Category Archives: St Francisof Assisi

Admoniton Twelve

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My dad would occasionally remind me of the following wisdom: “Everyone you meet is your better because you can learn something from them.” They were words meant to remind you to keep your own accomplishments in perspective; celebrant them in the moment, build upon them, and learn from them – but do not set up camp and remain there. I suspect St. Francis would have liked my dad’s wisdom – he certainty understood its implications for the spiritual life. God accomplished so much through St. Francis – and Francis knew it was God’s doing and little of his own. Francis remained open to the working of God in his life and discerning the Spirit of the Lord.

Admonition Twelve: Knowing the Spirit of the Lord

1 A Servant of God can be known to have the Spirit of the Lord in this way; 2 if, when he Lord performs some good through him, his flesh does not therefore exalt itself, because it is always opposed to every good. 3 Instead he regards himself the more worthless and esteems himself less than all others.

Admoniton Eleven

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People of a certain age have children who are now adults.  Their kids are establishing careers, families, and planning for the future. They are more and more becoming their own persons – and the parent-child relationship is giving way to the peer-peer relationship – at least in some part and form. Some of my friends insist on the parent-child dynamic. Continue reading →

Admoniton Ten

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Every four years our neighbors and friends are suddenly vexed and overcome by the spirit of confusion, delusion, and irrationality. We simply cannot understand how they so abruptly lose their good common sense. Can’t they see that we hold the clear and sure vision of exactly who is deserving of our vote and that our view of the issues is the only one which a rational person would possibly hold?  And of course we need to correct their faulty thinking. And of course if they won’t accept the offering of wisdom and insight, then it is their fault. Continue reading →

Admonition Nine

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It is said that we do not read Scripture, but that Scripture reads us. “Indeed the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart” (Hebrews 4).  It is in the same way that art often reveals more about the viewer than art reveals about itself. Our response to injury shares that same revelatory attribute with Scripture and art. Continue reading →

Admonition Eight

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Someone once described the décor in my room in the friary as a wonderful example of “early American randomness.” Random?  Really? I suspect they really meant chaos in the mathematical sense – because there is always an order present – even if it is not readily apparent.  One of my friar brothers, in his life before joining the Franciscans, was a successful interior designer whose work brought beauty in to the world from the chaos of materials and ideas. His work has graced the cover of Architectural Digest several times. Another brother teaches at a noted school of medicine. Another is a cobbler, another a tailor, and another an elementary school teacher.  We have lawyers, dentists, business executives, musicians, academics, writes, cooks, social workers, counselors, and even a candlestick maker. All different gifts to build up the fraternity of men, who like Francis, on our best days work to build up the Church. Continue reading →

Admonition Seven

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Years ago I was invited to lunch with the teaching staff at a seminary in Kenya. I walked in on the middle of a good-natured debate.  On one side were the two scripture scholars – on the other side of the debate was the entire remainder of the staff.  The proposition was whether studying Scripture was the shortest route to losing one’s faith. Everyone was a faithful believer and the debate was all in good fun taking the opportunity to poke fun at their friends. Continue reading →

Admonition 5

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I think anyone who is involved in pastoral ministry or ministries of service – inside or outside the home – knows that there days that are less rewarding than others – and days when you wondered why you got out of bed. There are those days when we tried to bring to bear some of the talents, gifts and abilities that we were given to be instruments of God’s compassion – and the days is unrewarding or even filled with some form of suffering, persecution or disappointment.  If we are truly wise, then we will recognize that our role is to live as Christ lived.  Nothing more, nothing less. Continue reading →

Admonition 6

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Every group, community, organization, parish – and any gathering of human beings – has its stories that look to a “golden age.”  When I served in the Navy, it’s was the tales of “iron men and wooden ships – aaaaargh!” As a Franciscan friar our provincial stories include the Paul Bunyan-like tales of Fr. Tex Dooley OFM in Bolivia who tamed a mountain and built a road.  Here in the parish in Tampa it is the stories of the Jesuit missionaries who rode out from Tampa across central and south Florida establishing missions and churches from Tampa to Key West. In the Catholic Church we have the stories of the saints, martyrs, missionaries and holy people.  It is good to tell the stories. But… Continue reading →

St Francis – Admonition 4

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On Francis’ death bed he asked that the Johannine passage (John 13:1-17) of the Last Supper be read. It is the passage in which Jesus washes the feet of the disciples as a demonstration of how followers are to go about the world.  Francis understands that the human enterprise needs and seeks its own organization, a challenge he faced as the Order of Friars began to expand beyond the small initial group based in Assisi. Even with the need for someone to “be in charge,” Francis admonishes that their attitude be rooted in service.

Admonition 4: Let No One Make Being Over Others His Own

1 I did not come to be served, but to serve, says the Lord

2 Let those who are place over others boast about that position as much as they would if they were assigned the duty of washing the feet of their brothers. 3 And if they are more upset at having their place over others taken away from them at losing their position at their feet, the more they store up a money bag to the peril of their souls.

St Francis – Admonition 3

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When one considers the writings of Francis of Assisi (not writings about Francis), the topic about which he most often writes, mentions, or points to is obedience. Too often this word in heard as “do what you are told” and there is an element of that in Francis’ writings. But there is always more. Francis sees the life of minority (humility) as the willingness to offer oneself completely as a way of conforming oneself to Christ. One might find it odd that this admonition begins with a reference to Luke 14:33 about giving up one’s possessions – shouldn’t that be about poverty rather than obedience? Part of the possessions that one renounces was addressed in Admonition 2 – the self will.

Admonition 3: Perfect Obedience

1 The Lord says in the Gospel: Whoever does not renounce all that he possesses cannot be my disciple; 2 and: Whoever wishes to save his life must lose it.

3 That person who offers himself totally to obedience in the hands of his prelate leaves all that possesses and loses his body. 4 And whatever he does and says which he knows is not contrary to his will is true obedience, provided that what he does is good.

5 And should a subject see that some things might be better and more useful for his soul than what a prelate commands, let him willingly offer such things to God as a sacrifice and, instead let him earnestly strive to fulfill the prelate’s wishes. 6 For this is loving obedience because it pleases God and neighbor.

7 If the prelate, however, commands something contrary to his conscience, even though he may not obey him, let him not, however, abandon him. 8 And if he then suffers persecution from others, let him love them all the more for the sake of God. 9 For whoever chooses to suffer persecution rather than wish to be separated from his brothers truly remains in perfect obedience because he lays down his life for his bothers. 10 In fact, there are many religious who, under the pretext of seeing things better than those which the prelate commands. Look back, and return to the vomit of their own will. 11 These people are murderers and, because of their bad example, cause many to lose their souls.