Since July is the month of the Precious Blood, and we are also celebrating the three-year Eucharistic Revival, we repeat some of our previous posts on the Eucharist this month.
[I. The Body of Christ]1The Lord Jesus says to his disciples: I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me. 2If you knew me, you would also know my Father; and from now on, you do know him and have seen him. 3Philip says to him: Lord, show us the Father and it will be enough for us. 4Jesus says to him: Have I been with you for so long a time and you have not known me? Philip, whoever sees me sees my Father as well. Jn 14:6-9
5The Father dwells in inaccessible light, 1 Tm 6:16 and God is spirit, Jn 4:24 and no one has ever seen God. Jn 1:18 6Therefore He cannot be seen except in the Spirit because it is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh has nothing to offer. Jn 6:63 7But because He is equal to the Father, the Son is not seen by anyone other than the Father or other than the Holy Spirit.
8All those who saw the Lord Jesus according to the humanity, therefore, and did not see and believe according to the Spirit and the Divinity that He is the true Son of God were condemned. 9Now in the same way, all those who see the sacrament sanctified by the words of the Lord upon the altar at the hands of the priest in the form of bread and wine, and who do not see and believe according to the Spirit and the Divinity that it is truly the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, are condemned.10[This] is affirmed by the Most High Himself Who says:
This is my Body and the Blood of my new covenant [which will be shed for many]; Mk 14:22 11and Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life. Mk 14:24 12It is the Spirit of the Lord, Jn 6:55 therefore, That lives in Its faithful, That receives the Body and Blood of the Lord. 13All others who do not share in this same Spirit and presume to receive Him eat and drink judgment on themselves. 1 Cor 11:29
14Therefore: children, how long will you be hard of heart? Ps 4:3 15Why do you not know the truth and believe in the Son of God? Jn 9:35 16Behold, each day He humbles Himself as when He came from the royal throne Phil 2:8 into the Virgin’s womb; Wis 18:15 17each day He Himself comes to us, appearing humbly; 18each day He comes down from the bosom of the Father Jn 1:18 upon the altar in the hands of a priest.a
19As He revealed Himself to the holy apostles in true flesh, so He reveals Himself to us now in sacred bread. 20And as they saw only His flesh by an insight of their flesh, yet believed that He was God as they contemplated Him with their spiritual eyes, 21let us, as we see bread and wine with our bodily eyes, see and firmly believe that they are His most holy Body and Blood living and true. 22And in this way the Lord is always with His faithful, as He Himself says: Behold I am with you until the end of the age.
Questions to discuss or to answer in your journal
+ After reading this admonition carefully, note what Francis’s feelings are about the Eucharist.
+What do you believe about the Eucharist? What part does receiving the Eucharist play in your spiritual life?
https://www.franciscantradition.org/francis-of-assisi-early-documents/the-saint/writings-of-francis/the-undated-writings/the-admonitions/144-fa-ed-1-page-128
A good video by Bishop Barron on the Eucharist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgy_TFeIyiM&t=126s (Real Presence)
Visit the Eucharistic Revival website: https://www.eucharisticrevival.org/
Julio es el mes de la Preciosa Sangre de Cristo—Admonición #1 de San Francisco
Dado que julio es el mes de la Preciosa Sangre, y también estamos celebrando el Avivamiento Eucarístico de tres años, repetimos algunas de nuestras publicaciones anteriores sobre la Eucaristía este mes.
Cap. I: Del cuerpo del Señor
1Dice el Señor Jesús a sus discípulos: Yo soy el camino, la verdad y la vida; nadie va al Padre sino por mí. 2Si me conocierais a mí, ciertamente conoceríais también a mi Padre; y desde ahora lo conoceréis y lo habéis visto. 3Le dice Felipe: Señor, muéstranos al Padre y nos basta. 4Le dice Jesús: ¿Tanto tiempo hace que estoy con vosotros y no me habéis conocido? Felipe, el que me ve a mí, ve también a mi Padre (Jn 14,6-9).
5El Padre habita en una luz inaccesible (cf. 1 Tim 6,16), y Dios es espíritu (Jn 4,24), y a Dios nadie lo ha visto jamás (Jn 1,18). 6Por eso no puede ser visto sino en el espíritu, porque el espíritu es el que vivifica; la carne no aprovecha para nada (Jn 6,64). 7Pero ni el Hijo, en lo que es igual al Padre, es visto por nadie de otra manera que el Padre, de otra manera que el Espíritu Santo.
8De donde todos los que vieron al Señor Jesús según la humanidad, y no vieron y creyeron según el espíritu y la divinidad que él era el verdadero Hijo de Dios, se condenaron. 9Así también ahora, todos los que ven el sacramento, que se consagra por las palabras del Señor sobre el altar por mano del sacerdote en forma de pan y vino, y no ven y creen, según el espíritu y la divinidad, que sea verdaderamente el santísimo cuerpo y sangre de nuestro Señor Jesucristo, se condenan, 10como lo atestigua el mismo Altísimo, que dice: Esto es mi cuerpo y mi sangre del nuevo testamento, [que será derramada por muchos] (cf. Mc 14,22.24); 11y: Quien come mi carne y bebe mi sangre, tiene vida eterna (cf. Jn 6,55). 12De donde el espíritu del Señor, que habita en sus fieles, es el que recibe el santísimo cuerpo y sangre del Señor. 13Todos los otros que no participan del mismo espíritu y se atreven a recibirlo, comen y beben su condenación (cf. 1 Cor 11,29).
14De donde: Hijos de los hombres, ¿hasta cuándo seréis de pesado corazón? (Sal 4,3). 15¿Por qué no reconocéis la verdad y creéis en el Hijo de Dios? (cf. Jn 9,35). 16Ved que diariamente se humilla (cf. Fil 2,8), como cuando desde el trono real (Sab 18,15) vino al útero de la Virgen; 17diariamente viene a nosotros él mismo apareciendo humilde; 18diariamente desciende del seno del Padre (cf. Jn 1,18) sobre el altar en las manos del sacerdote.
19Y como se mostró a los santos apóstoles en carne verdadera, así también ahora se nos muestra a nosotros en el pan sagrado. 20Y como ellos, con la mirada de su carne, sólo veían la carne de él, pero, contemplándolo con ojos espirituales, creían que él era Dios, 21así también nosotros, viendo el pan y el vino con los ojos corporales, veamos y creamos firmemente que es su santísimo cuerpo y sangre vivo y verdadero. 22Y de este modo siempre está el Señor con sus fieles, como él mismo dice: Ved que yo estoy con vosotros hasta la consumación del siglo (cf. Mt 28,20).
https://www.franciscanos.org/esfa/escritossf.html#adm
Preguntas para discutir o responder en su diario
+ Después de leer esta Admonición con atención, apunte cuáles son los sentimientos de Francisco sobre la Eucaristía.
+ ¿Qué cree usted sobre la Eucaristía? ¿Qué papel juega el recibir la Eucaristía en su vida espiritual?
Un buen video (en inglés) del obispo Barron sobre la Eucaristía:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgy_TFeIyiM&t=126s (Presencia real)
Visite el sitio del Avivamiento Eucarístico: https://es.eucharisticrevival.org/Diane F. Menditto, OFSVice Minister, National Fraternity, Secular Franciscan Order USAListen – Discern – Go Forth National Theme 2022-2025
Eucharistic Revival – Stage Two
The Bishops of the United States are calling all its Catholic members to a deeper relationship with God through a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. This year 2023 – 2024 is designated for “Parish Renewal”. We, the Franciscan “people in the pews” should be in the forefront of this renewal – through our prayers; our conversations; bringing others with us to Mass and/or Eucharistic Adoration, etc. To assist us in this endeavor, resource materials like banners, fliers & prayer cards have been designed and are available free of charge for digital download for personal printing and also available for order – see website links below.
While the Eucharistic Revival has been designed as a “stand alone” project, it doesn’t have to be. We should be able to incorporate the core meaning and goals of this project – a closer, deeper relationship with God through Jesus – into all our programs and projects, especially in our “Centennial” events.
Jesus, the God-Man, is our tangible, relatable link to God in the Trinity. For St. Francis, an ever deepening relationship with the God Who made us and all things created was foundational to his existence. “Walking in the footsteps of Christ” was the easiest and most perfect way of attaining this goal.
