"The False Poor" and "Greed Calls Herself Foresight"

The titles of this entry are in quotations because they are not mine.  They are captions that are part of "THE SACRED EXHANGE BETWEEN SAINT FRANCIS AND LADY POVERTY (1237-1239)" in the book entitled Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume I, The Saint.  The passage, The False Poor,  is quoted below [1]:

The False Poor

     Then there arose among us some who were not of [our company], certain children of Belial, speaking vanities, doing wicked things.  They called themselves poor when they were not,  and they spurned and maligned me whom the glorious men about whom I have already spoken had loved with their whole heart.  They followed the path of Balaam of Bosor who loved the reward of wickedness,  men corrupt in mind, deprived of truth, supposing their quests to be one of piety.  They were men who took up the habit of holy religion but did not put on the new man  and only covered over the old.  They detracted from their elders and sniped in secret about the life and conduct of those who founded their holy way of life.  They call them undiscerning, merciless, and cruel.  They accused me, whom they had respected, of being lazy, crude, depraved, uncultured, lifeless, and dead.   It was my rival who did this with the greatest zeal---my rival who, putting on a lamb's clothing, hid the voracity of a wolf with the cunning of a fox.  [Emphasis  original.]

Based on my reading, the speaker in the above quoted passage was not Saint Francis of Assisi but Lady Poverty, and the rival Lady Poverty referred to was not any particular brother, but Greed.  In a later passage, Greed Calls Herself Foresight,  Greed responded [2]:

Greed Calls Herself Foresight

     "Meanwhile that savage enemy of mine, seeing this, began to become violently angry and  to grind her teeth.  Distressed at such grief of heart,  she said: 'What shall I do?  Behold the whole world has gone after her.  I will assume the name 'Foresight,' "she said, 'and I will speak to their heart, if only they will listen and acquiesce.'
     "She did this, addressing them in humble words: 'Why do you stand all day idle,  without providing for your future?  What does it profit you to have the necessities of life while you abstain from luxuries?  For you could work out your salvation and that of others with great peace and leisure if everything you needed were readily available.  While you have time,  provide for yourselves and your offspring, for people will withdraw their hand from their initial generosity and from their customary gifts.  It would be good to remain always as you are, but you cannot always achieve that since daily the Lord adds to your number.  Since [the Lord] says  "It is more blessed to give than to receive,"  wouldn't it be acceptable to God if you had something to give to the needy and were mindful of the poor?  [Emphasis  original.]

If Saint Francis of Assisi had envisioned his order to be lived in the spirit of Lady Poverty, I believe that his vision has not lasted.  Rather, I think that his order is governed more by Lady Foresight, the rival of Lady Poverty, than Lady Poverty herself.  And if this pope thinks he is taking after Francis of Assisi, he should think again.  I doubt very much that he would be one of the lesser brothers who would prepare a banquet for Lady Poverty, as described below, and join her:

The Banquet of Poverty with the Brothers

     After they had prepared everything, they persuaded her to eat with them.  But she said: "First show me your oratory, chapter room, enclosure, refectory, kitchen, dormitory and stable; your beautiful chairs, polished tables and large houses.  I do not see any of these.  I only notice that you are cheerful and happy, overflowing with joy, filled with consolation, as if you expect that everything will be given to you at your request."
     ....

     Then they led her to where they had prepared the table.  When they had led her there, she saw that there was nothing more than three or four crusts of barley or bran bread set upon the grass.  She was greatly astonished and said to herself: " Who has ever seen in past generations  such things as these!  Blessed are you, Lord God, Who cares for all things!  Everything is possible when you wish.  You have taught your people to please you through such deeds."  They then sat down together, thanking God for all His gifts.
      Lady Poverty gave the order to bring the cooked food on dishes.  Behold a single dish was brought filled with cold water for all of them to dip bread.  There was neither an abundance of dishes nor a variety of cooked foods.
      She asked that at least uncooked, aromatic herbs be brought to her.  Since they did not have a gardener and knew nothing of a garden, however, they gathered wild herbs in the woods and placed them before her.
     "Bring me a little salt," she said, "to season the herbs for they are bitter."  "Wait, Lady," they responded.  "We will go to town for some.  If they are offered to us, we will bring them to you."
      ....

     "Is there a little wine among you?"  "Our Lady, we have no wine," they responded.  "At the beginning of human life there was only bread and water.  It is not good for you to drink wine because Christ's spouse must avoid wine like poison."
     .... 
  
     She even asked for a pillow for her head.  They immediately brought a stone and placed it under her head.
     After enjoying a very quiet and healthy sleep, she quickly arose and asked to  be shown the enclosure.  Taking her to a certain hill, they showed her all the world they could see and said: "This, Lady, is our enclosure." [Emphasis original.] [3]

[1] Armstrong, Regis J. O.F.M. Cap. et.al. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume I, The Saint. Page 542. New York: New York City Press, 2000.
[2] Ibid., page 545.
[3] Ibid., pages 551-2.

Feast Day of San Francesco d'Assisi

October 4th is the Feast Day of Saint Francis of Assisi according to Catholic Online. [1]  Since San Francesco d'Assisi is my favorite saint, I feel compelled to write something about him today.  Of the many things I could write about on this October 4, 2013, I have chosen not to express an opinion on the "carefully choreographed pilgrimage" [2] by pope Frank to Assisi, Italy.  Today is a day to be prayerful rather than critical.

Today, in the year 1226, Francesco d'Assisi left us to go join Christ in heaven:

After twenty years of clinging most perfectly to Christ, and of following the life and footsteps of the apostles, in the one thousandth, two hundredth, and twenty-sixth year of the Incarnation of the Lord, on the fourth of October, a Sunday, Francis, that apostolic man, most joyfully passed to Christ, winning eternal rest after many labors, and fittingly entering into the presence of the Lord." (Emphasis original.) [3], [4]

On this Feast Day of Saint Francis of Assisi, this blog memorializes two prayers below, quoted verbatim:

"God, by the merits of blessed Francis you enlarge your Church with the birth of new offspring.  Grant, that by imitating him we may look away from everything on earth, in order to enjoy forever sharing the gifts of heaven." [5]

 and

"Make holy, Lord, the gifts presented to you, and, through the intercession of the blessed Francis, purify us of all our lapses into sin." [6]

[1] http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=50
[2] http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/05/world/europe/pope-francis-assisi.html
[3] Armstrong, Regis J. O.F.M. Cap. et.al. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume II, The Founder. Page 107. New York: New York City Press, 2000.
[4] There seems to be a discrepancy between the book from which the above quotation is taken and various sources on the internet with respect to the day Saint Francis of Assisi left this world.  The book has the date October 4th while others online have October 3rd.  I go by the book.
[5] Armstrong, Regis J. O.F.M. Cap. et.al. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume I, The Saint. Page 346. New York: New York City Press, 2000.
[6] Armstrong, Regis J. O.F.M. Cap. et.al. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume I, The Saint. Page 347. New York: New York City Press, 2000.

Clare of Assisi

Below is quoted verbatim (emphasis original) from The First Book, Chapter VIII, How He Built The Church of San Damiano, And Of The Way Of Life Of The Ladies Living In That Place by Thomas of Celano [1]:

The first work that blessed Francis undertook,

after he had gained his freedom

from the hands of his carnally-minded father,

was to build a house of God.

He did not try to build a new one,

but he repaired an old one,

restored an ancient one.

He did not tear out the foundation,

but he built upon it,

always reserving to Christ his prerogative,

although unaware of it,

for no one can lay another foundation,

but that which has been laid,

which is Christ Jesus.

When he had returned to the place mentioned where

the church of San Damiano had been built in ancient times,

he repaired it zealously within a short time,

aided by the grace of the Most High.

This is the blessed and holy place where

the glorious religion and most excellent Order

of Poor Ladies and holy virgins

had its happy beginning,

about six years after the conversion of the blessed Francis

and through that same blessed man.

The Lady Clare,

a native of the city of Assisi,

the most precious and strongest stone of the whole structure,

stands as the foundation for all the other stones.

For

after the beginning of the Order of Brothers,

when this lady was converted to God

through the counsel of the holy man,

she lived for the good of many

and as an example to countless others.

Noble by lineage, but more noble by grace,

chaste in body, most chaste in mind,

young in age, mature in spirit,

steadfast in purpose and most eager in her desire for divine love,

endowed with wisdom and excelling in humility,

bright in name, more brilliant in life, most brilliant in character.

A noble structure of precious pearls arose above this woman,

whose praise comes not from mortals but from God,

since our limited understanding is not sufficient to imagine it,

nor our scanty vocabulary to utter it.

First of all,

the virtue of mutual and continual charity

that binds their wills together

flourishes among them.

Forty or fifty of them can dwell together in one place,

wanting and not wanting the same things

forming one spirit in them out of many.

Second,

the gem of humility,

preserving the good things bestowed by heaven

so sparkles in each one

that they merit other virtues as well.

Third,

the lily of virginity and chastity

diffuses such a wondrous fragrance among them

that they forget earthly thoughts

and desire to meditate only on heavenly things.

So great a love of their eternal Spouse arises in their hearts

that the integrity of their holy feelings keeps them

from every habit of their former life.

Fourth,

all of them have become so distinguished

by their title of highest poverty

that their food and clothing

rarely or never

manage to satisfy extreme necessity.

Fifth,

they have so attained the unique grace

of abstinence and silence

that they scarcely need to exert any effort

to check the prompting of the flesh

and to restrain their tongues.

Sixth,

they are so adorned with the virtue of patience

in all these things,

that adversity of tribulation,

or injury of vexation

never breaks or changes their spirit.

Seventh,

and finally,

they have so merited the height of contemplation

that they learn in it everything they should do or avoid,

and they know how to go beyond the mind to God with joy,

persevering night and day

in praising Him and praying to Him.

For the moment

let this suffice

concerning these virgins dedicated to God

and most devout servants of Christ.

Their wondrous life

and their renowned practices received from the Lord Pope Gregory,

at the time Bishop of Ostia,

would require another book

and the leisure in which to write it.

