Assisination
I am frequently enlightened when reading the works and messages of the fathers of the Church. It so happened that, this morning, my self-directed reading (actually, the leading of the Spirit as crudely interpreted by the leanings of the human mind) led me to a missal propagated in 1215 by St Francis of Assisi.
I have a weakness for that saint. His words speak to me a lot, and I carry them in my wallet (to remind me about what money ought to be used for) and in my heart (to remind me to give more of it to others) and in my head (to remind me to be reminded). They repose, as he intended, at a lower level than the words of his Master, but they are here with me anyway.
Specifically, the reading for today which leapt off the screen and ambushed me was this:
The man who is in authority and is regarded as the superior should become the least of all and serve his brothers, and he should be as sympathetic with each one of them as he would wish others to be with him if he were in a similar position. If one of his brothers falls into sin, he should not be angry with him; on the contrary, he should correct him gently, with all patience and humility, and encourage him.
It is not for us to be wise and calculating in the world's fashion; we should be guileless, lowly, and pure. We should hold our lower nature in contempt, as a source of shame to us, because through our own fault we are wretched and utterly corrupt, nothing more than worms, as our Lord tells us by the Prophet, I am a worm; the scorn of men, despised by the people (Ps. 21: 7).
We should not want to be in charge of others; we are to be servants, and should be subject to every human creature for God's sake (1Pet. 2: 13). On all those who do this and endure to the last the Spirit of God will rest (cf. Is. 11: 2); he will make his dwelling in them and there he will stay, and they will be children of your Father in heaven (Mt. 5: 45) whose work they do.
And this is the Word of God that liberates, as taught from by one of His saints. I listen, and I cry out that I might be granted the privilege of humility and obedience to such a call. To serve the Great King, that High King of Heaven - this is the grandest of callings and of services. There is no spiritual lowliness about it, but rather, holiness. I wish it were always mine.
I have a weakness for that saint. His words speak to me a lot, and I carry them in my wallet (to remind me about what money ought to be used for) and in my heart (to remind me to give more of it to others) and in my head (to remind me to be reminded). They repose, as he intended, at a lower level than the words of his Master, but they are here with me anyway.
Specifically, the reading for today which leapt off the screen and ambushed me was this:
The man who is in authority and is regarded as the superior should become the least of all and serve his brothers, and he should be as sympathetic with each one of them as he would wish others to be with him if he were in a similar position. If one of his brothers falls into sin, he should not be angry with him; on the contrary, he should correct him gently, with all patience and humility, and encourage him.
It is not for us to be wise and calculating in the world's fashion; we should be guileless, lowly, and pure. We should hold our lower nature in contempt, as a source of shame to us, because through our own fault we are wretched and utterly corrupt, nothing more than worms, as our Lord tells us by the Prophet, I am a worm; the scorn of men, despised by the people (Ps. 21: 7).
We should not want to be in charge of others; we are to be servants, and should be subject to every human creature for God's sake (1Pet. 2: 13). On all those who do this and endure to the last the Spirit of God will rest (cf. Is. 11: 2); he will make his dwelling in them and there he will stay, and they will be children of your Father in heaven (Mt. 5: 45) whose work they do.
And this is the Word of God that liberates, as taught from by one of His saints. I listen, and I cry out that I might be granted the privilege of humility and obedience to such a call. To serve the Great King, that High King of Heaven - this is the grandest of callings and of services. There is no spiritual lowliness about it, but rather, holiness. I wish it were always mine.
etched with acid at 6:29:00 pm
3 Comments:
sir, you humble me. yet another beautiful post, but this time in a different way; where one you made me smile with genuine pleasure, in this one I am almost choked up with its stunning and elegant -
humility.
"a most Catholic fashion" indeed! great :)
Ach, I'm nobody to be humbling others, and I'm not prideful enough to not be Catholic. I'm only glad that my small gifts can be turned to the edification of my brothers and sisters.
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