The Church began when Jesus' love touched one person and His message of love was passed from that person's heart to a friend's heart, from one life to another's life. Even today, followers of Jesus spread the message of God's love and power to save primarily by their example rather than through words.
Jesus said, "When I Am raised up (crucified) I will draw ALL MEN to me." Jesus started the Church without calling a meeting, setting an agenda, drafting a constitution or taking a vote. John the Baptist directed two of his disciples to follow Jesus, but they became followers solely because they met Jesus personally and this encounter changed them forever.
Friend told friend (Phillip told Nathaniel) and brother told brother (Andrew told Peter) and they came and met Jesus . . . and found God. He encountered some while they were working, called them, and they left their families, homes and occupations without a moment's hesitation - the four brothers working along the sea shore (James and John, Peter and Andrew) and Matthew, sitting in his tax office.
Most of the first disciples were fisherman but at least one was a political revolutionary - Simon the Zealot. Some were educated (Matthew and Judas) but most were simple working men - men with backgrounds very much like Jesus' own. Though some religious people (the pharisees, Nicodemus and Joseph) joined Him, many more 'sinners' (prostitutes, drunkards, etc.) did. He welcomed them all and they knew, on meeting Jesus, that He cared for each of them and wanted to help them. They all followed Jesus for one reason: the power of love they felt in meeting Him.
Francis' encounter with Jesus was like that of the first disciples though his experience was purely spiritual. Francis' life was radically changed by Jesus' love. Francis turned his back on the world, a life of pleasure and wealth, and joyfully commited himself to following Jesus in EVERYTHING. It was evident to everyone who met Francis that the Living God was present in his life. God revealed the power of His love through Francis, in both what he did and what he said. Jesus taught, "Let your light shine before men so that they can see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." In Francis that Light shined brightly!
Francis said, "Our Order is a very great company and so to say a general synod, coming from every part of the world under a single pattern of life. In it the wise take over what is proper to the plain, when they find the unlettered pursuing heavenly aims with fiery energy and people untaught by men growing wise in spiritual matters through the Spirit. In it likewise the plain convert to their profit what is proper to the wise, when they see distinguished men who could have a glorious life anywhere in the world, humbly stooping to the same practices with themselves. That is where the beauty of this blessed family shines forth, the manifold garnishments of which afford no little pleasure to the Head of the family."
Francis compared this gathering to that of a 'general synod.' A Synod was a gathering of religious leaders - primarily bishops - from around the world for a meeting. Francis meant that Friars (thousands of them!) from every nation in Europe (English, Spanish, Portuguese, etc.) had gathered to celebrate, learn, pray (and get directions from Francis) under 'a single pattern of life' - the Gospel (the Rule).
Francis said something quite miraculous happened when the brothers gathered. Brothers who were well educated were inspired by God to learn from the example of simple and plain men (starting with Francis of Assisi!) who were truly living the Gospel. He said "they find the unlettered pursuing heavenly aims with fiery energy". It wasn't the knowledge of these uneducated brothers that inspired them but their fervor for spiritual things - 'heavenly aims'. It was the power of their fervent desire for God that attracted their admiration. St. Paul said, ". . . your faith should depend not on human philosopy but on the power of God,"
It is God's power that is important - not words or knowledge "which pass away." St. Paul said, "The language of the cross may be illogical . . . but those of us who are on the Way see it as God's power to save." This is what these simple and uneducated men had learned and what the sophisticated and educated men wanted to learn more fully!
The educated men knew they were falling short of what was truly essential for salvation - a life filled with God and His goodness. St. Paul said, ". . . If any one of you thinks of himself as wise, in the ordinary sense of the word, then HE MUST LEARN to be a fool before he really can be wise. Why? Because the wisdom of this world is foolisness to God. " He added, ". . . we teach spiritual things spiritually." These simple men lived spiritual, rather than intellectual, lives and taught, by their actions, the truth of the Gospel.
Not that these simple men weren't 'wise'. However, their wisdom was 'not of this world' but heavenly in nature. Francis said these simple fervent men were "people untaught by men growing wise in spiritual matters through the Spirit." This wisdom couldn't be learned by reading scholarly texts or sitting at the feet of brilliant teachers. These simple men were taught by the 'Spirit' of God within the stillness of their own hearts! God was giving them the wisdom and power to live a righteous life in His presence.
This is a wisdom only hinted at in holy books (including scripture). Jesus said, "You search the scriptures thinking that in them you will find life. Yet they speak of Me and you won't come to Me for life!" Even holy men can only point the way to this knowledge because only God can actually give it. St. Paul described this when he said, ". . . the Good News I preached is not a human message that I was given by men, it is something I learned only through . . . Jesus Christ."
The 'plain' man also had something to learn from the example of those educated brothers. These simple men were inspired by God when He showed them 'distinguished men, who could have a glorious life anywhere in the world, humbly stooping to the same practices with themselves'. These men, educated in the finest universities of Europe, had chosen to live their lives in imitation of a poor simple (uneducated) man (Francis of Assisi) who was perfectly imitating Jesus. They had turned their back on the wealth and power of the world to be with poor simple Francis (and through him, with Christ). Now, fame and power meant nothing to these men. It was the spiritual treasures that the simple had through faith that they wanted and were willing to work so hard to get by '. . . humbly stooping to the same practices . . .' St. Paul said something similar about forsaking the power and wealth of the world, "I counted all of these things but dung compared with the excellency of knowing Christ, my Savior." This example of men forsaking the world to follow Christ inspired the simple men to redouble their efforts at winning the spiritual treasures the educated men were so desperate to get and that God was offering so freely.
Francis was filled with wonder at God's power to change the hearts and lives of all men, both simple and educated, for good. This work - of bringing together such a diverse group of people and allowing them all to appreciate and learn from each other how to draw closer to God - was definitely miraculous, only a work that God could do. "That is where the beauty of this blessed family shines forth, the manifold garnishments of which afford no little pleasure to the Head of the family." God was providing for His children the spiritual food (inspiration) and the power (gained through fervent prayer) that they needed to live good lives. Francis himself was inspired by the brothers example and resolved to try harder to 'humbly stoop to the same practices' that brought holiness and allowed one to follow Christ ever more closely.
PRAYER: Lord, You have taught us that it is not what we say but what we do that touches people's hearts and lives most powerfully. Help us to not so much speak the Gospel with our lips as to shout it with our lives. Help us to truly experience the Gospel - the wonder and joy of knowing You - rather than getting only book knowledge for 'the letter kills but the Spirit gives life.' Help us to learn from Your example, Jesus, and the example of Your servant Francis, how to be fervent in prayer and be good. Help us Lord for we trust in You. Amen.
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