[1] Armstrong, Regis J. O.F.M. Cap. et.al. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume I, The Saint. Pages 196-9. New York: New York City Press, 2000.

An Analysis - Francis of Assisi's "A Salutation of the Virtues"

A Salutation of the Virtues [1] quoted in the 4-23-13 post [2] began with these words:  "Hail, Queen Wisdom! May the Lord protect You, with Your Sister, holy pure Simplicity!"  Later, Holy Francis said, "Holy Wisdom confounds Satan and all his cunning.  Pure holy Simplicity confounds all the wisdom of this world and the wisdom of the body." [3]

I was going to conclude Holy Wisdom belongs only to God since no human is able to confound "Satan and all his cunning."  That is a lot cunning to confound, an impossible thing for anyone to do.  I was so certain that I was right when moments later it dawned on me that the author of this manuscript, A Salutation of the Virtues, Francis of Assisi, had had the Holy Wisdom to confound Satan and all his cunning. [4]  Holy Francis would not have been able to record this thought had he not. [5] Could Holy Francis have imagined it?  No, since he said it with certainty and authority and continued to expound on it by linking Holy Wisdom with Pure Holy Simplicity and contrasting Holy Wisdom with worldly wisdom. [6]

Although Francis of Assisi started with Holy Wisdom [7] in his composition and ended it with Holy Obedience, I believe that his holy life began with Holy Obedience.  After Holy Francis perfected Holy Obedience, he moved up the ladder of Virtues to Holy Charity by denying the temptations and enduring the pains of the flesh.  By the time Holy Francis perfected Holy Charity, Holy Francis knew he was God's pick but would not allow his pride to surface and was thus able to achieve Perfect Humility.  From Holy Humility, it was a small step for Holy Francis to reach Holy Poverty.  It could be argued that Holy Francis began with Holy Poverty when he abandoned his life of riches.  That is right on the surface but on a deeper level, Holy Francis did not perfect Holy Poverty until he was near the pinnacle of his holiness and still he did not envy the power of the Vatican or the wealth and comfort that come with being a pope and that must have confounded more than a few people in the establishment.  From there, Holy Francis left all the cares of the world and entered the heavenly realm of Holy Simplicity, confounding all of worldly wisdom by making it superfluous and irrelevant.  There was no need for worldly wisdom when Holy Francis left behind all worldly concerns to serve only God.  By serving God wholly and faithfully without any distraction, Holy Francis attained Holy Wisdom.  In Holy Wisdom, there is God and only God and therefore in Holy Wisdom, Holy Francis was able to confound Satan and all of its cunning.


[1] Armstrong, Regis J. O.F.M. Cap. et.al. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume I, The Saint. Pages 164-5. New York: New York City Press, 2000.
[2] I entitled the previous post Sixth & Seventh Of Many Prayers Of Francis Of Assisi but according to the authors, they are manuscripts that salutes or greets the virtues that belong to the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Thus, technically they are not prayers but I consider them to be prayers.
[3] Armstrong, op cit., p. 164.
[4] Ibid.
[5] In the second paragraph of A Salutation of the Virtues, Holy Francis said no one could own any of the virtues without dying first.  How could then Holy Francis own, as I believe that he did own, all of the virtues when he was still alive?  The answer was in the book's introductory paragraph to the manuscript: "Francis saw these virtues as [the Blessed Virgin Mary's]; yet they are clearly those of any Christian who has died to sin."  Emphasis added.  Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
[7] "Holy Wisdom confounds Satan and all his cunning. Pure holy Simplicity confounds all the wisdom of this world and the wisdom of the body. Holy poverty confounds the desire for riches, greed, and the cares of this world.  Holy Humility confounds pride, all people who are in the world.  Holy Charity confounds every diabolical and carnal temptation and every carnal fear.  Holy Obedience confounds every corporal and carnal wish; binds its mortified body to the obedience of the Spirit and obedience to one's brother, so that it is  subject and submissive to everyone in the world, not only to people but to every beat and wild animal as well that they may do whatever they want with it insofar as it has been given to them from above by the Lord."  Armstrong, op cit., p.165.

Sixth & Seventh Of Many Prayers Of Francis Of Assisi

A Salutation of the Blessed Virgin Mary "suggests a close tie between this piece and the following, the A Salutation of the Virtues, and, therefore, presents the Virgin Mary as the model for every Christian who responds to God's virtuous presence in his or her life." [1]

A Salutation Of the Blessed Virgin Mary is quoted verbatim [2]:

Hail, O Lady,

Holy Queen,

Mary, holy Mother of God,

Who are the Virgin made Church,

chosen by the most Holy Father in heaven

whom he consecrated with His most holy beloved Son

and with the Holy Spirit the Paraclete,

in whom there was and is

all fullness of grace and every good.

Hail His Palace!

Hail His Tabernacle!

Hail His Dwelling!

Hail His Robe!

Hail His Servant!

Hail His Mother!

And hail all You holy virtues

which are poured into the hearts of the faithful

through the grace and enlightenment of the Holy Spirit,

that from being unbelievers,

You may make them faithful to God.

