Ø
Accepting
the other as he is means to know how to see their qualities, the charism of
each.
Ø
In
the early Franciscan fraternity there was a great variety of people – a
Bernardo, a Giles, a Sylvester, a Juniper, a Masseo, a Ruffino; it is difficult
to find a group with greater differences.
Ø
Francis
showed that he was able to highlight the best parts of everyone and with them
created a prototype of the perfect friar minor by putting them together:
Ø
And,
he used to say that the good Lesser Brother is one who would possess the life
and qualities of the following holy brothers:
Ø
Brother
Bernard most perfectly had the
simplicity and purity of Brother Leo who was truly a man of most holy purity;
Ø
the
courtly bearing of Brother Angelo who was the first soldier to enter the Order
and was endowed with every courtesy and kindness;
Ø
the
friendly manner and common sense of Brother Masseo, together with his
attractive and gracious eloquence;
Ø
the
mind raised in contemplation which Brother Giles had even to the highest
perfection;
Ø
the
virtuous and constant prayer of Brother Rufino who, whatever he was doing, even
sleeping, always prayed without ceasing and whose mind was always intent on the
Lord;
Ø
the
patience of Brother Juniper, who achieved that the perfect state of patience
because he always kept in mind the perfect truth of his low estate and the
ardent desire to imitate Christ through the way of the cross;
Ø
the
bodily and spiritual strength of Brother John of Louds, who at that time in his
robust body surpassed everyone;
Ø
the
charity of Brother Roger whose life and conduct were spent in ardent love;
the solicitude of Brother Lucidus who had the greatest care and concern
and did not want to remain in any place for a month, and when he enjoyed
staying someplace, would immediately leave, saying: “we do not have a dwelling
here on earth, but in heaven.”
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