how someone who is Poor in Spirit should behave.

It is not in those who are seen to keep the Rule and perform other religious duties to make satisfaction for their sins.

For if they were really Poor in Spirit they would not take offense when someone said something unkind to them nor be troubled if something was stolen from them.

In the final sentence Francis says “Someone who is truly poor in spirit, hates themselves and loves those who strike them on the cheek.”

I think that what he means is that those who know/recognise they are Poor in Spirit will put God first then others before themselves.

Or more simply those who know they are poor in spirit see our world in its true perspective.

The Admonitions are taken from the Prayer book of the E.F.O

1 Matt 5. 3

2 See Matt. 5. 39

Day 16 Admonition 13

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Day 16. Admonition 13 Of Patience. How much interior patience and humility a servant of God may have cannot be known so long as he is contented ₁ But when the time comes that those who ought to please him go against him, as much patience and humility as he then shows, so much has he and no more.	We might say “ ‘When the chips are down” then our’ true colours will show’” We can cope fairly well when everything runs along smoothly and everyone else pitches in and does the right thing by us. It is a different matter when they don’t then people see us, possibly, at our worse.
1 Cod O. reads “so long as he enjoys everything according to his wish and necessity.”	This, Francis, tells us is the true measure of ourselves.

Day 15 Admonition 12

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Day 15 Admonition 12

Of Knowing The Spirit Of God.

[1] Cod O and Is. read “If therefore his body is puffed up, he has not the Spirit of God. If, however, he becomes rather viler in his own sight, then he truly has the Spirit of God.”

Of Discernment.

The Discerning of Spirits is one of the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. The ability is given by the Holy Spirit to determine whether something is of God, the Devil or Man.

In this case the servants of God may discern the Spirit of God working within them, if, when they see the good the Lord works in them they are humbled.

We are of the 21^st century and our spirituality v’s sense of self ought to reflect that.

Christians today still seem to be held captive of Biblical/13^th Century concepts of Ego and self-hood. We are still tempted, wooed even, by the concept of being emptied of all sense of personal identity for the greater good of our souls’. A dichotomy that serves us no good.

Francis speaks of becoming ‘rather viler in his own sight’. More disgusting in his own site or in his own opinion of himself.

Why should we revile ourselves when God uses us to do good for others? Just how vile ought we to become when God has completed God’s work in us?

Robinson, P. 1906,The Writings of Saint Francis of Assisi [1906] The Online Library of Liberty A Project Of Liberty Fund, Inc.

Day 14 Admonition 11

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Day 14 Admonition 11.

That One Must Not Be Seduced By Bad Example.1

To the servant of God nothing should be displeasing save sin.

And no matter in what way any one may sin, if the servant of God is troubled or angered—except this be through charity—he treasures up guilt to himself.

2 The servant of God who does not trouble himself or get angry about anything lives uprightly and without sin.

And blessed is he who keeps nothing for himself, rendering “to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar’s and to God the things that are God’s.”3

[1]This Admonition is wanting in codex An., but is found in the Speculum Perfectionis, ed Lemmens. See Documenta Antiqua Franciscana, P. II, p. 84

[2] See Rom.2:5

[3] Matt. 22:21.

[4] Romans 8:28 (NIV)

That one should not be seduced by bad example.

Or That one must never seduce by bad example.

To hate the sin but love the sinner is something I find difficult to do, especially if it is something personal.

I tend to make judgements regarding what I consider the degree of sin by which someone offends.

To be so serene and faithful to God is unimaginable to me.

And to give freely of all I own to God and to Country?

Like his Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, Francis seems to demand the impossible yet "we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." 4

The Cross of Christ

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Admonition 5

The Admonition given for our reading today is fittingly received on this shrove Tuesday as a gateway to the Lenten period of prayer and Sacrifice

Francis said ”However, what we may glory in, is in our infirmities, and in bearing daily the holy cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

This is one of the most Pauline Admonitions that Francis wrote, here it is echoed by St Paul in the Epistle to the Galatians

Galatians 4:20“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. 21“I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”

Galatians 6:14 “But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”(New American Standard Bible (©1995))

Day 8. Admonition 5

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Consider, O human, how great the excellence in which the Lord has placed you because He has created and formed you to the image of His beloved Son according to the body and to His own likeness according to the spirit.