Here are some links to the Eucharistic Revival website:
Eucharistic Revival – General Overview: www.eucharisticrevival.org
Get Involved: How Will You Respond? (eucharisticrevival.org)
Free Digital Parish Resources – Eucharistic Revival (English & Spanish)
“If we but paused for a moment to consider
attentively what takes place in this
Sacrament, I am sure that the thought of
Christ’s love for us would transform the
coldness of our hearts into a fire of love and
gratitude.”
St. Angela of Foligno
[Italian Franciscan tertiary and mystic]
Eucharistic Revival Image: https://stcdio.org/eucharistic-revival/when-is-it-taking-place/
National Fraternity Centenary Task Force
(This article originally appeared in the TAU-USA Magazine Spring issue #109)
By Vickie Klick, OFS
This is the third TAU-USA in which you have heard about the Franciscan centenaries being celebrated in 2023-2026. In addition to articles here, the National Fraternity has appointed a task force to help our celebrations to be as widespread and universal as possible. There are six of us on the Centenary Task Force; as you can see from our regional fraternities, we span the continental U.S.
Dcn. Terry Barber, Troubadours of Peace
Israela Garcia, Our Lady of Guadalupe
Vickie Klick (chair), Mother Cabrini
Terri Leone, St. Katharine Drexel
Patrick Martin, St. Margaret of Cortona
Carolyn Townes, Brothers and Sisters of St. Francis
2023 is going to be a busy year for us, with TWO centenaries to help celebrate, as well as planning our work. The NEC has asked us to plan a face-to-face event at Chapter and a Zoom event open nationwide each year and to create a common calendar of centenary events from across the country. We are also creating/collecting resources and ideas for centenary celebrations and posting them on our section of the website: https://www.secularfranciscansusa.org/franciscan-centenary-celebration/
We cannot do this alone, of course! We are asking for a representative/contact from each regional fraternity to collaborate with us. He or she will provide input for the shared national Centenary Calendar and in general will be a conduit of information to and from their regional fraternity. It will not be a big time investment, but it will be a good way to help everyone in your region participate more fully in the centenaries. If this interests you, please let your regional minister know.
It is important that these centenaries are being celebrated by the whole Franciscan family, not only the Secular Franciscans. One of the most important tasks for each region to undertake NOW is to reach out to the friars and sisters in their area to find out their plans and to see how we can participate, as well as to invite them to participate in our events. In most cases, we hope this can be facilitated by the regional spiritual assistant(s).
We are planning to offer a nationwide Zoom celebration of Greccio, probably the weekend before Thanksgiving. In subsequent years, however, we would like to partner with a regional fraternity each year to take their regional celebration “online.” As you start looking ahead to celebrating the 800th anniversary of the Stigmata in 2024, if you think your regional event might be a candidate to be shared completely or partly online, we would love to hear from you.
Please watch our website for ideas and resources for regional and local fraternity events for each of the centenaries. We will be adding new materials regularly between now and the Easter of St. Francis in 2026.
Formation Friday June 30, 2023 – JPIC for Secular Franciscans: Family—Part 2
Prepared by Francine Gikow, OFS, member National Formation Commission, OFS USA
Last week we began our exploration about the place of Family–a part of JPIC in our Secular Franciscan life. We began by defining some characteristics of “family” and our unique role in Christ’s mission for the family, since we are secular and lay. We will further explore our Rule and Constitutions as we consider our own families and apply what we have learned in our everyday life.
To recap, our Rule states: “In their family, they should cultivate the Franciscan spirit of peace, fidelity, and respect for life, striving to make it a sign of a world already renewed. By living the grace of matrimony, husbands and wives in particular should bear witness in the world to the love of Christ for His Church. They should joyfully accompany their children on their human and spiritual journey by providing a simple and open Christian education and being attentive to the vocation of each child.”
Our General Constitutions expand this idea in Article 24.1 which states: Secular Franciscans should consider their own family to be the first place in which to live their Christian commitment and Franciscan vocation. The Constitutions then expand this idea by stating:
· “They should make space within it for prayer; for the Word of God, and for Christian catechesis.
· They should concern themselves with respect for life in every situation from conception until death.
