On a Saturday morning one of the General Councilors of the Order was mopping his room. As I passed in the hallway, he remarked that in the olden days the General Definitors (as they were until recently called) would bring along to Rome a brother famulus to assist them with such things.
As I thought upon this as I started to clean my own room--it is a duty explicitly defined by the Statutes of the General Curia and customarily fulfilled on a Saturday--I began to wonder if it wasn't because the Church has largely abandoned the Roman Canon (e.g. Eucharistic Prayer I), and so no longer prays pro famulis, that the brothers were no longer found ready to be famuli.
One gives himself to obedience for the sake of some spiritual benefit, of course. And if the spiritual benefit disappears, what use is the obedience?
Obedience is necessary to become a lesser brother not only spiritually, but also corporally, I suppose. And thus necessary to truly become a friar minor.
ReplyDeletePax et bonum.
Thanks for the comment! Have a blessed feast of St. Francis this week!
ReplyDeleteI think that being able to cope with an Obedience rule shows that a high degree of maturity has been reached --
ReplyDeleteIt almost always implies a spirit of humility.
It is often a silent but very effective way of showing respect and co-operation towards another person who is maybe weighed down with the burdens of responsibility.
If the Obedience is respected and valued by the others, then it usually leads to happier
relationships all round. Thus the wheels are oiled and everything runs more smoothly! God bless --Cecily.
Thanks for the comment!
ReplyDelete