St. Francis, transformed by God, influencer of many

This is a translation of a reflection delivered by Tibor Kauser, OFS Minister General of the Secular Franciscan Order, at the opening ceremony honoring the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi’s stigmata.

St. Francis is a very relevant person. He is also an example for seculars, who can learn much from his life.  As a young man, he was the leader of a group in Assisi.

Today we would say he was an influencer. Many wanted to follow him, to imitate him. Everything he did and said had a great impact on the lives of his friends.

It is important to note this because we can see what God changes and what he does not (change). God did not take many things out of Francis’s life but transformed them, thus conforming Francis to Christ. Francis kept his ambitions, to be the messenger of the great King, to be someone extraordinary. He depended on his father and loved his mother like everyone else.

God transformed Francis, keeping many things in his style (that were a part of his character), and not destroying his personality. This is the miracle — how God can transform a person by changing things in life and turning (things that are) bitter into sweetness.

Instead of being the knight of the city and the messenger of a great earthly king, he became the messenger of the greatest king. Instead of being extraordinary, shining by his wealth and riches of material goods, he remained extraordinary, but shining by his poverty and lack of material goods. Instead of depending on his father, he began to belong only to his Heavenly Father. His deep love for his mother turned into a deep love for the Virgin Mary.

So St. Francis is still an influencer today. He has had a great impact on many. He is an example for secular people as well because God retained many characteristics that we would connect to the secular lifestyle: ambitions, being a hero, and showing a special relationship with material goods. However, God changed these things so perfectly that Francis became so conformed to Christ that he became the “Alter Christus.”

https://www.secularfranciscansusa.org/2024/02/08/st-francis-transformed-by-god-influencer-of-many/

CHRIST, ST. FRANCIS, and FRANCISCAN THEOLOGICAL TERMS

by Anne Mulqueen, OFS

National Formation Commission

(This article originally appeared in the TAU-USA Fall 2023 Issue #110)

Today, in Franciscan circles, specific words or phrases are used to describe the Franciscan understanding of Christ and Christ’s relationship to humanity and creation. Too often, no clear definition is given, and many Franciscan teachings are skipped over without understanding what is meant.

This should not discourage us because St. Francis’ understanding of the Almighty deepened throughout his life. The man who began by repairing churches was not the same man who wrote the Canticle of the Creatures and gave himself back to God in the arms of Sister Death. So, Let us begin…

Franciscan Emphasis on the Blessed Trinity

The Trinity appears nowhere in the title of this article, but we must understand Franciscan Trinitarian spirituality to understand how our founder experienced God through each person of the Blessed Trinity. Also, he understood each person of the Trinity as relating to each other. In The Praises of God, written by Francis to Brother Leo, he writes:

You are three and one, the Lord God of gods;  You are good, all good, the highest good,  Lord God living and true.[1]

Further, he writes in his Earlier Rule, Chapter XXIII:

Let all of us truly and humbly believe, hold in our heart and love, honor, adore, serve, praise and bless, glorify and exalt, magnify and give thanks to the Most High and Supreme Eternal God Trinity and Unity Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Creator of all. Savior of all who believe and hope in Him, and love Him.

Now that we have established that St. Francis’ approach to the Godhead was Trinitarian let us turn to his love and devotion to the humanity of Christ.

Christ as Center (Christocentric)

Before theologians began to develop the concept of Christ as the center of all creation, St. Francis understood that all things spiritual and corporal were created through the Son[2].

The late Fr. Eric Doyle, OFM, an English theologian, wrote on why Christocentrism is important for us to understand. Fr. Eric wrote:

Francis reminds us all to realize the dignity God has bestowed on us: our body he formed and created in the image of his Son, our soul he made in his own likeness (Admonition V). The body of the Incarnate Word, Jesus of Nazareth, was the blueprint for the bodies of the first human beings…

For all their simplicity and clarity, [the sentence] of Francis just quoted, has a rich theological content.

Contained in embryo is the Christocentric vision of the Franciscan school and even the doctrine of Christ’s absolute primacy as formulated and expounded by John Duns Scotus[3].

Christocentrism naturally leads us to an understanding of the Primacy of Christ.

Primacy of Christ

The best way to understand the Primacy of Christ is through Scripture, particularly the Gospel of John and Colossians 1:15-20.

John’s Gospel begins by telling us that the Word, Jesus, was with God from the very beginning, and the Word was, in fact. God. Everything that exists came through Jesus; without Him, nothing would exist.

