In the Church of San Damiano, near Assisi, Italy, St. Francis of Assisi was led to prayer, “One day out in the countryside to meditate. Finding himself near San Damiano, which threatened ruin, old as it was, driven by the impulse of the Holy Spirit, he entered to pray. Kneeling in prayer before the image of the Crucifix, he was invaded with a great spiritual consolation and, as he affixed his tearful eyes on the cross of the Lord, with the ears of his body he heard a voice descend to him from the cross and say three times Francis, go and repair my church which, as you see, is all in ruins!. On hearing that voice, Francis remained astonished and trembling, being in the church alone and, perceiving in his heart the power of divine language, felt kidnapped of his senses. Finally returning to his senses, he girded himself to obey, concentrated everything on the mission to repair the church of walls, although the divine word was referring principally to the Church which Christ purchased by his blood, as the Holy Spirit had made him understand and how he later revealed to his fellow monks. Afterwards Saint Francis took action to physically repair the structure of the San Damiano church, although he eventually realized that God's message to him was to restore the entire Catholic Church as a whole body rather than literally repair one stone structure.” (San Damiano Crucifix, Wikipedia). The Lord had called to Francis to reform His church, and save for creating modern missions by spending much of his life evangelizing the Turk (Muslims) in a crusading world, he did not reform the Catholic Church.
I believe that Francis had been called like Martin Luther would be to reform the church, to restore the Gospel to the world, and make the Scriptures available to the masses. Christ had spoken to Francis, but the monk was too attached to his monasticism to follow the Lord Jesus into this venture, and so Martin Luther who also was a monk of the Augustinian Order was raised up instead. Luther was able to let go of Lady Poverty and embrace the Lord Jesus and His Grace in Scripture. Both Francis and Martin had rejected the world and become monks, both felt s call to reform the church, but only Luther succeeded. There are times when the Lord calls a man or woman to do something major for the Kingdom of God. For instance, Christopher Columbus was told by God to chart the New World and discover the way around the world, but instead Columbus kept lusting for gold and enslaving the Indians. In Columbus’s diary he records, “the Lord told me if I do not give up the quest for gold, I will die young and not discover the way around the world, and another will take my place in finding the way around the world.” History records Columbus did die young of Malaria and it was Magellan who ended up accomplishing what Columbus was suppose to do. I believe the same happened with St. Francis of Assisi who could have brought The Reformation to 13th Century when He heard the Lord speak in San Damiano Church in 1205 A.D. but instead clinging to a “form of godliness to had lost its power.” (2 Timothy 3:5, i.e. Monasticism), instead it had fo wait until the 16th Century, when another monk would be stirred to do ad Francis had been told, “go and repair my church which, as you see, is all in ruins!” And He would start by nailing his 95 Thesis to the Castle Church in Wittenberg in 1517 A.D.
It would take 312 years for the words Francis heard to bear fruit in Martin Luther who would lead the Reformation to restore the Church back to Vita Apostolica and Solae Scriptura. Luther heeded the call in his burning heart to follow Ad Fontes, to “get back to the sources” to what Scripture says Christian belief and living should be. Francis of Assisi was unable to abandon the system of Monasticism which was manmade religion and tradition, “Don't let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful (sensuous) minds have made them proud. These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh,” (Colossians 2:18, 23 ESV) and “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother.” (Mark 7:8-12). Martin Luther in contrast was able to leave Lady Poverty and Monasticism by seeing it wasn’t in Scripture nor what Christ or His Apostles taught. Luther was able to leave the monastery and monkery, to make way for the The Way (Jesus, John 14:6) and His Reformation.
History is full of lessons. Lessons that one man was chosen and did not respond, and the other did. Jesus gave a parable, “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went [and was seen working in the field]. Then he came to the second son and said likewise, “Son, go work today in the vineyard”. And he answered and said, ‘I will go, sir,’ but he did not go [and work in the vineyard]. Which of the two did the will of his father?”
They said to Him, “The first.”
Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.” (Matthew 21:28-32). This to me is what our Lord meant by what He said, ““For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14). St. Francis and Martin Luther were both called, but It was Luther that was chosen, and who responded to the call. May we take lesson from Francis and Luther and the parable of the two sons. Let is not shirk the call Christ has placed in our lives, lest we suffer Columbus’ folly and St. Francis’ failure. Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment