Francis' 'Perfect Joy' - II

It only gets worse! Remind me again, how is this perfect joy?!

Francis says:
"And if we knock again, and the porter comes out in anger to drive us away with oaths and blows, as if we were vile impostors, saying, ‘Begone, miserable robbers! To the hospital, for here you shall neither eat nor sleep!’ - and if we accept all this with patience, with joy, and with charity, O Brother Leo, write that this indeed is perfect joy." (It should be noted that the 'hospital' was the informal name for the place where another charitable group took care of the poor.)

The porter, as we saw, had been angry and 'put out' to see Francis and Leo at the door. After making it clear to them that they were not welcomed and slamming the door in their faces, he was now ready to settle in for the night and focus his thoughts on more pleasant things.

But, to his chagrin, he hears knocking again! With a sudden burst of anger, brimming over with irritation and frustration, he reels around, rushes back to the door and throws it open. He is fully prepared to teach these two a lesson - that this is neither the time nor the place to seek shelter - nor is he the person to bother! He rushes out at Francis and Leo, and, while beating them with his fists and feet, is shouting curses at them!

Francis, in his story, puts two terrible accusations against himself and Leo, in the porters mouth. The first is that Francis and Leo are "vile impostors". Vile is the root word of villain - a scoundrel, a low-life evil-doer. That which is vile is something that people despise and even hate. It is something ugly, harmful and disgusting. An impostor is one who presents himself as being something that he is not - a fake. Was Francis really so vile? Was he really an impostor? Francis apparently thought so.

How can Francis, a saint, consider himself to be a vile impostor? We must remember that no one can make himself a saint. Only God can do that. The only part a person of faith plays in the process is to humbly surrender himself in faith (with sorrow for his sins and in gratitude for God's mercy) into the loving hands of God. God is the source of all good as Jesus Himself said, "Why do you call me good? Only God is good." If ONLY God is good - what does that make everyone else?! Jesus said a bit later, "If you, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children . . ." Based on what Jesus said we can see that Francis was speaking the truth in regards to his being 'vile' because ALL men (except the Son of God of course!) are evil.

But what about being an 'impostor'? Francis was so honest, humble and open before God and men, that there is no way that he could be an impostor (at least at this point in his life!) How many of us call ourselves Christian? The term Christian was not invented by either individual followers of Jesus or by the Church. It was a term applied to Jesus' followers by pagans who, after hearing disciples of Christ describe Jesus (the kind of person He is and what He did for love of others), concluded that these disciples were 'like' Jesus. Christian means "one who is like Christ". How many people can claim to truly be 'like Christ'? Jesus said, "They will know you are my disciples by your love for each other . . ." Who loves like Jesus - giving His life for people (like us!) who have proven they deserve nothing of the blessings God has given them? If we don't love like Him - then do we have the right (or a good reason) to call ourselves 'Christians'? If you call yourself a Christian but don't act or speak like Jesus then aren't you an 'impostor'? Francis understood this about himself and so could honestly say that he was an 'impostor'.

However, even worse than calling himself a 'vile impostor', he puts the phrase 'miserable robber' in the mouth of the porter. A robber is not just a thief but one who uses either force or the threat of force to get people to hand over their valuables to him. Was Francis a robber? When had he ever robbed anyone?

Francis did look on himself as being a robber - one who took, forcibly, both the gifts of God and the gifts offered to God, by others. 'Force' has the idea of violence within it. Isn't it violent to take God's praise and glory or to take the gifts of God as if they were ours by right ('owed' to us), especially if those 'gifts' were intended for others? But when and how could anyone do this - take from Almighty God? Francis explained (in other places) that to take credit for God's work (God's actions or words) through us was to steal from God. Francis explained that God deserves ALL the praise, ALL the glory and honor, for ALL the good done in the world for it, ultimately, all comes from Him. Also, though God gives us all gifts, not all the gifts he gives to us are FOR us. Some of them are intended for others - given to us so that we can pass them on to others. When we claim ownership of God's 'gifts' to others then we are stealing from them.

Francis describes how followers of Jesus should react to the porter. They should ACCEPT both the blows from his fists and his feet (as well as the cursing and foul language) with PATIENCE, with JOY and with CHARITY. In response to the porter's impatience they should show patience and long-suffering. In response to the anger, irritation and unhappiness felt by the porter, they should feel joy in their own hearts. Finally, in response to his brutality, abuse, and cruelty to them they should respond with gentleness, kindness, understanding and with all LOVE.

Are you prepared to follow Francis as he followed Christ? Francis wasn't always prepared. That is why he came up with this hypothetical story as he and brother Leo walked along. He was putting himself in these bad (in his imagination) circumstances and situations so as to practice what Jesus had taught him - to endure with patience, love and joy. Francis, of course, had real life experiences in which he followed through on the very things he said above.

All of us have these chances to achieve perfect joy but do we see them as being that - true opportunities presented to us by God? Francis knew they were opportunities, sought them out and welcomed them when they came. He knew perfect joy because, whether times were good or bad, (people were good or bad to him) Francis found both peace and joy in God.

How often are you experiencing this joy that Francis described? During prayer and meditation, you can put yourself in places and circumstances, with people, that are really hard to handle and thereby get some practice in preparing to handle opportunities of perfect joy as well as Jesus (and Francis) did. This way, when God allows these 'opportunities' to come upon you you will be ready to gain, through them, the riches of peace, joy and love in Christ.

It IS in how you see it - the circumstances, the porter (and his words and actions), yourself - and who God is and how He works. It requires faith - the conviction that God whole-heartedly loves you and wants to bless you and has only GOOD plans for you. St. Paul said, "ALL things work together for good to those that love God, those who are called to fulfill His purposes". Seeing our circumstances and ourselves in this light - allows us to experience Perfect Joy!