A Salutation Of the Virtues is quoted verbatim, italics original [3]:

Hail, Queen Wisdom!

May the Lord protect You,

with your Sister, holy pure Simplicity!

Lady holy Poverty,

may the Lord protect You,

with Your Sister, holy Humility!

Lady holy Charity,

may the Lord protect You,

with your Sister, holy Obedience.

Most only Virtues,

may the Lord protect all of You

from Whom You come and proceed.

There is surely no one in the world world

who can possess any one of You

without dying first.

Whoever possesses one

and does not offend the others

possesses all.

Whoever offends one

does not possess any

and offends all.

And each one confounds vice and sin.

Holy Wisdom confounds

Satan and all his cunning.

Pure holy Simplicity confounds

all the wisdom of this world

and the wisdom of the body.

Holy poverty confounds

the desire for riches,

greed,

and the cares of this world.

Holy Humility confounds

pride,

all people who are in the world.

Holy Charity confounds

every diabolical and carnal temptation

and every carnal fear.

Holy Obedience confounds

every corporal and carnal wish;

binds its mortified body

to the obedience of the Spirit

and obedience to one's brother,

so that it is

subject and submissive

to everyone in the world,

not only to people

but to every beast and wild animal as well

that they may do whatever they want with it

insofar as it has been given to them

from above by the Lord.

[1]  Armstrong, Regis J. O.F.M. Cap. et.al. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume I, The Saint. Page 163. New York: New York City Press, 2000.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid, 164-5.

Francis Of Assisi's "Our Father" Prayer

"[T]his writing is perhaps the only instance in which we find an example of how Francis responded to his brothers' request to teach them how to pray." [1]  The prayer is quoted below (italics original) [2]:

O Our Father most holy:

Our Creator, Redeemer, Consoler, and Savior:

Who are in heaven:

In the angels and the saints,

enlightening them to know, for You, Lord, are light;

inflaming them to love, for You, Lord, are love;

dwelling in them and filling them with happiness,

for You, Lord, are Supreme Good, the Eternal Good,

from Whom all good comes

without Whom there is no good.

Holy be Your Name:

May knowledge of You become clearer in us

that we may know

the breath of Your blessings,

the length of Your promises,

the height of Your majesty,

the depth of Your judgments.

Your kingdom come:

That You may rule in us through Your grace

and enable us to come  to Your kingdom

where there is clear vision of You,

perfect love of You,

blessed companionship of You,

eternal enjoyment of You.

Your will be done on earth as in heaven:

That we may love You

with our whole heart by always thinking of You,

with our whole soul by always desiring You,

with our whole mind by always directing all our intentions to You,

and by seeking Your glory in everything,

 with all our whole strength by exerting

all our energies and affections of body and soul

in the service of Your love and of nothing else;

and we may love our neighbor as ourselves

by drawing them all to Your love with our whole strength,

by rejoicing in the good of others as in our own,

by suffering with others at their misfortunes,

and by giving offense to no one.

Give us this day:

in remembrance, understanding, and reverence

of that love which [Your son] had for us [3]

and of those things that He said and did and suffered for us.

our daily Bread:

You own beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Forgive us our trespasses:

through Your ineffable mercy

through the power of the passion of Your beloved Son

and through the merits and intercession

of the ever blessed Virgin and all Your elect.

As we forgive those who trespass against us:

And what we do not completely forgive,

make us, Lord, forgive completely

that we may truly love our enemies because of You

and we may fervently intercede for them before You,

returning no one evil for evil

and we may strive to help everyone in You.

And lead us not into temptation:

hidden or obvious,

sudden or persistent.

But deliver us from evil:

past,

present,

and to come

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. 

[1] Armstrong, Regis J. O.F.M. Cap. et.al. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume I, The Saint. Page 158. New York: New York City Press, 2000.
[2] Ibid., 158-160.
[3] In the book, the words within the bracket are: "our Lord Jesus Christ."  I do not think that is correct and therefore I chose the words "Your Son" because throughout the prayer, before and after this missing part Francis of Assisi was directing his prayer to God.  The words "our Lord Jesus Christ" sounds detached, not personable like the rest of the prayer.  The words "Your Son" is more personable.  Furthermore, "our Lord Jesus Christ appears in the next paragraph.  From the context of the prayer, it ought to be the first time, not the second, because the stress is on "our daily Bread" which is "Your own beloved Son" Who is being introduced as "our Lord Jesus Christ."  By having a paragraph unto itself and by the strategic placement of a comma, the introduction of "our Lord Jesus Christ" to the Lord's Prayer was intended to be a momentous occasion.  Mentioning "our Lord Jesus Christ" ahead of time would have been anticlimactic; it would have deflated the importance and diminished the moment of transubstantiation when "our Lord Jesus Christ" became "our daily Bread."

