Chapter LIV Of humility and keeping peace with the clergy A
Complete three-work composite: CCEL Fioretti; Salter 1904 Life and Miracles; Evans 1899 / Goretti 2025 Mirror
Chapter LIV Of humility and keeping peace with the clergy A
lbeitthe Blessed Francis would that his sons should be at peace with
all men, and behave themselves as little ones to the whole world, yet
did he teach them by word and show them by example that they should be more especially humble towards the clergy.
For he would say: “We are sent to succor the clergy for the salvation of souls, and whatsoever in them is found wanting should be supplied by us. But let each receive his wages not according to the authority he holdeth, but according to the work he doeth. Know ye this, brethren, that the gain of souls is most grateful unto God, and this gain we can better make with the peace of the clergy than by being at discordance with them. But if they hinder the salvation of the people, vengeance is God’s and He will repay them in due time; wherefore be ye subject unto your superiors and take heed as far as in you lieth that no evil jealousy arise between you. If ye be sons of peace, ye shall win both clergy and people, and this is more acceptable unto God than to win the people only and to scandalise the clergy. Cover,” saith he, “their slips, and supply their many defects; and when ye have done this be ye therefore yourselves the more humble.”