The Admonitions of St. Francis- Part One-Our Lord's Body

The Admonitions of St. Francis are reflective of the deep understanding St. Francis had of human nature. It is believed that near the end of his life, Francis and one or two other friars composed these little feverinos consisting of serious teachings and words of advice. 

Although originally written for his friars, the Admonitions become a valuable and insightful tool for Secular Franciscans to check our own spiritual life and behaviour.  An admonition is not a severe form of chastisement but is a way to encourage, advise, and exhort us to live our Franciscan life to the fullest.

It is best to read them carefully and reflectively in a prayerful spirit.

Today, I present Part One of the Admonitions of St. Francis.

ADMONITIONS.

1. Of the Lord's Body

The Lord Jesus said to His disciples: "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No man cometh to the Father, but by Me. If you had known Me you would, without doubt, have known My Father also: and from henceforth you shall know Him, and you have seen Him. Philip saith to Him: Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us. Jesus saith to him: Have I been so long a time with you and have you not known Me? Philip, he that seeth Me seeth [My] Father also. How sayest thou, Shew us the Father?" The Father "inhabiteth light inaccessible," and "God is a spirit,"  and "no man hath seen God at any time."  Because God is a spirit, therefore it is only by the spirit He can be seen, for "it is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing."  For neither is the Son, inasmuch as He is equal to the Father, seen by any one other than by the Father, other than by the Holy Ghost. Wherefore, all those who saw the Lord Jesus Christ according to humanity and did not see and believe according to the Spirit and the Divinity, that He was the Son of God, were condemned. In like manner, all those who behold the Sacrament of the Body of Christ which is sanctified by the word of the Lord upon the altar by the hands of the priest in the form of bread and wine, and who do not see and believe according to the Spirit and Divinity that It is really the most holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, are condemned, He the Most High having declared it when He said, "This is My Body, and the Blood of the New Testament,"  and "he that eateth My Flesh and drinketh My Blood hath everlasting life." 

 Wherefore [he who has]  the Spirit of the Lord which dwells in His faithful, he it is who receives the most holy Body and Blood of the Lord: all others who do not have this same Spirit and who presume to receive Him, eat and drink judgment to themselves.  Wherefore, "O ye sons of men, how long will you be dull of heart?"  Why will you not know the truth and "believe in the Son of God?" Behold daily He humbles Himself as when from His "royal throne" He came into the womb of the Virgin; daily He Himself comes to us with like humility; daily He descends from the bosom of His Father upon the altar in the hands of the priest. And as He appeared in true flesh to the Holy Apostles, so now He shows Himself to us in the sacred Bread; and as they by means of their fleshly eyes saw only His flesh, yet contemplating Him with their spiritual eyes, believed Him to be God, so we, seeing bread and wine with bodily eyes, see and firmly believe it to be His most holy Body and true and living Blood. And in this way our Lord is ever with His faithful, as He Himself says: "Behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world."