A Lazy Brother Is Chastised
"In the beginning, when the Order was new and the brothers were living at Rivotorto, there was a brother who didn't pray much, who did no work, and who wouldn't go begging because he was ashamed to. But he did eat, and quite well.
Now when St. Francis was thinking over what to do about him, he received the word, through the Holy Spirit, that this brother was intent upon things of the flesh. So St. Francis said to him: 'Good-bye, Brother Fly. All you want is to eat what your brothers work for and to idle away your time instead of working in God. You're like Brother Drone, refusing to work or to produce, but eating what the good bees work for, what they produce.' So that brother left, and flesh-minded man that he was, he didn't even ask forgiveness." --Legend of Perugia, 62
As I read this I thought about the opponents to government welfare who seem to think that all welfare recipients are like this Brother. I've heard arguments that "welfare mothers" keep having children so they can collect more welfare, or why don't they get a job and work like the rest of us. As to the last one, have you seen the cost of childcare lately? A woman in that situation probably wouldn't be able to earn enough to cover the cost of childcare. Their situation is not at all like this brother's. He was able to work. He did not have children to care for, and the fact that he did not even ask for forgiveness shows he was clueless to his faults.
"In the beginning, when the Order was new and the brothers were living at Rivotorto, there was a brother who didn't pray much, who did no work, and who wouldn't go begging because he was ashamed to. But he did eat, and quite well.Now when St. Francis was thinking over what to do about him, he received the word, through the Holy Spirit, that this brother was intent upon things of the flesh. So St. Francis said to him: 'Good-bye, Brother Fly. All you want is to eat what your brothers work for and to idle away your time instead of working in God. You're like Brother Drone, refusing to work or to produce, but eating what the good bees work for, what they produce.' So that brother left, and flesh-minded man that he was, he didn't even ask forgiveness." --Legend of Perugia, 62
As I read this I thought about the opponents to government welfare who seem to think that all welfare recipients are like this Brother. I've heard arguments that "welfare mothers" keep having children so they can collect more welfare, or why don't they get a job and work like the rest of us. As to the last one, have you seen the cost of childcare lately? A woman in that situation probably wouldn't be able to earn enough to cover the cost of childcare. Their situation is not at all like this brother's. He was able to work. He did not have children to care for, and the fact that he did not even ask for forgiveness shows he was clueless to his faults.
So wonderful, yes , the times are so difficult for single parents and no judging is a good idea....on a daily basis..minute by minute.:"There but for the grace of God go I."
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