· Married couples find in the Rule…an effective aid in their own journey of Christian life, that, in the sacrament of matrimony, their love shares in the love that Christ has for His Church
· The way spouses love each other and affirm the value of fidelity is a profound witness for their own family, the Church, and the world.”
The Constitutions (Art. 24.2 and 3) continue on to point out ways that in fraternity we might want to:
· explore the spirituality of the family, marriage and the Christian attitude toward dialog, sharing experiences and family problems.
· share important moments of family life with each other and by giving special attentions to widows, singles, single parents, separated, divorced and those living in difficult situations.
· dialog between generations
· form groups for single and married families to support each other in Catholic living.
All this should be done in collaboration with the Church to affirm the value of fidelity and respect for life and offer solutions to family social problems. (GC: Art. 24.3) Finally, children should be educated and formed into living, active People of God, and with the help of organizations (such as YOU-FRA), and they should be given knowledge and a love of Franciscan life. (GC. Art.25)
To summarize, since we are secular and lay, married or single, we all have families and it is in our families that we have a special responsibility to witness and support the mission of the Church and to make Jesus known. We must never forget that a family is holy, not because it is perfect, but because God’s grace is at work in it. (USCC/Adults. 376.)
Reflection Questions:
1. Prayerfully read and meditate on Art. 24.1 of the General Constitutions. Do you think that you are living your Christian commitment and Franciscan vocation in your family well? In what areas do you think you can improve?
2. Article 24.2-3 identifies how our fraternity life could impact our family experience with discussions of a spirituality of the family, how to dialog among family members, intergenerational sharing (especially with children) and support for those in difficult situations. Identify one way that your fraternity could help with family life and discuss it with a member of the Council.
3. Identify some needs for young people and ask your fraternity members for ideas of what the fraternity could do to engage with youth/young adults.
23 de junio de 2023
JPIC para franciscanos seglares: Familia—Parte 2 (Comparta con su fraternidad local)
Preparado por Francine Gikow, OFS, miembro de la Comisión Nacional de Formación, OFS USA.
La semana pasada comenzamos nuestra exploración sobre el lugar de la Familia, una parte de JPIC en nuestra vida franciscana seglar. Comenzamos definiendo algunas características de “familia” y nuestro rol único en la misión de Cristo para la familia, ya que somos seculares y laicos. Exploraremos más a fondo nuestra Regla y Constituciones al considerar a nuestras propias familias y aplicar lo que hemos aprendido en nuestra vida cotidiana.
En resumen, nuestra Regla dice: “Cultiven en su familia el espíritu franciscano de paz, fidelidad y respeto por la vida, esforzándose por hacer de ella signo de un mundo ya renovado. Al vivir la gracia del matrimonio, los esposos y las esposas en particular deben dar testimonio en el mundo del amor de Cristo por su Iglesia. Acompañen con alegría a sus hijos en su camino humano y espiritual, brindándoles una educación cristiana sencilla y abierta y estando atentos a la vocación de cada niño”.
Nuestras Constituciones Generales amplían esta idea en el artículo 24.1 que dice : Los franciscanos seglares consideren a su familia como el ámbito prioritario en el que viven su compromiso cristiano y la vocación franciscana
Las Constituciones luego amplían esta idea al afirmar:
· “en ella concédanle tiempo a la oración, a la Palabra de Dios y a la catequesis cristiana,
· defiendan el respeto a la vida desde su concepción y en toda circunstancia, hasta la muerte.
· Los casados encuentren en la Regla de la OFS una valiosa ayuda para recorrer el camino de la vida cristiana, conscientes de que, en el sacramento del Matrimonio, su amor participa del amor que Cristo tiene a su Iglesia.
· El amor de los esposos y la afirmación del valor de la fidelidad son un profundo testimonio para la propia familia, la Iglesia y el mundo.”.
Las Constituciones (art. 24.2 y 3) continúan señalando caminos que en fraternidad podemos querer:
· explorar la espiritualidad de la familia, el matrimonio y la actitud cristiana hacia el diálogo, compartiendo experiencias y problemas familiares.
· compartir momentos importantes de la vida familiar entre sí y dando especial atención a las viudas, solteros, monoparentales, separados, divorciados y aquellos que viven en situaciones difíciles.