Fourth & Fifth Of Many Prayers Of Francis Of Assisi

The following is quoted verbatim, italics original [1]:

At Terce

Antiphon:  Holy Virgin Mary

Psalm [ IV ]

Have mercy on me, O God, for people have trampled me underfoot;*
all day long they have afflicted me and fight against me.
All day long my enemies trampled upon me*
for there were many waging war against me.
All my enemies have been thinking evil things against me;*
they made an evil plot against me.
Those who were guarding my life*
have conspired together.
They went out*
and spread it everywhere.
Seeing me everyone laughed at me;*
they whispered and shoot their heads.
I am a worm and no human.*
the scorn of men and the outcast of the people.
I have been made despicable to my neighbors;+
far beyond all my enemies,*
a thing of fear to all my acquaintances.
O holy Father, do not keep your help from me*
but look to my defense.
Come to my aid,*
Lord, God of my salvation.

At Sext

Antiphon:  Holy Virgin Mary

Psalm [V]

I cried to the Lord with all my voice;*
with all my voice I begged the Lord.
I pour out my prayer in His sight*
and I tell the Lord of all my trouble.
When my spirit failed me*
you knew my ways.
On the path where I walked,*
the proud hid a trap for me.
I looked to my right and saw:*
there was no one who knew me.
I have no means of escape:*
there is no one who cares for my life.
I have borne abuse because of you*
and confusion covers my face.
I have become an outcast to my brothers,*
a stranger to the children of my mother. [2] 
Holy Father, zeal for your house has consumed me;*
and the insults of those who blasphemed you have fallen on me.
They rejoiced and united together against me.*
Blows were heaped on me and I knew not why.
More numerous than the hairs of my head*
are those who hate me without cause.
My enemies, who persecuted me unjustly, have been strengthened;*
I then repaid what I did not steal.
The wicked witnesses who rise up
asked me about things of which they are ignorant.
They repaid me evil for good and harassed me*
because I pursued good.
You are my most holy Father*
my King and my God.
Come to my aid.*
Lord, God of my salvation. [3]



[1]  Armstrong, Regis J. O.F.M. Cap. et.al. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume I, The Saint. Pages 144-5. New York: New York City Press, 2000.
[2] Page 144 of the book has two footnotes.  The first footnote says the verses for Terce form the prayers of Jesus during the scourging, the crowning with thorns and the mockery and abuse of the crowd.  The second footnote says Sext was seen as the hour of crucifixion in which Christ was abandoned and He was consumed by His zeal to return to His Father.  There is no third footnote on page 144 and none on page 145, so I am left to wonder what these words in the prayer mean: "I have become an outcast to my brothers,* a stranger to the children of my mother."  I suppose "brothers" could refer to the disciples since they all left Him to die alone except John, but "the children of my mother"?  Who could they be?  I am thinking they are John, to whom Christ gave His mother, Mary, and Christ Himself since Mary had only one child, Jesus.  It is easy to see how Jesus saw that He had become a stranger to John since He was so bloodied, his flesh so deformed from the deep gashes, so exhausted, so thirsty, so painful and helpless on the cross, but how could Jesus be a stranger to Himself?  I suppose when Jesus was so obedient to God, to be willing to endure so much pain and humiliation that He had to think that He was not Himself for no ordinary person in the flesh would be willing to go through the torture and the crucifixion, especially when there were so many chances to avoid both, to stop what He was doing, to keep quiet, to move to a different place and  assume a new identity.
[3] There are many more prayers in the book but I have decided not to transcribe all of them except those I like best.

Third Of Many Prayers Of Francis Of Assisi

The following is quoted verbatim, italics original [1]:

At Matins

Antiphon:  Holy Virgin Mary

Psalm [ III ]

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me*
because my soul places its trust in you.
I will hope in the shadow of your wings*
until wickedness pass by.
I will cry to the Most High God, my most holy Father,*
who has done good to me.
He has sent from heaven and delivered me;*
He has disgraced those who have trampled upon me.
God has sent His mercy and His truth;*
He has snatched my life from the strongest of my enemies +

and from those who hated me for they were too powerful for me.
They prepared a trap for my feet*
and bowed down my soul.
They dug a pit before my face*
and fell into it themselves!
My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready;*
I will sing and chant a psalm.
Arise, my glory, arise psalter and harp,*
I will arise at dawn.
I will praise you among the peoples, O Lord,*
I will chant a psalm to you among the nations.
Because your mercy is exalted even to the skies,*
and your truth even to the clouds.
Be exalted above the heavens, O God.*
and may your glory be over all the earth. [2]

 

[1]  Armstrong, Regis J. O.F.M. Cap. et.al. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume I, The Saint. Page 143. New York: New York City Press, 2000.
[2] The book's footnote says this prayer is said at Prime, remembering Christ's appearance before Pontius Pilate and Christ's resurrection.

Second Of Many Prayers Of Francis Of Assisi

The following is quoted verbatim, italics original [1]:

At Matins

Antiphon:  Holy Virgin Mary

Psalm [ II ]

Lord, God of my salvation,*

I cry day and night to you.

Let my prayer enter into your sight;*

incline your ear to my prayer.

Attend to my soul and free it;*

set me free because of my enemies.

For it was you who took me out of the womb,+

you, my hope from my mother's breasts.*

I have been cast upon you from the womb.

