Sep 20, 2024 Written by 

Holy humility confounds pride

Today is the Feast of the one who gave meaning and roots to Franciscanism. The Gospel chosen is that of Jesus turning to the Father to thank Him for revealing the Mysteries of the Kingdom to the little ones. And he, Francis, is the Little One, the meek par excellence.

In the Sources, the littleness of this Giant of the Gospel is summed up thus:

"Another time he confessed to his companions:

"Among other graces, the Most High has bestowed on me this: I would obey the novice who entered the Order today, if he were my guardian, as if he were the first and oldest of the brothers.

Indeed, the subject must not consider in the prelate the man, but He for whose sake he submits to a man".

He also said:

"There would not be a prelate in the whole world, feared by his subjects and brothers as much as the Lord would have me feared by my brothers, should I wish it.

But the Most High has given me this grace: to know how to adapt myself to everyone, as if I were the smallest friar in the Order".

We have seen with our own eyes repeatedly, we who have lived with Francis, the truth of this statement of his.

On several occasions, when certain brothers did not assist him in his needs, or some word was addressed to him that produced agitation, the Saint immediately withdrew to pray.

And when he returned, he did not want to remember the insult, saying: 'That friar neglected me!', or: 'He said this word to me'.

And the closer he came to death, the more concerned he was to live and die in all the perfection of humility and poverty' (FF 1663).

He was humble and meek not only with superiors but also with peers and inferiors, content to be admonished and corrected by them.

One day, crossing a farmer's field on a donkey, because he was weak, the latter pointed out to him that he was in life really what they said about him:

'Look,' said the farmer, 'be as good as everyone says you are, because many people trust you. That is why I exhort you never to behave differently from what is hoped'.

At these words, Francis got down from the donkey and, prostrating himself before the peasant, he kissed his feet several times, humbly thanking him that he had deigned to admonish him [...].

He thought himself vile before God and men' (FF 726).

And in the Salutation to the Virtues, written by him, we read:

"Holy humility/ confounds pride/ and all men that are in the world/ and likewise all things that are in the world" (FF 258).

 

"I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned and revealed them to the little ones" (Mt 11:25).

 

 

S. Francis of Assisi, saint patron of Italy (Mt 11:25-30)

72 Last modified on Friday, 20 September 2024 03:27
Teresa Girolami

Teresa Girolami è laureata in Materie letterarie e Teologia. Ha pubblicato vari testi, fra cui: "Pellegrinaggio del cuore" (Ed. Piemme); "I Fiammiferi di Maria - La Madre di Dio in prosa e poesia"; "Tenerezza Scalza - Natura di donna"; co-autrice di "Dialogo e Solstizio".

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The family in the modern world, as much as and perhaps more than any other institution, has been beset by the many profound and rapid changes that have affected society and culture. Many families are living this situation in fidelity to those values that constitute the foundation of the institution of the family. Others have become uncertain and bewildered over their role or even doubtful and almost unaware of the ultimate meaning and truth of conjugal and family life. Finally, there are others who are hindered by various situations of injustice in the realization of their fundamental rights [Familiaris Consortio n.1]
La famiglia nei tempi odierni è stata, come e forse più di altre istituzioni, investita dalle ampie, profonde e rapide trasformazioni della società e della cultura. Molte famiglie vivono questa situazione nella fedeltà a quei valori che costituiscono il fondamento dell'istituto familiare. Altre sono divenute incerte e smarrite di fronte ai loro compiti o, addirittura, dubbiose e quasi ignare del significato ultimo e della verità della vita coniugale e familiare. Altre, infine, sono impedite da svariate situazioni di ingiustizia nella realizzazione dei loro fondamentali diritti [Familiaris Consortio n.1]
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“Suo” in senso quanto mai letterale: Colui che solo il Figlio conosce come Padre, e dal quale soltanto è reciprocamente conosciuto. Ci troviamo ormai sullo stesso terreno, dal quale più tardi sorgerà il prologo del Vangelo di Giovanni (Papa Giovanni Paolo II)
We come to bless him because of what he revealed, eight centuries ago, to a "Little", to the Poor Man of Assisi; - things in heaven and on earth, that philosophers "had not even dreamed"; - things hidden to those who are "wise" only humanly, and only humanly "intelligent"; - these "things" the Father, the Lord of heaven and earth, revealed to Francis and through Francis (Pope John Paul II)
Veniamo per benedirlo a motivo di ciò che egli ha rivelato, otto secoli fa, a un “Piccolo”, al Poverello d’Assisi; – le cose in cielo e sulla terra, che i filosofi “non avevano nemmeno sognato”; – le cose nascoste a coloro che sono “sapienti” soltanto umanamente, e soltanto umanamente “intelligenti”; – queste “cose” il Padre, il Signore del cielo e della terra, ha rivelato a Francesco e mediante Francesco (Papa Giovanni Paolo II)
But what moves me even more strongly to proclaim the urgency of missionary evangelization is the fact that it is the primary service which the Church can render to every individual and to all humanity [Redemptoris Missio n.2]
Ma ciò che ancor più mi spinge a proclamare l'urgenza dell'evangelizzazione missionaria è che essa costituisce il primo servizio che la chiesa può rendere a ciascun uomo e all'intera umanità [Redemptoris Missio n.2]
That 'always seeing the face of the Father' is the highest manifestation of the worship of God. It can be said to constitute that 'heavenly liturgy', performed on behalf of the whole universe [John Paul II]
Quel “vedere sempre la faccia del Padre” è la manifestazione più alta dell’adorazione di Dio. Si può dire che essa costituisce quella “liturgia celeste”, compiuta a nome di tutto l’universo [Giovanni Paolo II]

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