2024/11/11

169. The Tacit Knowledge

During the time of St. Francis, the Church became increasingly interested in the Eucharist, and a new form of religious life was taking place. It must have been timely if, at such a time, the Holy Spirit led Francis to realise the truths of John's Gospel and the Book of Revelation from San Damiano Crucifix. But those who receive divine revelation are only flesh and blood travelling through the world, even when working with the Holy Spirit. Hence, they do not communicate more than what they saw, as John, the author of the Book of Revelation, wrote: "[John] bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw" (Revelation 1:2). With this in mind, I would like to examine what he realised, according to the sources directly related to Francis as a clue to it. 

The fact that "The Body of the Lord"¹, the first theme of Admonitions attributed to Francis, begins with the words of the Gospel of John is noteworthy. After writing, "the Lord Jesus says to his disciples", Francis quoted Jesus' words, from the phrase "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me" (John 14:6), through the exchange between Jesus and Philip, to the phrase "He who has seen me has seen the Father" (14:9). From them he leads to a conclusion: "Yet neither is the Son, in as much as he is equal to the Father, seen by any one other than by the Father, other than by the Holy Spirit". 

That was to give an admonishment as follows. "Wherefore, all those who saw the Lord Jesus according to humanity and did not see and believe according to the spirit and the divinity that he is the true Son of God, were condemned. So also now all those who behold the sacrament which is sanctified by the words of the Lord upon the altar at the hand of the priest in the form of bread and wine, and do not see and believe according to the spirit and divinity that it is truly the most holy body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, are condemned". He had actually seen many people living like those already condemned. 

On the other hand, he was in a state where he could say, "Behold: daily he humbles himself as when from heaven's royal throne he came down into the womb of the Virgin. Daily he himself comes to us with like humility; daily he descends from the bosom of the Father upon the altar in the hands of the priest. And as he appeared to the Apostles in true flesh, so now also he shows himself to us in the sacred bread". Then he encourages, "And as they by their bodily sight saw only his flesh, yet contemplating him with the eyes of the spirit believed him to be very God, so we also, as we see our bodily eyes the bread and wine, are to see and firmly believe that it is his most holy body and blood living and true". Francis must have taken these words seriously himself. However, I suppose, these words were difficult to practice for him who had the conclusion that "neither is the Son, in as much as he is equal to the Father, seen by any one other than by the Father, other than by the Holy Spirit". 

Jesus said to the multitude, "And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness to me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen; and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe him whom he has sent" (John 5:37-38). 

The words "the Father who sent me has himself borne witness to me" were fulfilled when Jesus said to Peter: "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 16:17). These words were in reply to Peter's words to Jesus, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (16:16). These were the words that "my Father who is in heaven" had revealed. Peter himself, who uttered these words, and the other disciples who heard them, had the Father's words abiding in them. They believed that the Father had sent him (cf. John 17:8). 

The words "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God", which the Father in heaven had revealed, stay in those who hear them. So, when the faithful attending the Mass liturgy proclaims with the priest aloud these words, which the heavenly Father revealed to Peter, towards the Eucharist shown by him and take and eat the Eucharist handed by the priest, they can answer Francis' encouragement: "[We] are to see and firmly believe that it is his most holy body and blood living and true ". 

Moreover, the words revealed by the heavenly Father form the tacit knowledge in the memory of those faithful who proclaim the words aloud and hear them. It is the rock of which Jesus said to Peter: "I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). 

To be continued.

Maria K. M.

1. https://www.vatican.va/spirit/documents/spirit_20010612_francesco-assisi_en.html