CHAPTER V

THE APOSTOLIC LIFE OF THE BROTHERS

Our Seraphic Father Francis who considered the ability to work a vocation and called it a grace acknowledges: “I worked with my hands and I want to work; and I earnestly want all the other brothers to work at some honest occupation” (Testament). “The brothers who know a trade should work and exercise the trade they know, if it is not contrary to the good of their soul and can be done honestly” (Regula non Bullata 7). Those who do not know how should learn, not for the sake of the pay, but for the example and to banish idleness” (Testament). All the brothers should endeavor to work hard in good works . . . Wherefore, the servants of God should always be busy in praying or doing good” (Regula non Bullata 7).

St. Francis indicated the dispositions or attitudes that the brothers should have at work: “. . . they should do their work faithfully and devotedly, so that in avoiding idleness, the enemy of the soul, they do not extinguish the spirit of holy prayer and devotion to which all other temporal matters must be subordinate” (Regula Bullata 5).

Our Father Francis called by the Lord Jesus to apostolic service in these words: “‘Francis, go, repair my house which as you can see is falling completely into ruin,’ prepared himself to obey and dedicate himself entirely to the command” (2 Celano 10). When he heard the words of the Gospel about the mission of the apostles, “intensely exulting in the Spirit of God, he said: ‘This is what I want, this is what I seek, this is what I long to do with all my heart’” (1 Celano 22). For Francis, a man who was catholic and apostolic, “did not consider himself a friend of Christ unless he loved the souls whom Christ had loved” (2 Celano 172).

Francis, the herald of the great King, preached in many regions “. . . the way of the Son of God and the doctrine of the truth by example” (1 Celano 89), and he commanded his brothers: “Go, dearly beloved, two by two into different parts of the world, announcing to men peace and repentance unto the forgiveness of sins; and be patient in tribulation. . .” (1 Celano 29). And he encouraged their efforts: “For this reason he has sent you into the world, so that by word and example you may bear witness to his message and convince everyone that there is no one almighty besides him” (Letter to All the Brothers).

He sent his brothers as missionaries to the nations and wrote: “Whoever by divine inspiration may wish to go among . . . unbelievers may go with the permission of his minister and servant. The minister should give him permission and raise no objection, if he sees that he is fit to be sent; for the minister shall have to give an account of it to the Lord if he acts imprudently in this and like matters. The brothers who go, however, can conduct themselves spiritually among unbelievers in two ways. One way is not to quarrel and argue but to be subject to every human creature for God’s sake and so profess themselves to be Christians.

The other way is to proclaim the Word of God, when they see it pleases the Lord, so that they may believe in God almighty Father, Son and Holy Spirit . . . and be baptized and become Christians” (Regula non Bullata 16). For, indeed, “he believed that obedience to be the highest in which flesh and blood have no part, by which through divine inspiration one goes among the unbelievers, either to save one’s neighbor or out of a desire for martyrdom. To request this obedience he considered very pleasing to God” (2 Celano 152).

All the brothers, however, should always bear in mind these words of admonition of our Seraphic Father Francis: “So it is a great shame for us servants of God that the saints did all these deeds and we by recounting them want to have the glory and honor” (Admonitions 6).