Admonition XXIII: Humility
It is related by Thomas of Celano, his biographer, that Francis 'in order to preserve the virtue of holy humility, a few years after his conversion, at a chapter, resigned the office of prelate before all the brothers of the religion, saying: "From now on, I am dead to you. But here you have Brother Peter of Catanio, let us all, you and I, obey him"'. That Francis did this is quite extraordinary. Francis was well aware that the Order he began was something new in the Church. The Church authorities were reluctant to approve his rule of life and even some of his companions tried to change his mind. In such circumstances one would have expected him to want to keep control of the Order so as to ensure that it developed according to the way he believed it had been shown to him by the Lord. But Francis had his mind on other things. In speaking of humility in this Admonition Francis shows on what his mind was centred. For Francis it was far more important 'not to delay in punishing himself for all his offences' than to be in charge of the Order and guide it as its superior. He said that he punished himself 'inwardly through contrition and outwardly through confession and penance'. We then are blessed servants if we are humble as Francis was humble.
