The order that Francis founded started with a simple idea of living a very poor life, preaching the teaching of Jesus and submission to the church or assistance to anyone in need. A main part of Francis’s vision involved helping those in need without receiving anything in return. But in spite of the success of the order he started, Francis decided to resign his position as the head of the order. His resignation emerges from his understanding that his movement has changed too much. Lepers play a significant role in Francis’s life since it helps explain Francis vision, the misinterpretation by his followers and the need to go toward an organized order caused by the Papacy.
The first sign of Francis’s resignation from his movement in 1220 can be shown from his vision, which is expressed in his experience with the lepers in Assisi. As a youth, Francis viewed the lepers as opposite of his idea of beauty, yet once he rejected his past life, however, he discovered a new truth about them. In Thompson, Francis describes his transformation, as “When I was in my sins, just to see lepers was very bitter for me. And the Lord himself took me among them, and I showed mercy to them. And on leaving them, what seemed bitter to me had turned for me into sweetness of body and soul” (Thompson 16). By helping lepers, Francis realized that what is more important in life was not the way he had been living. It is not by mere coincidence that Francis would be compared to Jesus since he emulated Jesus from the scriptures who regularly would care for the lepers. In helping a marginalized people, Francis exemplifies the idea that would become the foundation of his order, which is being a “lesser brother”. Rather than trying to follow or lead others for personal gain, the way to find spiritual peace is in helping and placing others above one’s own interest. The problem with putting others’ interests over one’s own is that it does not help in being a leader. He may place certain acts as examples of his way of life, but he cannot impose his idea on anyone since the very idea of submitting to someone should be voluntary. This idea of being a lesser brother would be confused by his followers, especially with the troublemaker John of Capella. A major issue that would cause Francis to believe he was not a proper leader and resigns was the issue with Brother John of Cappella. Helping the lepers would be one of Francis’s first tasks of leaving the world and gaining God’s mercy, yet he would be outraged by the actions of John of Capella and his community helping the lepers. His reaction to this would be to appeal to the Pope for assistance to abolish this movement yet a …show more content…
In his working papers, which would be his early rule, he outlines the basic idea of his way of life. A part of his rule that tries to restrict the dealing with money is changed as Thompson describes,” Francis immediately modifies this hard rule and allows the collection of alms for lepers when there is dire necessity. “But let them beware of money,” he cautions” (Thompson 98) Francis would be a mix of a realist and an idealist, since he would want his order to maintain its poverty status yet he makes an exception for the most marginalized group, the lepers. Francis would assert the idea of poverty and the rejection of the material world, even more in his official rule. As Thompson writes,” In chapter 4, that on money, Francis closed the loopholes we noted in the Earlier Rule that allowed the brothers to accept cash alms for aid of lepers and the sick. Now they are not doing so directly or through intermediaries. Rather, the ministers are to rely on “spiritual friends” when they need to care for the sick.” (Thompson 106) The way of life that Francis created after rejecting his family and helping the lepers is shown in this passage. As a mendicant order, being poor and helping others is all his movement is about. This rule may be reinterpreted later on to allow the Franciscans to gain a lot of land, but Francis’s intention were for his rule to represent his vision and finally being able to leave the mantel of being a
The first sign of Francis’s resignation from his movement in 1220 can be shown from his vision, which is expressed in his experience with the lepers in Assisi. As a youth, Francis viewed the lepers as opposite of his idea of beauty, yet once he rejected his past life, however, he discovered a new truth about them. In Thompson, Francis describes his transformation, as “When I was in my sins, just to see lepers was very bitter for me. And the Lord himself took me among them, and I showed mercy to them. And on leaving them, what seemed bitter to me had turned for me into sweetness of body and soul” (Thompson 16). By helping lepers, Francis realized that what is more important in life was not the way he had been living. It is not by mere coincidence that Francis would be compared to Jesus since he emulated Jesus from the scriptures who regularly would care for the lepers. In helping a marginalized people, Francis exemplifies the idea that would become the foundation of his order, which is being a “lesser brother”. Rather than trying to follow or lead others for personal gain, the way to find spiritual peace is in helping and placing others above one’s own interest. The problem with putting others’ interests over one’s own is that it does not help in being a leader. He may place certain acts as examples of his way of life, but he cannot impose his idea on anyone since the very idea of submitting to someone should be voluntary. This idea of being a lesser brother would be confused by his followers, especially with the troublemaker John of Capella. A major issue that would cause Francis to believe he was not a proper leader and resigns was the issue with Brother John of Cappella. Helping the lepers would be one of Francis’s first tasks of leaving the world and gaining God’s mercy, yet he would be outraged by the actions of John of Capella and his community helping the lepers. His reaction to this would be to appeal to the Pope for assistance to abolish this movement yet a …show more content…
In his working papers, which would be his early rule, he outlines the basic idea of his way of life. A part of his rule that tries to restrict the dealing with money is changed as Thompson describes,” Francis immediately modifies this hard rule and allows the collection of alms for lepers when there is dire necessity. “But let them beware of money,” he cautions” (Thompson 98) Francis would be a mix of a realist and an idealist, since he would want his order to maintain its poverty status yet he makes an exception for the most marginalized group, the lepers. Francis would assert the idea of poverty and the rejection of the material world, even more in his official rule. As Thompson writes,” In chapter 4, that on money, Francis closed the loopholes we noted in the Earlier Rule that allowed the brothers to accept cash alms for aid of lepers and the sick. Now they are not doing so directly or through intermediaries. Rather, the ministers are to rely on “spiritual friends” when they need to care for the sick.” (Thompson 106) The way of life that Francis created after rejecting his family and helping the lepers is shown in this passage. As a mendicant order, being poor and helping others is all his movement is about. This rule may be reinterpreted later on to allow the Franciscans to gain a lot of land, but Francis’s intention were for his rule to represent his vision and finally being able to leave the mantel of being a