Now all the creatures that are under heaven, serve, know and obey their Creator in their own way - better than you.

Even the demons did not crucify Him.

But you together, with them crucified Him.

By taking delight in vices and sins, you are still crucifying Him. How then can you glory?

If you were so clever and wise that you possessed all science, if you knew how to interpret every form of language and to investigate heavenly things minutely, you could not glory in all this.

Because there is one demon has known more of heavenly things, and still knows more of earthly things than all people.

Although there may be someone who has received from the Lord, a special knowledge, of sovereign wisdom.

If you were handsomer, and richer than all others; if you could work wonders and put the demons to flight, all these things are hurtful to you and in no way belong to you. In them you cannot glory.

However, what we may glory in, is in our infirmities, and in bearing daily the holy cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Of True Love.

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Admonition 25

Blessed is that brother who would love his brother as much when he is ill and not able to assist him as he loves him when he is well and able to assist him.
Blessed is the brother who would love and fear his brother as much when he is far from him as he would when with him, and who would not say anything about him behind his back that he could not with charity say in his presence. (Robinson)

True Love is unconditional there are no circumstances under which this

23. Of True Correction.

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Blessed is the servant who bears discipline, accusation, and blame from others as patiently as if they came from himself.

Blessed is the servant who, when reproved, mildly submits, modestly obeys, humbly confesses, and willingly satisfies.

Blessed is the servant who is not prompt to excuse himself and who humbly bears shame and reproof for sin when he is without fault.

Firstly, how patient is patient?

Knowing our frailties and accepting our shortcomings is the beginning of patience; when we can bear with ourselves we may begin to bear with others.

Possessing a degree of patience and bearing with others will bring us to the point where we can accept our failures and make up for them.

Eventually to the place where words are not necessary and where blame and guilt take care of themselves.

Deeds not words

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Deeds not words.

When God reveals something to us personally it is not meant for general knowledge it is for us only.

They should be revealed in our works alone save we give others the wrong ideas and they go away from us none the wiser than when they came.

Of the Frivolous and Talkative Religious.

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EFO Day 25

Admonition (A) XX (B) B XI

Of the Frivolous and Talkative Religious.

Blessed is that servant who neither speaks through the hope of receiving a reward nor reveals everything they know.

Blessed is that servant who is not quick to speak and thinks carefully before answering.

Woe to those servants who do not keep the Lord’s revelations to them privately.

Woe to those servants who rather than show these revelations in their deeds, through hopes of a reward, tell everyone about them.

They shall have their reward and their hearers go away with nothing to show for the encounter.

Chapter VII. That good work should follow knowledge

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The Apostle Paul says that the letter kills whereas the spirit brings back life (2 Cor. 3:6)

Those who have died by the ‘letter’ died because they only wanted to know what the ‘words’, mean so that others might think them wiser than others and reward them for this ‘knowledge‘ so that they might leave both friends and relatives a large inheritance.

Those Religious who have died by the ‘letter’, died because they would not follow the spirit of the Scriptures, preferring only to know the meaning of the ‘words’ and to interpret them to others.

Those who are made alive by the spirit of the Scriptures do not interpret them literally or materially; rather by word and example return them to God from whom comes all good.

Deeds not words are medicine for the sick of soul, the Scriptures say that God is Love and this love makes itself known when those who read the Scriptures put them into action.

Love your enemies

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Admonition 9

On Love

The Lord says: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Pray for those who persecute and calumniate you.

That man truly loves his enemy who does not smart over the injury that is done to him so much as he burns in expiation for the sin on his enemy's soul, on account of the love of God, and he shows his love of his enemy by his deeds.

Sr. Giles EFO