Through Jesus, we have life and a light that overcomes and dispels darkness. (Paraphrase of John’s Prologue). In Colossians, St. Paul and Timothy address the church in Colossae. To emphasize that Jesus is the fullness of God. Paul emphasizes the primacy of Christ in these key verses. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation… the head of the body, the church… the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:15, 18).

Christ as Exemplar

Often, in Franciscan sources, you will see Christ defined by the word Exemplar. St. Bonaventure 13.5. Consider Admonition V, wherein Francis writes, … how excellent the Lord made you, for he created and formed you in the image of his beloved son according to the body and to his likeness according to the spirit. Christ is the original, the exemplar, and we are the expression of the original artwork of God.

HAECCEIATAS

Haecceitas is a Latin word that translates into English as thisness. In Franciscan theology, the term was used by Blessed John Duns Scotus to express the unique and never-to-be-repeated quality of all creation. In the words of the song, There’ll Never Be Another You, nor will anything created be replicated. Haecceitas relates to the sacredness of each person and each thing. This concept is essential for all to understand because from it comes our belief in the dignity of each human person and the value of all God’s creation.

Franciscan Lectio Divina

When most prayerful people think of Lectio Divina, they imagine the traditional contemplative way of praying that involves four movements: reading Scripture, meditating on Scripture, entering into prayer, and then contemplatively resting in God’s presence.

Franciscans have another method that goes beyond contemplation into conversion and action. In her letter to Agnes of Prague, St. Clare of Assisi designed a new approach to prayer. Instead of divine reading, Clare offered sacred seeing. Using the crucifix as her image, Clare asked Agnes to gaze upon Christ with the eyes of the heart. Using her mind and imagination, Clare instructed Agnes to consider her thoughts while gazing. The next step Clare suggested was to contemplate Christ by being present to him in silence and allowing the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to emerge. The final step, imitation, is the one that transforms us into the one we love and empowers us to continue Christ’s mission.

Conclusion

The words and phrases used in this article are skeletal; covering them in depth would require writing a book. Also, many more terms need to be defined. The bad news is I had to pick and choose. Fortunately, there is good news. We have many Franciscan books in circulation that go deeply into these topics. I exhort you (using one of St. Francis’ favorite terms) to further research our rich Franciscan history and theology.

One book I highly recommend is The Franciscan Moral Vision: Responding to God’s Love, edited by Thomas A. Nairn. It can be purchased from the Franciscan Institute or Amazon.

Questions:

  • How have you experienced Christ as being central in your life?
  • If Christ is the blueprint for the image of God and the one through whom all that exists is created, what is your relationship with all of creation?
  • How do you enhance the survival and thriving of humanity and the rest of God’s creation?

 [1] Francis of Assisi: The Saint, p. 109

[2] Rule of 1221

[3] St. Francis of Assisi and the Christocentric Character of Franciscan Life and Doctrine, Franciscan Christology p 7.

https://www.secularfranciscansusa.org/2024/02/05/christ-st-francis-and-franciscan-theological-terms/

The Gospel Through a Franciscan Lens – 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2024

Fr. Christopher Panagoplos, TOR,  shares in his most recent homily for Sunday, February 4th, 2024, the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time, some insights on healing and care of the sick.

“Care of the sick and infirm reminds us most visibly of how God deals with us graciously in our weakness.  There is the tendency in all of us to stand tall and proud, attractive in strength and talent.  We even rely on those things and think of those things as important to our relationships with others.

This is not to say that the brightness and smart wit of the beautiful people are not pleasing to God.  And so, we need a reminder that God does not glory in our accomplishments.  God loves us for who we are—fragile and failing human beings—bent for another kind of glory where the accomplishment is God’s and ours is the gratitude.”

Read the full text of this Sunday’s homily here:  5th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Fr. Christopher (text)

View his homily on Facebook here:  5th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Fr. Christopher (video)

https://www.secularfranciscansusa.org/2024/02/03/the-gospel-through-a-franciscan-lens-5th-sunday-in-ordinary-time-2024/

Open post

Formation Friday – Rule of OFS, Chapter 2, Arts 4-5, – February 2, 2024

The OFS-USA National Fraternity has recently published “From Gospel to Life,” the OFS Rule with Commentary. This occasional series highlights the Prologue (See November 17th and 24th) and the articles of the Rule, the commentary, and questions based on this publication for fraternity discussion. You may order “Gospel to Life” at this link: https://www.secularfranciscansusa.org/wp-content/uploads/Order-Form_October_2023rev.pdf

Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order
Chapter 2 Articles 4-5

Article 4: The rule and life of the Secular Franciscans is this: to observe the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by following the example of Saint Francis of Assisi, who made Christ the inspiration and the center of his life with God and people.6

Christ the gift of the Father’s love, is the way to him, the truth into which the Holy Spirit leads us, and the life which he has come to give abundantly.7

Secular Franciscans should devote themselves especially to careful reading of the gospel, going from gospel to life and life to the gospel.8

Article 5: Secular Franciscans, therefore, should seek to encounter the living and active person of Christ in their brothers and sisters, in Sacred Scripture, in the Church, and in liturgical activity. The faith of Saint Francis, who often said, “I see nothing bodily of the Most High Son of God in this world except his most holy body and blood,”9 should be the inspiration and pattern of their eucharistic life.

 

Commentary:

The second chapter of the rule is a thorough and detailed description of the Secular Franciscan way of life. The first part (4–6) gives the meaning of the gospel in the Franciscan tradition. Then conversion and worship are explained as the necessary preconditions for achieving this gospel life (7–8). Finally, 9–19 describe the manner of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ by how the Secular Franciscans live (10–14) and what they do (15–19). In the light of Scripture and the teachings of Vatican II, this chapter is envisioned as a program for evangelization: how we ourselves are evangelized after the manner of Francis and secondly how we evangelize others.

Article 4: Summarizes the heart of the rule: the very core of the gospel life in intimate union with Christ, or, in the words of St. Paul, “the life I live now is not my own; Christ is living in me” (Gal 3:20). And so, the Secular Franciscan, alive with the spirit of Francis, knows and experiences the Lord Jesus intensely, binding one’s own person with the person of Christ.

Article 5. As the process develops, then the Secular Franciscan seeks out the living and active person of Christ in all spheres of life: liturgical activity (especially the Eucharist), Scripture, Church, and one another (5). Since the sacrificial union with Christ is the most intense and comprehensive experience of his real presence, the celebration becomes the key encounter, as patterned by Francis himself.

For discussion with a partner, in a group, or to comment on in your journal:

+Re-read article 4 and the commentary:

–How is Jesus the “inspiration and center of your life?”

–Explain the meaning of “going from gospel to life and life to the gospel.”

–Challenge yourself to read a portion of the gospel each day—perhaps the gospel of the daily mass. After some time, reflect on how it has influenced your daily life. Has it changed you at all? Why or why not?

+Re-read article 5 and the commentary:

–When do you find it most difficult to see the “living and active person of Christ” in your brothers and sisters? How do you deal with this?

–What is your relationship with the Eucharist? (The answer to this may require much prayer and silence before the Blessed Sacrament.)

++++++++++++++++++++

 

Formación 2 de febrero, 2024 Por favor, comparta con su fraternidad local

 

La Fraternidad Nacional OFS-USA ha publicado recientemente “Del Evangelio a la Vida”, la Regla de la OFS con comentario. (Publicada en inglés y español) Esta serie ocasional que destacará el Prólogo (véase 17 y 24 de noviembre) y varios artículos de la Regla, el comentario y las preguntas para la discusión de la fraternidad. Se puede pedir “Evangelio a la vida” en español en este enlace:
https://www.secularfranciscansusa.org/wp-content/uploads/Order-Form_October_2023rev.pdf

 

Artículo 4: La Regla y la vida de los Franciscanos seglares es ésta: guardar el santo Evangelio de nuestro Señor Jesucristo siguiendo el ejemplo de San Francisco de Asís, que hizo de Cristo el inspirador y centro de su vida con Dios y con los hombres6.

Cristo, don del amor del Padre, es el camino hacia Él, es la verdad en la cual nos introduce el Espíritu Santo, es la vida que Él ha venido a dar abundantemente7.

Los Franciscanos seglares dedíquense asiduamente a la lectura del Evangelio, pasando del Evangelio a la vida y de la vida al Evangelio8.

 

Artículo 5: Los Franciscanos seglares, pues, busquen la persona viviente y operante de Cristo en los hermanos, en la Sagrada Escritura, en la Iglesia y en las acciones litúrgicas. La fe de San Francisco que dictó estas palabras: “En este mundo nada veo corporalmente del mismo Altísimo Hijo de Dios sino su santísimo cuerpo y sangre,”9 sea para ellos inspiración y guía de su vida eucarística.

