Wise as Serpents, Gentle as Doves …

St. Francis of Assisi is often remembered for his poverty and gentleness, but he was also remarkably wise.

‘Bernard underscores an attitude that permeates his portrait of Francis, his ability to look deeply into another’s heart. ‘He was truly endowed with outstanding discernment and the grace of simplicity’, he writes, ‘so that with a true dove-like simplicity, he possessed the prudence of a serpent’.’ (The Book of the Praises of Saint Francis’ by Bernard of Besse)

Being Franciscan does not mean being naïve. It means seeing reality clearly while responding with charity. Prudence helps us know when to speak and when to remain silent, when to persevere and when to let go, when to correct and when to show mercy. Gentleness without wisdom can become weakness. Wisdom without gentleness can become harshness. The Gospel calls us to both.

Prudence is not caution. It is not overthinking. It is not endlessly weighing options. Prudence is the virtue that helps us choose well. Every day presents choices. Will I react from fear or from faith? Will I be driven by comfort, pride, or anger or guided by God’s grace? Prudence helps us choose the path that leads to God. As St. Francis discovered, holiness is not simply about doing good things; it is about becoming a good person whose thoughts, desires, and actions are ordered toward love. A prudent Franciscan heart is not hard, suspicious, or calculating. It is clear-sighted, courageous, and compassionate. It knows that true wisdom and true charity belong together. To be wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove is to walk through the world with both conviction and kindness, truth and mercy, strength and peace.

As we grow in virtue, we begin to see more clearly. Temperance frees us from being ruled by our desires. Fortitude gives us courage to endure trials and persevere in doing good. Justice teaches us to give others what is due to them. And prudence, like a skilled charioteer, guides them all. It shows us how to be just, how to be courageous, and how to be self-controlled.

🔹 Pause before important decisions. Ask: Will this bring me closer to God and the person He created me to be?
🔹 Strengthen one virtue at a time. Practice temperance, fortitude, or justice in a concrete way each day.
🔹 Act on the good you already know. Prudence grows through faithful action, not endless analysis.

Virtues shape our character, helping us choose what is good and flourish as God intends.