· diálogo entre generaciones
· formar grupos de familias solteras y casadas para apoyarse mutuamente en la vida católica.
Todo esto debe hacerse en colaboración con la Iglesia para afirmar el valor de la fidelidad y el respeto a la vida y ofrecer soluciones a los problemas sociales familiares. (CG: Art. 24.3) Finalmente, los niños deben ser educados y formados como Pueblo de Dios vivo y activo, y con la ayuda de organizaciones (como YOU-FRA), y deben recibir conocimiento y amor por la vida franciscana. (CG. Art. 25)
En resumen, ya que somos seglares y laicos, casados o solteros, todos tenemos familias y es en nuestras familias donde tenemos una responsabilidad especial de testimoniar y apoyar la misión de la Iglesia y dar a conocer a Jesús. Nunca debemos olvidar que una familia es santa, no porque sea perfecta, sino porque en ella obra la gracia de Dios. (USCC/Adultos. 376.)
Preguntas de reflexión:
1. Lea y medite en oración el art. 24.1 de las Constituciones Generales. ¿Crees que estás viviendo bien tu compromiso cristiano y tu vocación franciscana en tu familia? ¿En qué áreas crees que puedes mejorar?
2. El artículo 24.2-3 identifique cómo nuestra vida de fraternidad podría impactar nuestra experiencia familiar con discusiones sobre una espiritualidad de la familia, cómo dialogar entre los miembros de la familia, el compartir intergeneracional (especialmente con los niños) y el apoyo a aquellos en situaciones difíciles. Identifique una forma en que su fraternidad podría ayudar con la vida familiar y discútala con un miembro del Consejo.
3. Identifique algunas necesidades de los jóvenes y pídales a los miembros de su fraternidad ideas sobre lo que la fraternidad podría hacer para comprometerse con los jóvenes/jóvenes adultos.
Diane F. Menditto, OFSVice Minister, National Fraternity, Secular Franciscan Order USAListen – Discern – Go Forth National Theme 2022-2025
Return to the Canticle
Justin Carisio, OFS National Formation Commission
St. Francis of Assisi was inclined to express himself in words, and we are fortunate that a number of his prayers, letters, and other writings have been preserved and passed down to us. They give us insight into his vision of the gospel life, and they help us understand what he thought and believed.[1]
Among Francis’s writings is his magnificent outpouring of praise, “The Canticle of the Creatures.” Perhaps nothing that Francis wrote resounds in our world today as much as this great poem.[2] It echoes through the centuries as both a religious and literary text. We encounter it in many ways. As a written work certainly, but also adapted for hymns and songs and interpreted creatively in the visual arts. It underlies our association of Francis with nature, affirming for us his love of the created world and his understanding of how all of creation, by its very existence, praises the Creator. The Canticle also supports his designation as patron of ecology. More recently, Pope Francis’s encyclical subtitled “On Care for Our Common Home” takes its title from the anaphora of the Canticle, “Laudato si’, mi’ Signore” – “Praised be you, my Lord.”
It is further testament to the authenticity and originality of St. Francis that even though we encounter the Canticle often and in different ways, his song retains its power to inspire us. Even so, we should not take the Canticle for granted. Using our imaginations, we can bring fresh insights to the poem. We can find ways to keep his voice resonating anew for us. Consider a few thoughts along these lines:
- The Canticle captures Francis’s spirit and presents his worldview in a way unmistakably his own. G.K. Chesterton famously said that the Canticle “is a supremely characteristic work, and much of St. Francis could be reconstructed from that work alone.”[3] In other words, if you would know the heart and mind of Francis, begin with the Canticle.
- Francis was a medieval man. His understanding of the cosmos and God’s creation was very different from our We are amazed by striking photos from the Webb telescope of innumerable galaxies billions of light years away. But in the world of the 13th century, there was no such comprehension of space and time. Francis would have believed the earth to be the center of the universe. He did not know the sun’s immensity or how it generated heat and light. He would not have known the physical nature of the moon, or that the stars were other suns. Because of this, Francis’s view of creation may have been more mystical and intimate than ours, which has been formed in part by the science of our time. As we enter the spirit of the Canticle, we can rejoice in our modern awareness even as we try to see the world through his medieval eyes.
