Though we do not take vows, God expects ALL of his children to, at least spiritually, promise Him obedience, poverty and chastity.
The early followers of Jesus used various names to describe themselves after His resurrection including: 'Followers of the Way' (which was first used by an Angel) and 'Followers of the Nazarene' (since Jesus was from Nazareth). 'Christian' wasn't the name chosen by the followers of Jesus but was first used by the pagan unbelievers to describe Jesus' followers. Christian actually means one who is like Christ. Since Jesus' followers were very humble it never occurred to them to give themselves this name since they never felt (due to their humility) that they succeeded in truly being 'like Christ'! However, in the eyes of these unbelievers, they did act just like the Christ they claimed to follow.
When it became clear to Francis that he was to found a way of life and would need a name for the group, he never thought of calling it the 'Franciscans'. And, during his life-time, it doesn't appear that 'Franciscan' was ever used by others. His followers were called 'brothers of Francis' or 'followers of Francis'. (However, subsequently, the love and devotion of Francis' followers prompted them to adopt the name 'Franciscan' - who they strived to be like!) Like with the early Christians, all those who claim to love and honor Francis and call themselves Franciscan's should live and talk like Francis (who so perfectly walked and talked like Jesus!)
So, in choosing a name, Francis said: 'I want this brotherhood to be called the Order of the Lesser Brothers.'
We can see that Francis saw his followers as 'family'. Since they were all men (at this point) they were all 'brothers' = 'friars', sons of their heavenly Father. They were called by God to love each other with a fervor and commitment beyond that owed to their actual (albeit temporal) family - for those relationships would last only during their lives and not necessarily for all eternity! Jesus said, "If you would follow me you must forsake wife, children, brothers, sisters, . . . " He added that if they did this, they would, in this life and the next "have many times more brothers, sisters . . . and eternal life."
Secondly, they were to be an 'Order'. The definition of 'Order' includes the concepts of discipline. Discipline means getting oneself 'in line' - controlling the 'flesh' (that side of us that fights against God and all that is spiritual) and getting one's body to do what God expects - what is good and right. The law of God is clearly good and right, reasonable and balanced. A Rule is a set of regulations that embody the law of God, the directions of God on how the brotherhood should live. One who is in an Order must promise obedience - promise to obey God's directions so as to achieve what is good and right in God's eyes. They promise to obey the minister of the Order as God's representative to them and the Rule as an expression of the Gospel of Christ - the way of life Jesus gave to all of His followers. Order also contains the concepts of uniformity and conformity - making oneself conform (fit in), in a uniform (one form) way, with God's will as revealed to Francis by Divine inspiration. A religious Order is where a group of people live in discipline - self denial ('you must deny yourself', Jesus said). A Rule is composed of more than just rules for it contains the principles, values, perspectives and traditions of those who seek to live out the Gospel of Christ. The Order - this group of 'brothers' - live a life in community, all in conformity to the same way of life and of accomplishing the responsibilities God has given them as a group - their apostolate.
Finally Francis said they were to be called 'lesser' brothers. He explained in another place that they 'should be called lesser so as not to presume or try to become, greater'. He wanted his brothers to be humble - to recognize they were nothing but simple, plain and ordinary people (sinners in need of God's mercy). One who wants to impress others is tempted to worry about pleasing them rather than focus on pleasing God. For Francis, pleasing God was to be paramount for the members of his Order.
Francis also said: 'The rule and life of these brothers is this, namely to live in obedience, chastity, and without property, and to follow the teaching and footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ.' Francis summarized thereby, in three simple words, the Rule and way of life of his followers.
Obedience means to surrender one's own will for that of someone else - specifically God's. God's will would be revealed to the Friars in several ways: Church teaching (based on Holy Scripture) and leadership (beginning with the Pope of course), the Rule of the Order (which is based on scripture and, specifically, the Gospel of Christ) and the directions of the leadership of the Order, beginning with the Minister General.
Chastity for the Friars, means going beyond that which God generally asks of His secular followers. It not only means one will not engage in sexual activity outside of marriage but not express oneself in this way at any time, even willingly choosing to forsake the usual way of appropriately expressing one's sexuality - in marriage. Francis talked about 'being chaste in mind and body'. Jesus made it clear that one could 'commit adultery in one's heart by lusting after' another person. One who is chaste controls not just one's sexual organs but one's eyes, tongue, heart and mind from sexual experience, words, thoughts and desires. The Friar (and all Christians) should control not only their behavior and thoughts but occasions for sin. In others words, one should avoid situations, circumstances, places and people that could lead (tempt) them to commit sexual sin with either and both body and mind.
Finally, Francis spoke of poverty. However, at least here, Francis did not say 'poverty' but, being 'without property'. Understanding the lofty (spiritual) idea of poverty can be difficult, especially when Francis talks about loving it, seeking and celebrating it. However, he makes it simple and easy to grasp here when he says simply that it is being 'without property'. He meant, literally, not owning ANY THING. For Francis, even the rags he clothed himself with were 'on loan until God shows me someone poorer than me that can use them'.
What was the purpose of the name, the Rule and the Order? Francis knew that they would enable him and his followers to more perfectly 'follow the teaching and footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ.' Jesus taught in two ways: First by his way of life (by example) and secondly by his words - His teachings. Francis never lost sight that, beyond a brotherhood, way of life, rules, values and principles, came the person of Jesus. He also never lost sight of the fact that, to know Jesus required knowing and believing the Gospel - the message Jesus brought as revealed in Holy Scripture. The rule, Order and brotherhood were all means to an end - that end was Jesus - the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end of everything. Amen.
What does all of this have to do with Secular Franciscans (and the various friends of Francis) since we have not taken these vows and only make 'promises'? We might not be required by God to be chaste, obedient and get rid of our property like the Religious do. However, ALL Christian's are REQUIRED to, at least, spiritually do these very things. (A vow is, after all, just a formal promise and we do make promises as Secular Franciscans! All promises to God should be made with the utmost seriousness, sincerity and commitment, even if not 'formal', our promiss to God should be - must be - fulfilled!)
The religious have the advantage of literally, in time and space, doing these things which should help them to fulfill the will of God more successfully in the spiritual and internal sense. We seculars must rely totally on God to help us to do it internally, spiritually, and to the same degree as religious (who of course must do it spiritually as well!) Our success can only be confirmed when God brings us to judgment (after this life our chance to 'get it right' is already lost - except for purgatory of course!) when - 'even the secret intentions of the heart are revealed.' Thus, we also MUST (within our hearts) promise God absolute OBEDIENCE, CHASTITY (purity of mind and heart and body in that, if married, we engage in sexual activities only with our spouse) and POVERTY('using the things of this world but not abusing them' and 'having this world's goods but not clinging to them against the will of God', as St. Paul said.)
PRAYER: Lord God, we all want to follow in Your footsteps by believing and livng the Gospel of Jesus. We know that father Francis heard Your voice clearly and that the Rule, the vows, You gave Him are a safe and sure way to salvation. Though we are seculars we know that, within our hearts, we also must live out these promises we have made. Give us strength, Your own power, to deny and overcome ourselves and live in obedience to all of Your instructions in the scrpture, becoming 'pure of heart' and maintaining sexual purity and love, but not for this world and the things it contains, but for You alone. We cry to You to show us if we are failing You and to help us to grow wise in doing all You ask. We thank You for how simply, how purely, You revealed Your mind and heart to Francis and ask for grace to hear You as clearly and powerfully as he did so that we might always walk at Your side and in all we do and say, please You, bringing glory, honor, praise and thanks to Your name forever! Amen.
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