I believe that the problem that many Catholics on this thread are facing is a problem with “filial discipleship.”
It comes through very loudly when people sit and try to interpret what the Church is teaching or demand that it be presented to them as a command from the Church. Which is always interesting, because often those who say, “Show me where the Church said this,” are the same people who would not follow it it anyway. The reason for making the demand, instead of extrapolating from what the Church is saying, is because they want a loophole. By saying, “You can’t show me the exact sentence, line and book,” what they are saying is, “I have a way out.”
St. Francis of Assisi always pointed his children to filial discipleship. We are the children of the Church. A mother does not have to prove that she is divinely correct to exert her authority as mother. Her motherhood is given to her by God. God does not make perfection a requirement for motherhood, except in Mary’s case.
Francis always pointed out that the Church is mother. When you have someone like Cardinal-designate Burke, who represents the highest court in the Church saying that you may not vote for a pro-choice candidate, he represents that mother to whom all children must bow.
The other part of this is the discipleship. Francis always taught us that we are not called to teach the Church. We are called to learn from the Church. We were born into the Church or joined her at some point in our life journey. She did not join us. Therefore, she does not have to take lessons from us. What we think is only as relevant to her as what a child thinks is relevant to a good mother. Good mother is only interested in ensuring that her child is thinking correctly. She is not interested in being taught by her child. Francis, who was a keen observer of nature and lover of all living things, often pointed to the lower animals and explained to the brothers and sisters that the lower animals were better Catholics than human beings were.
One day, he was watching a wild cat teaching her kittens how to hunt. He pointed out to the brothers, “That is how you should be in the presence of the Church. Notice that the kitten does not say to the mother, ‘let’s us do it this way.’ The kitten is attentive to the mother and tries to do what she does until he gets it right.” He went on to say, “If you expect to go to heaven, you will have to learn to set aside your idea of what is right or what is better and become like that kitten. Follow your mother without questioning her.”
In another adomnition he wrote about true and perfect obedience. He explained how true and perfect obedience was always filial and dsiciple. True obedience trusts that God is in control, just like a child trusts the parent. True obedience is always humble. It tries to understand what God is saying through the Church, rather than teach God and the Church why “I am right.” There is a desire to learn. This is the attitude of the disciple. He wants to learn.
There was a wonderful story of Francis and a brother walking through a town to preach. The brother kept asking, “Do we preach here?” Francis kept walking. The brother asked this several times. When the reached the other end of town the brother asked Francis what had just happened. Francis explained that they had just preached a sermon.
Most people focus on Francis’ words, “preach and when necessary use words,” which he never said. No Franciscan knows how people ever came up with this. Francis taught it, but never said it. He taught by showing. But we often fail to observe the brother. He is very important in this story. He is was we call a filial disciple. He is a child who is learning. He does not understand where Francis is leading, but he goes along and observes. Who knows. It may have been this very brother who made up that little phrase, "Preach always . . . " We know one thing about these holy men. They learned by being children. For many Catholics, this is a very difficult attitude to assume and yet, it is a very ascetical attitude. It has led many become saints.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