- The creatures named in the first section of the Canticle (verses 1-9) are inanimate. Francis does not include any animals; he mentions plants (flowers and herbs) only in passing. We can speculate as to why he chose the creatures he did. There was nothing in his experience of creation grander than Sir Brother Sun or more strikingly beautiful than Sister Moon and the stars. None more useful than Sister Water or more essential to life than Sister Mother Earth. Few were more mysterious than Brother Wind and Brother Fire.
- Each of the creatures he names exists in obedience to God. In “The Admonitions,” he reminds the friars (and us) that “all creatures under heaven serve, know, and obey their Creator, each according to its own nature, better than you.”[4]
- Although Francis is very focused on the literal attributes and physical reality of the creatures he names, keep in mind that as with any great poem, there are other meanings implied or symbolic. Regis Armstrong, OFM Cap, offers one such insight, “Brother Wind, Sister Water, and Brother Fire can obviously be seen as references to the Spirit… Each one presents a reflection in itself of the triune presence, thus pointing beyond itself to the power, wisdom, and goodness of God.”[5]
- If there is a single adjective that describes Francis’s view of creation more than any other, it may well be “beautiful.” Francis uses that word three times in the Canticle.
- Francis does not appear to be concerned with the idea of creation as much as with his experience of and relationship to other creatures. In this the poem prepares us for the awe that Francis reserved for the Incarnation – the Son of God assuming human nature in Jesus Christ, true God and true man.[6]
- Francis introduces people into verses 10 and 11, which he added during a time of unrest in Assisi.[7] These verses speak to us in our own We should take to heart his hope that God will be praised by those “who give pardon for Your love,” “bear infirmity and tribulation,” and “endure in peace.”
- Verses 12 and 13 were composed as Francis lay dying.[8] To see death as sister, “an instrument of God’s presence,”[9] was one of Francis’s profound insights, and verse 12 is well worth contemplating again and again.
- Francis wrote the Canticle in the vernacular – his native Umbrian – and it is considered one of the earliest works of literature in Murray Bodo, OFM, tells us the Canticle “can only be fully appreciated in its original form, because the nuances, rhythms, and sounds of a great poem are the most exquisite articulation of its native language.”[10] The Internet offers examples of the Canticle recited in the original form. Search for one and listen. Even those of us unfamiliar with Italian can benefit from its beauty spoken or sung as originally composed.
We do well to return to the Canticle repeatedly to share Francis’s joy, to join in his wonder, and to rediscover with him our universal kinship with creation. Let us continue to celebrate his beautiful “poetic praise of God.”[11]
These images are of a series of quilt hangings, by Cindy Wesley OFS, depicting The Canticle of the Creatures, located at the San Damiano Retreat Center, CA.
[1] Thaddée Matura, OFM. Francis of Assisi Writer and Spiritual Master, (Cincinnati: Franciscan Media, 2005), 8
[2] The English text can be found in Francis of Assisi: Early Documents (FA:ED), edited by Regis J. Armstrong, OFM Cap., Wayne Hellmann, and William J. Short (New York, London, and Manila: New City Press, 1999), Vol 1, 113
[3] Chesterton, G. K., Saint Francis of Assisi, (New York: Image Books, 1957) 90
[4] See Admonition V, FA:ED, Vol 1., 131. Also, Robert J. Karris, OFM, The Admonitions of St. Francis: Sources and Meanings, (St. Bonaventure, New York: The Franciscan Institute, S. Bonaventure University, 1999), 81
[5] Regis J. Armstrong, St. Francis of Assisi, Writings for a Gospel Life, (New York: Crossroad Publishing Company, 1994) 211
[6] Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd ed. (Vatican: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2019) 116-117
[7] FA:ED, Vol 1, 113-114
[8] FA:ED, Vol 1, 113
[9] Armstrong, 238 Which one?
[10] Murray Bodo, OFM, Poetry as Prayer: St. Francis of Assisi, (Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 2003) 58.
[11] FA:ED, Vol 1, 113. See also http://franciscanseculars.com/a-visual-meditation-st-francis-in-art/.