Admonition XXVII: Virtue puts vice to flight (1)

In this Admonition Francis lists eleven virtues each of which drives out an opposing vice. The virtues and vices are listed in six paragraphs, each paragraph having two lines. Since it is informative to ask why Francis chose these particular virtues the comments on this Admonition will cover more than one article. The first paragraph reads: 'Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance'. What experiences in Francis' life stand behind this choice of charity and wisdom as opposites of fear and ignorance? Francis never presented himself as a wise person even though he was noted for his charity. But one area where Francis showed wisdom was in knowing what God was asking him to do and how his Rule should be written. He held to what he was convinced was true in spite of opposition from Church authorities and from the advice of learned people both within and outside the Order. At a General chapter held at Assisi with five thousand brothers present, many learned brothers tried to persuade Francis to adopt the Rule of Augustine, or of Benedict, or of Bernard. Francis replied to them: 'My brothers, my brothers, God has called me by the way of simplicity and showed me the way of simplicity. And the Lord told me what He wanted: He wanted me to be a new fool in the world'. In Francis, charity and wisdom drove out fear and ignorance.