An exhortation given by
ST. ANTHONY MARY ZACCARIA
to his companions of the first hour (October 4, 1534, the commemoration of St. Francis of Assisi) in the wake of bitter accusations, threats, and persecution from evil and worldly people. One of these religious, Fr. Battista Soresina (1512-1601) who had treasured that famous speech in his heart, and could later on repeat it almost word by word, did enact it to our second–generation Fathers, among them Fr. Giovanni Antonio Gabuzio (1551-1627) our first official historian, who paraphrased it in elegant Latin in his History of the Clerics Regular of St. Paul), Rome: Salviucci (1852), pp. 52-56. Here is a translation of this text.
We are fools for Christ's sake,”(1Cor 4:10) said St. Paul, our most holy guide and patron, of himself, of the other Apostles, and of those who profess the Christian and apostolic faith. But there is no reason to be surprised or afraid, my dear brothers, if we are troubled by the snares and deceits of the devil, or by the open attacks and insults of people with minds set on earthly things (cf. Phil 3:19). For “a disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. If they persecuted me”— said our Teacher and Lord—“they will persecute you” (John 15:20). The world cannot help hating you, “If you were of the world, the world would love its own” (John 15:19). “Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on account of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven” (Matt 5:11-12).
As you well know, our Savior and heavenly Teacher foretold that similar things would happen to us, so that we would not be surprised as if they were new and unexpected. He confirmed it by His example, so that we would not fear to experience them as being unbearable. However, those who persecute us are hurting themselves, because they provoke God's wrath against themselves. At the same time they benefit us, because they enhance our crown of eternal glory. We, therefore, instead of hating and detesting them, have to pity them and love them. Indeed, we have to pray for them (cf. Matt 5:44) and, as our Apostle warns us, we should not allow evil to control us but instead we should conquer it with good and heap on their heads acts of mercy as so many burning coals of charity, (cf. Rom 12: 20-21) so that they, seeing our patience and confounded in their iniquity, may return to a better life and be inflamed with God's love.
As for us, God in His mercy has taken us, though unworthy, out of the world, so that we may serve Him, advancing from virtue to virtue, and through patience, bear abundant fruits of charity, boasting not only of the hope of God's children but also of our afflictions. For we know “that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us” (Rom 5:3-5).
But what is there so great and worthy of admiration, my brothers, if the worldly scorn us for being fools for Christ's sake, and persecute us when Christ Himself, the very Son of God and God's Wisdom, willed to be treated as a fool and be scorned and despised
for our sake? And didn't our Apostle—the most excellent Doctor of the Nations—show himself and the other Apostles, as we have already said, a pattern of derision for us when he said, “We are fools for Christ's sake [...]. When slandered, we try to conciliate” (1 Cor 4:10ff). Are we perhaps wiser than the Apostles? Are we perhaps, or do we claim to be, in a better position than Christ? Is there anyone of us who thinks he is wiser than the others? But if someone is that wise, let him become a fool that he may become wise (cf. 1Cor 3:18).
Well then, “consider your call, brothers,” I speak to you with the very words of the Apostle, “not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth; but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the, wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong, God chose what is low and despised in this world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are”( 1 Cor 1:26-28).
Consider your call, my dear brothers. If we examine it carefully, we would easily recognize that this is what it demands of us. As we have started to follow, though from afar, in the footsteps of the Holy Apostles and of the other Knights of Christ, so let us not refuse to share in their suffering; bearing these trials which are much lighter than theirs.
As a result, just as in times past, the Catholic Church, despite the hardest persecutions she had to endure, did not diminish in number, but rather increased more and more; so this little part of her body will not be weakened by outrages, but will increase if we endure; and while it is subjected to hardships, it will grow stronger.
By walking on this road, the holy Martyrs, the glorious Confessors, and all the Saints of God, after having gone through fire and water, (cf. Ps 66:12) reached heaven. And “indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim 3:l2).
Let us look, among others, at St. Francis, whose feast day we are celebrating, “so that we may not loathe imitating that which we delight in celebrating” (P.L. 39.2161). In him, in fact, as if in a mirror there shines the most splendid example of Christian patience, profound humility, and above all, the most ardent charity. Oh, how ready was he to accept reproaches! How strong in despising himself and the world!
How firm when offended, how joyous when scorned! How prepared at
enduring the most painful things for the love of Christ! He welcomed all
kinds of abuses as the most precious jewels sent him from heaven; to
him offenses were far more precious than praises; suffering for Christ's
sake was more desirable than being happy in the world. Now he sits the
higher and more glorious in heaven, the humbler and more despicable he
was to his own eyes and the eyes of others while on earth.
Let us
then, beloved, imitate this saint, and let it not be a burden for us to
follow in our own life conduct the one we venerate with religious
devotion and honor with praises.
And, concluding the Apostle, “let us
run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus
the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set
before Him endured the cross, heedless its shame, and is seated at the
right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured from sinners
such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or
fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to
the point of shedding your blood” (Heb 12:1-4). And let us also “commend
ourselves, as servants of God, in every way: through great endurance,
in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, tumults,
labors, watching, hunger; by purity, knowledge, forbearance [ ... ]
with weapons of righteousness for the right and for the left, in honor
and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute, as impostors and yet true”
(2Cor 6:4-8).
Therefore, since we have chosen such an Apostle as
guide and father and have committed ourselves to follow him, let us
strive to put into practice his doctrine and his example. It would not
be proper that in the ranks of such a captain there should be soldiers
who are cowards and traitors, nor that the children of such a great
father should be degenerate.