From my mother's womb you have been my God;*

do not depart from me.

You know my disgrace, my confusion*

and my reverence.

All those who trouble me are in your sight;*

My heart has expected abuse and misery.

I looked for someone to grieve together with me+

and there was none,*

for someone to console me and I found none.

God, the wicked have risen against me,*

the assembly of the powerful has sought my life;*

they have not placed you in their sight.

I am numbered among those who go down into the pit.*

I have become as someone without help, cut off among the dead.

You are my most Holy Father,*

my King and my God.

Come to my aid,*

Lord God of my salvation. [2]

[1]  Armstrong, Regis J. O.F.M. Cap. et.al. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume I, The Saint. Page 142. New York: New York City Press, 2000.

[2]  In the book, the footnote to this prayer says that Francis of Assisi said this prayer during Holy Week as was the first prayer I quoted several days ago even though my initial, and mistaken, thought was that these were prayers Francis of Assisi said because he himself was suffering rejection, loneliness and pain.  I made the mistake because I believed and still believe that Francis of Assisi was sometimes as lonely as Christ was because he was a true follower of Christ and he must have hurt inside as much as Christ did.  I also think that anyone who goes against an educated or popular mentality and acts alone out of true goodness that is borne out of humility will feel this loneliness, a loneliness that God understands and shares.

First Of Many Prayers Of Francis Of Assisi

The following is quoted verbatim, italics original [1]:

At Compline

Antiphon:  Holy Virgin Mary

Psalm [ I ]

God, I have told you of my life;*

you have placed all my tears in your sight.
All my enemies were plotting evil against me;*
they took counsel together.
They repaid me evil for good*
and hatred for my love.
They slandered me in return for my love,*
but I continued to pray.
My holy Father, King of heaven and earth, do not leave me*
for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
Let my enemies be turned back+
on whatever day I shall call upon you;*
for now I know that you are my God,
My friends and my neighbors have drawn near
and have stood against me;*
those who were close to me have stayed far away.
You have driven my acquaintances far from me;*
they have made me an abomination to them.+ [2]
I have been handed over and did not escape.
Holy Father, do not remove your help from me;*

my God, look to my aid.
Come to my help,*
Lord, God of my salvation.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen

[1]  Armstrong, Regis J. O.F.M. Cap. et.al. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume I, The Saint. Page 140. New York: New York City Press, 2000.
[2] This particular portion of the prayer is of interest: "My friends and my neighbors have drawn near and have stood against me;* those who were close to me have stayed far away.  You have driven my acquaintances far from me;* they have made me an abomination to them.+"  Why would Francis of Assisi include these words in his prayer?  Was it the truth that he was speaking or the manner that he was acting so repugnant to everyone that even his friends and neighbors would deny and betray him, and those closest to him would rather be far away and in denial rather than to hear or look at it respectively?  I think Holy Francis was alone and stressed out, perhaps his spirit might even have been a bit low, since in the prayer before and after making the observation, he said these words: "My holy Father, King of heaven and earth, do no leave me * for trouble is near and there is no one to help " (before the observation) and "Holy Father, do not remove your help from me" and "My God, look to my aid[,] [c]ome to my help, Lord, God of my salvation (after the observation)."  My conclusion is that a true man of cloth who is genuinely committed to become a disciple of Christ has to endure a solitary life living the reality of holy poverty and filling his heart and soul with his love for the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Francis Of Assisi On Criticizing The Clergy

"Blessed is the servant who has faith in the clergy who lives uprightly according to the rite of the Roman Church.  

"Woe to those who look down upon them; for even though they be sinners, no one should judge them because the Lord alone reserves judgment on them to Himself.  For just as their ministry is greater in its concerns for the most holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which they receive and they alone administer to others, so those who sin against them commit more of a sin than against all other persons in this world." [1]

My first question is to whom was Holy Francis [2] addressing?  I think he was addressing his brothers and not the laity which includes me.  This conclusion ought to be correct, not because I enjoy criticizing men and women of cloth and wish to be exempt from all woes, but because he used the word "servant" in the first sentence and implied it in the second when he wrote "woe to those"  and I am not per se a "servant" of an order committed to serve the Lord .  Secondly, Holy Francis' audience was probably the brothers of his Order who are not priests since the words are "just as [the priests'] ministry is greater in its concerns for the most holy Body and Blood of .... Christ, which [the priests] receive and they alone administer to others." [3]  In other words, it would not make sense for Holy Francis to tell the world that it would be fine for the laity to criticize a brother who is not a priest just because he cannot administer the Body and Blood of Christ [4].

However, Holy Francis could have been deliberately vague in the use of words and would have preferred that no one except the Lord alone to judge men and women of the clergy even though they maybe sinful because they serve to uphold the Church.  Francis of Assisi was of course correct because he knew of the sins of the members of the clergy and if their sins ever became known, the standing of the Church would suffer, and it has, in light of the likely mismanagement of Church funds and property and a number of confirmed pedophiles who abused children sexually and damaged them emotionally.

