Tag Archives: Admonition

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.

St Francis – Admonition 2

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Franciscans take three vows: poverty, chastity, and obedience. It is sometimes said that Obedience is the one the creeps up on you. When one spends a lifetime working to become an individuated person with a good sense of self and one’s worth, setting aside “self will” does not come naturally.  Francis understood the balance of self will, the will of the people one serves, the will of the community to which one professes, and, above all, the will of God we seek to fulfill. Here in Admonition 2 he addresses the dark side of self will – something capable of transforming the knowledge of good into the knowledge of evil through self exaltation.

Admonition 2:  The Evil of Self Will

1 The Lord said to Adam: Eat of every tree; you may not eat, however, of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

2 He was able to eat of every tree of paradise, because he did not sin as long as he did not go against obedience. 3 For that person eats of the tree of the knowledge of good who makes his will his own and, in this way, exalts himself over the good things the Lord says and does in him. 4 And so, through the suggestion of the devil and the transgression of the command, it became the apple of the knowledge of evil. 5 Therefore it is fitting that he suffer punishment.

Admonitions of St. Francis

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In the medieval world, an “admonition” was more than a warning. It was the practical application in life of a biblical passage. In his time, St Francis of Assisi left 28 admonitions for his brother friars, passages of Scripture and Francis’ own reflection upon them. These admonitions were found in five 13th-century manuscripts that were collections of writing of Francis and about Francis. The one constant in the five different collections were the Admonitions, referred to in one manuscript as the “Canticle of Minority.”

This week includes the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi (Oct 4th). There will be many posts around the sphere attending to Francis as a lover of animals, a patron of ecology (both true), along with many of his so-called quotes (most of them fanciful). This week I will try to share some of Francis’ own writings from the Admonitions and let the Saint speak for himself. Continue reading →