 

Comentario

El segundo capítulo de la regla es una descripción completa y detallada del modo de vida de los franciscanos seglares. La primera parte (4-6) da el significado del evangelio en la tradición franciscana. Luego, la conversión y la adoración se explican como las condiciones previas necesarias para lograr esta vida evangélica (7–8). Finalmente, 9–19 describen la manera de compartir la Buena Nueva de Jesucristo por cómo viven los franciscanos seglares (10–14) y lo que hacen (15– 19). A la luz de las Escrituras y las enseñanzas del Vaticano II, este capítulo se concibe como un programa para la evangelización: cómo nosotros mismos somos evangelizados a la manera de Francisco y, en segundo lugar, cómo evangelizamos a los demás.

 

El artículo 4 resume el corazón de la regla: el núcleo mismo de la vida evangélica en unión íntima con Cristo, o, en las palabras de San Pablo, «la vida que vivo ahora no es la mía; Cristo vive en mí» (Gál 3,20). Y así, el franciscano seglar, vivo del espíritu de Francisco, conoce y experimenta intensamente al Señor Jesús, vinculando la propia persona con la persona de Cristo.

 

Artículo 5: A medida que se desarrolla el proceso, el franciscano seglar busca a la persona viva y activa de Cristo en todas las esferas de la vida: la actividad litúrgica (especialmente la Eucaristía), la Escritura, la Iglesia y entre sí (5). Dado que la unión sacrificial con Cristo es la experiencia más intensa y completa de su presencia real, la celebración se convierte en el encuentro clave, como lo modeló el mismo Francisco.

 

Para discutir con un compañero, en un grupo o para comentar en su diario:

 

+Vuelva a leer el artículo 4 y el comentario:

–¿Cómo es Jesús la “inspiración y el centro de su vida”?

–Explique el significado de “pasar del evangelio a la vida y de la vida al evangelio”.

–Desafíese a leer una porción del evangelio cada día, tal vez el evangelio de la misa del día. Después de un tiempo, reflexione sobre cómo ha influido en su vida diaria. ¿Le ha cambiado en algo? ¿Por qué sí o por qué no?

 

+Releer el artículo 5 y el comentario:

–¿Cuándo le resulta más difícil ver la “persona viva y activa de Cristo” en sus hermanos y hermanas? ¿Cómo trata con esto?

–¿Cuál es su relación con la Eucaristía? (La respuesta a esta pregunta puede requerir mucha oración y silencio ante el Santísimo Sacramento).

 
 
Diane F. Menditto, OFS
Vice Minister, National Fraternity, Secular Franciscan Order USA
Listen – Discern – Go Forth National Theme 2022-2025

Reflections on gentle journey of peace, love

By Susan Ronan

National Executive Council Secretary

Many blessings and greetings, my dear Brothers and Sisters!

Last fall, the minister of my “home” fraternity (Greccio Fraternity, Derry, NH) asked me to write a short article about my initial years on the National Executive Council (NEC).

I’m the first member of our fraternity to be elected to a national position, though our beloved sister, Teresa Baker, OFS, devoted many years to the National Formation Commission.

As my Formation Director from the start (1999) through my profession in 2003, Teresa supported and encouraged me to share my administrative gifts when I was nominated to local and regional offices.

The gentle journey to profession in the Secular Franciscan Order opened my heart’s pathway to listen to Jesus’ GPS and participate in the experiences He had prepared along the journey.

After almost twenty years on and off the local and regional councils, a letter arrived letting me know I’d been nominated to the NEC. Well, that was certainly a surprise. The Holy Spirit and I had many long chats about this new development. The Lord has truly blessed me with this amazing Franciscan Family.

Sometimes it’s hard to remember that we all belong to four levels of Secular Franciscan fraternities and have brothers and sisters throughout the United States (and Guam) and 137 countries worldwide. We are their familial responsibility, and they are ours. The NEC assists the Holy Spirit in supplying our family’s “lifeblood” to the First and Second Orders, the TOR, and the four levels of Secular Franciscan fraternities.

Over the past year as national secretary, I’ve learned so much. But the most important thing I’ve learned is that we’re all family, and everyone on the national and international levels is dedicated to our Order’s Franciscan charism of love.

I’m here to help you with any questions or concerns you have …so call me anytime!

Peace and so much love,

Susan

https://www.secularfranciscansusa.org/2024/02/01/reflections-on-gentle-journey-of-peace-love/

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Juan de Padilla