My dilemma remains: should I stop criticizing members of the Catholic Church in accordance with Holy Francis' wishes, when they are interpreted broadly, or continue to point out what I believe to be the truth, even though I do not know all the facts, when his wishes are interpreted narrowly?

For now, I will stop my negative comments unless I have been allowed to see the absolute truth that only God holds. [5]



[1]  Armstrong, Regis J. O.F.M. Cap. et.al. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume I, The Saint. Page 136. New York: New York City Press, 2000
[2] Holy Francis is the same person in my writings as Francis of Assisi.  I address Francis of Assisi as Holy Francis rather than Francis to distinguish him from all the people named Francis before and after him.  I have not addressed Francis of Assisi as Saint Francis in this writing because these words were written by a holy follower of Christ before he was declared a saint.
[3] Armstrong, op.cit., p.136.
[4] In order to administer the Body and Blood of Christ, the bread and wine must be transubstantiated and such substantiation is done by priests.
[5] It would not come as a shock to me to find out that God's absolute truth dwells in an eternal reservoir of compassion, forgiveness and unconditional love which can be accessed by exercising one's free will by truly and absolutely repenting all sins.  The love is unconditional because it is readily and immediately forgiving but if one chooses to reject God and accept Satan permanently (the willful and final refusal to repent all sins), there is no amount of unconditional love, however immense, that could change the finality of free will. In other words, unconditional love is for one to move toward to embrace willingly; it does not move toward anyone and force acceptance upon him or her.  Therefore, it would be incorrect to conclude that God's love is conditioned upon the repentance of sins -- it is not.  God's love is here, there and everywhere for anyone who desires it, and for those who reject it permanently in favor of Satan exist forever in darkness and without love.

The Prophetic Words Of Saint Francis Of Assisi

"Let all of us, brothers, consider the Good Shepherd Who bore the suffering of the cross to save His sheep.

"The Lord's sheep followed Him in tribulation and persecution, in shame and hunger, in weakness and temptation, and in other ways; and for these things they received eternal life from the Lord.

"Therefore, it is a great shame for us, the servants of God, that the saints have accomplished great things and we want only to receive glory and honor by recounting them." [1]

These words were by Francis of Assisi before he was declared a saint.  How prophetic those words have become for the current pope who named himself after the holy saint.

In the first paragraph, Francis of Assisi wrote to his followers that they should be mindful of Christ's suffering, not Christ's incessant forgiveness like Pope Francis had told his audience.  In the next paragraph, Francis of Assisi told those who followed Christ in His trials and sufferings in life would be with God in heaven after death.  In the last paragraph, Francis of Assisi castigated men of cloth who paid only lip-service to (i..e., recounted) the lessons taught by the saints but desired all of the glory and honor given to them.  Little did Francis of Assisi know, or perhaps he knew from seeing it in a vision, that one day there would be a pope who would choose to be named after him, Francis of Assisi, the saint, and who would want "only to receive glory and honor by recounting" the great accomplishments of Saint Francis of Assisi without following Christ in His "tribulation and persecution, in shame and hunger, in weakness and in temptation, and in other ways" in the same manner that Saint Francis of Assisi had.




[1]  Armstrong, Regis J. O.F.M. Cap. et.al. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume I, The Saint. Page 131. New York: New York City Press, 2000.

Writings of Francis of Assisi On Money

"Let the brothers in no way receive, arrange to receive, seek, or arrange to seek money for leper colonies or coins for any house or place; and let them not accompany anyone begging money or coins for such places.  However, the brothers can perform for those places other services not contrary to our life with the blessing of God.  Nevertheless, the brothers can beg for alms for a manifest need of the lepers.  But let them beware of money.  Similarly, let all the brothers be careful of going throughout the world for filthy gain." [1]

[1]  Armstrong, Regis J. O.F.M. Cap. et.al. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume I, The Saint. Page 70. New York: New York City Press, 2000.

Revisiting My Acedia, God's Will, Good Works And God's Truth

On December 30, 2010, I asked God for the vision and the voice, the courage and the confidence, the strength and the stamina to do His will. Nothing happened. A few days ago, I read the last of Saint Bonaventure of Bagnoregio's evening sermons preached at Paris on October 4, 1267. It was difficult to read and over my head because it was full of quotes from the Bible and I am not a biblical scholar. However, one sentence that I did get stood out from the 6 1/2-page sermon:

"If we are ready to do what pleases God He will make His will known to us." [1]

I suppose I am not ready for my mind goes blank with fear and I freeze in place whenever I think of any good that I might be capable of doing. After all the reading, thinking and analysis that I have done in the hope that I would be able to make a difference have proven to be futile. [2]

I am back to an ordinary life, in my mind only, for I have not stepped out of it in reality.

[1] Armstrong, Regis J. O.F.M. Cap. et.al. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume II, The Founder. Page 760. New York: New York City Press, 2000. [1.1]

[1.1] The sentence quoted above began a paragraph. This sentence ended it: "God, who is Creator, Sanctifier, and Glorifier, wills only what is good." Ibid at [1]

[2] See blog entries Parts 1 through 7 under "Making A Difference" in October and November of 2011.

