Sabado, Hunyo 23, 2012

Begging Alms "For the Love of God!"

 
 Chapter VI
That the Friars are to appropriate nothing for themselves,
and concerning the begging of alms and sick friars.


Let the Friars appropriate nothing for themselves, neither house nor place, nor any thing. And as pilgrims and exiles (cf 1 Pt 2:11) in this age let them go about for alms confidently, as ones serving the Lord in poverty and humility, nor is it proper that they be ashamed [to do so], since the Lord made Himself poor in this world (cf 2 Cor 8:9) for us. This is that loftiness of most high poverty, which has established you, my most dear Friars, as heirs and kings of the Kingdom of Heaven, making you poor in things, it has raised you high in virtues (cf Jm 2:5). Let this be your "portion", which leads you "into the land of the living" (cfr Ps 141,6). Cleaving totally to this, most beloved Friars, may you want to have nothing other under heaven in perpetuity, for the sake of the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
And, wherever the friars are and find themselves, let them mutually show themselves to be among their family members. And let them without fear manifest to one another their own need, since, if a mother nourishes and loves her own son (cf 1 Th 2:7) according to the flesh, how much more diligently should he love and nourish his own spiritual brother?
And, if any of them should fall into infirmity, the other friars should care for him, as they would want to be cared for themselves.( Rule of Saint Francis 1225)
 
 
St. Francis said that to offer the love of God to get an alms was a noble prodigality, and those who valued it less then money were most foolish men. He himself kept unfailingly to his death the resolution he had made while he was still enmeshed in worldly things, namely, that he would never turn away a poor man who asked an alms for the love of God.

Saint Francis of Assisi
Celano, Second Life
Chapter XCLVIII
 
 

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