Sunday, February 5, 2012

Feb | 05 | Problems from The Perplexing King of Frolic

Dream Word – CONSIDER

Deuteronomy 6:5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. NKJV

Problems from The Perplexing King of Frolic

Not many people know this but I am in fact a male model. It’s quite a few years ago now, but a great artist friend of mine, once asked me to pose as St Francis of Assisi for a wall mural she had been commissioned to paint. “I wanted someone who could look spiritual, insane and emaciated all at the same time.” I was most definitely the man for the job!

I am reminded of this today as I have just come from a days retreat where the life of this saint was unfolded before us. Throughout the last eight centuries the intriguing nature of Francis has never ceased to attract further examination and at the end of the age he is proving increasingly popular in terms of ecumenism, ecology, animal rights, and a varied array of ‘skewiff’ spirituality. But really, is there anything more we might learn from Saint Francis of Assisi?

Born in Italy in 1182 and named by his French mother as Giovanni, his father returning late from a trading trip, renamed him Frances, after his love of all things French! A much over- indulged child, the ‘king of frolic’ joined the troubadours, partied down and partied on, fully financed by his wealthy parents in the so doing, growing increasingly strong willed as he went. Excessive, proud and boastful, he was never the less taken into captivity for nearly a year when an attempt at soldiering led to disaster. His mother, had no doubt pumped him up about his future religious greatness, which I feel led to many of his private aspirations and dreams. These, coupled with the deep thoughts about his future, deep thoughts that only a forced incarceration can conjure up, no doubt began to unfurl the future sails of this very unhinged ascetic mystic.

The poor little man, was permanently estranged from his earthly father over the selling of stolen goods, his father’s goods that is! Through his whole life, Francis remained irreconcilable to his rich father. This was chiefly because of Francis’s most public rejection of his father’s all too late discipline. His constant provision and material goodness begged for an acknowledged honour from his oh so spoiled son but unfortunately, it never came.

Emotional and excessive eccentrics, have always gathered a crowd and St Francis was no different. His visions of speaking crucifixes, dreams of sacrificial seraphs sending bolts of lightning blessings upon him, his increasingly and eccentric public displays and overt clashes with rising capitalism, especially manifested amongst the clergy, led him to become a fascinating and living artefact in the church, a speaking stone in its tight fitting shoes, a distraction maybe and in the right political hands, maybe even a great and profitable tool. Once Francis became the first recorded case of church accepted, true stigmata, I wonder if it was in this that his eventual fate was sealed. For despite his marriage to Lady Poverty it did not stop, especially in later days, penitential gifts of property being made to the newly founded orders, especially that of “Poor Clare”.

The church seemed to somewhat smile on the giving away of goods, even church goods, even goods gained by Crusades and Indulgence, but it did not smile in the giving away of property, for property is power and any goods held by any order are in fact goods held by the Pope. Innocence III made Ugolino his ‘Protective Bishop’ in these matters in particular, and it was this same 'mystic minder 'who later became Pope Gregory IX, who also made Francis a Saint. After this, the money just came rolling in friends, it just came rolling in. Unless you think this was not a big deal, know that in later days, anyone disagreeing with the real estate property rights of the Pope were deemed heretics, handed over to the inquisition and burned at the stake; Franciscan or otherwise.

St Francis himself, suffering from infections and blinding trachoma, ostiomalacia (rickets) through bad diet, probably died of a chronic parasitic disease called schistosomiasis. His stigmata made him famous and profitable for the church, but his self- induced poverty killed him. Is there anything we can learn from Saint Francis of Assisi? Yes, I think there are many things and tonight let us consider but five of them:-

Firstly, that God can use lunatics. Especially if they are undaunted in their actions and dedicated to their task.

Secondly, that political powers use lunatics, especially when there is profit in the so doing. Especially if its property profits.

Thirdly, that people follow lunatics, even to great excess, especially if there is seeming spiritual profit in the so doing and spiritual peer prowess in the practice. You know, the given admiration of others.

Fourthly, that good hygiene and good nutrition, though important to healthy living, and balanced ministry, will not keep you alive for ever. Be sure then you are living with all your might for the things you believe in with all your heart. Eat well! For you just might minister longer and minister better.

Lastly, the powerful and consistent, seen and sacrificial dedication of such servants of God, though not good rules to base our lives upon, are never the less, glaring ultraviolet beams of shining and deep scanning revelation, revealing the pox marks on our own half-hearted and over- indulgent souls.
Be balanced. Don’t be used and abused. Live well. Love better.


Listen: - Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me." But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Mark 10:21-22 NKJV

Pray:- Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. Amen.
 

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

My Dear Brother

Thank you for sending me these emails. Some of them have been gentle and humble and whispered quiet depths of God which I have sorely needed.Bless you for that encouragement -

Recently I have noticed that they have more of a spin on them. A point being made about church politics and less about the heart of God.

Yes- I think you are correct. Some of these were written maybe 1-2 years ago and may well have a spin rooted in the situations I was experiencing at that time.

I was sorry to see that the Englilsh were blamed for the killing of the Native Americans last week

No not at all. I am an old fashioned Brit (not many of us left) and I think the Empire was a good thing and that it was unfortunate that we lost America to those rebels!
However, the Brits did at one point purposefully use diseased blankets given to the Indians with the sole purpose of killing them. A shame – but it happend.


alieviating any burden from the 'Imported Americans',
Imported Americans ---

please illuminate me more – though I do think I know what you mean.

and that today you seem to have questioned the holiness of Francis of Assisi and even the 'Poor Clares'.

I think the questioning of the holiness of St Francis is valid. Never the less, what a remarkable man! As for the Poor Clares ---and all others who willingly give their livs for the benefit of others, I can truly say without any mockery...I am not worthy of such people.
Never the less – as a former Roman Catholic brought up by Jesuits and to Scottish Roman Catholic parents- I am well aware of the tragedy of established and political religion. Don't get me started on Henry Viii!


This is an odd move. I am of course aware that the Catholic church has been rich and acted badly. I think this is changing all of the time and to remind Christian brothers of our differences, and to run down central pillars of many of our brother and sisters faith seems a sad thing to do. Our church is unifying throughout the world. We must unify or we will fall 'A house divided against itelf will fall' as the man said.

I am not for unifying the Catholic and the protestants- Good grief, we protesters can’t even unify ourselves!! There is however a spiritual unity and a oneness which I seek to embrace.

I have spent time with the Poor Clares, my sister substantially more than I, and they are the most holy people I have met. Ever.

You are probably correct.

They live purely on what those in the community give them, and while my sister was with them they had meat once a week otherwise it was a lot of cabbage! They quietly pray for you and I, they change the world in power through our most amazing weapon; prayer. They live in silence and pray for this battle we live in and make it possible for us to fight as we do.


Praise God for them.

By implying that they are set up as a money making exercise demeans their battle for you and I. Their silent battle changes our battles in ways we are not aware of and will not understand until we stand with Him.

I am sorry I came across like that and will revisit the piece asap.

I beg you my brother to think carefully of ways to unify us, draw us together, to not antagonise thos ewho might read you page in a hope of coming close to God; after all, there are two commandments and we must live and breath them both.

Love Him
Love each other

Your humility and gentleness are an inspiration to me who often is neither.

Your brother

Andrew

Thanks for your thoughtful email Andrew and God bless you