Poverty & Redistributing Wealth

Pope Benedict XVI Wants What?

This is truly funny for me. No sooner than just a few days ago when I posted an entry on poverty, this headline: “Pope Benedict Peace Message Calls For Wealth Redistribution” shows up at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/16/pope-benedict-wealth-distribution_n_1154798.html?icid=maing-grid7|maing7|dl1|sec3_lnk3%26pLid%3D121064. The first three paragraphs read: “VATICAN CITY (RNS) Noting a ‘rising sense of frustration’ at the worldwide economic recession, Pope Benedict XVI said that a more just and peaceful world requires ‘adequate mechanisms for the redistribution of wealth.’

"The pope's words appeared in his message for the World Day of Peace 2012, released on Friday (Dec. 16) at the Vatican.

"The message laments that ‘some currents of modern culture, built upon rationalist and individualist economic principles, have cut off the concept of justice from its transcendent roots, detaching it from charity and solidarity.’" Ibid.

Perhaps the Pope himself is detached from the core of Catholicism and in desperate need of continuing education on the vow of poverty, Francis of Assisi, Holy Poverty and religious hypocrisy.

Holy Poverty & Avarice

I have wanted to write about poverty for quite some time but after reading the passage quoted below, I no longer feel the need to for the subject had already been written on and far more eloquently and succinctly than I ever could.

The topic of poverty is particularly apropos during the Christmas season when we are being reminded of those who are poor and deserve to have the things they cannot afford. While we must not forget about those who are suffering financially, it is also important to realize that society is continually brainwashing us into believing falsely that satisfaction or happiness can be had by possession of new toys or the latest electronic gadgets and that sin and guilt can be washed away by donations.

Below is an excerpt from “The Evening Sermon on Saint Francis Preached at Paris, October 4, 1262” by Saint Bonaventure:

“As the heavens are arranged in spheres of high, higher, and highest heavens, so there is a poverty borne in patience that is good, a poverty that is desired and longed for which is better, and poverty embraced with joy in which a person glories and rejoices, which is best of all. Poverty, therefore, is the reason why a person can be likened to the heavens, because it leads to the kingdom of heaven. Our Lord says: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Poverty excludes those who do not love it, or who malign it, from the kingdom of heaven, as Scripture says: It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God, that is, for a rich man who has set his heart on riches and placed his trust in them. Avarice drags a person down because those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. Take note that avarice casts a person into the depths. Poverty, on the other hand, uplifts a person to the state of heavenly life and, above all, that poverty in which a person glorifies and rejoices.” Emphasis original.




Bibliography:

Armstrong, Regis J. O.F.M. Cap. et.al. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume II, The Founder. Pages 718, 722. New York: New York City Press, 2000.

A Prayer in the Midst of Worldy Concerns

In the words of Saint Francis, directing them to an "'eminent cleric'" if he were to join his Order: "And so I wish an educated man world first offer me this prayer: 'Look, Brother; I have lived for a long time in the world and have not really known my God. Grant me, I pray you, a place removed from the noise of the world, where I may recall my years in sorrow and where I may gather the scattered bits of my heart and turn my spirit to better things.'" (Emphasis original)

Bibliography:

Armstrong, Regis J. O.F.M. Cap. et.al. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume II, The Founder. Page 329. New York: New York City Press, 2000.

On the fast track to sainthood – will JP II get there?

No sooner than a moment since I have posted my Good Friday blog, telling of my prayer earlier in the day asking for forgiveness of sins and a cleansing to begin a new year which ended with the crucifixion of Christ, I am compelled to commit a sin, despite my compunction.

Good Friday had passed and it is now Easter Sunday. My obsession with my judgment or perhaps more appropriately, misjudgment or prejudgment was compelling me to write about my unhappiness with fast-tracking John Paul II to sainthood. I have never found him to be particularly pastoral or holy in life, so how could I agree that he be elevated to sainthood after his death? How possibly could he be on par with Francis of Assisi and be in “communion” with him?

Regardless of the supposed miracles he was responsible for, the one that mattered to me was his utter failure to convince George Bush Jr. not to invade Saddam Hussein's Iraq. He could have gone to Iraq and stood with the Iraqi Christians to underscore his point but he did not, not that such an action would have prevented Bush Jr. from invading Iraq but would likely have caused him to delay executing his order lest he found it appropriate to injure or kill a Pope via collateral damage. In the time since the invasion were death, continual suffering and exodus of Iraqi Christians.

And if JP2 were so saintly, why did God not permit him to have his voice in the last days of his papacy? He wanted to but could not speak to the crowds gathered in front of St. Peter's square. He was silenced even though he was supposedly the mouthpiece of God. Having his voice back suddenly when he popped his head out the window to address the crowds would have been a miracle but that did not happen.

Perhaps the biggest miracle was the fact that he survived a gunshot wound but so did many, many others around the world for generations who survived gunshot wounds. Are any of them saints?

Finally, if he were to be elevated to sainthood, would he be the patron saint of acting because he was an actor? Or, would he be the patron saint of pedophiles as one writer suggested in his comment on the internet?