(This article originally appeared in the Summer 2021 Issue #103 of the TAU-USA)

By Jan Parker, OFS

Enjoying some homemade chicken soup at Jake and Megan’s after surgery.

When Mike and Michelle moved in across the street two years ago, I welcomed them to the neighborhood. Since then, we take time to chat when we see each other outside. Last fall, when I was diagnosed with cancer, I let my neighbors know that I would be away a few weeks, as I would be recovering from surgery at my son’s house. Mike and Michelle immediately wanted to know what they could do to help me. I asked if they could keep an eye on the house and water my plants. Michelle quickly replied, “We’d be happy to do that. Please let us know if there’s anything else, ok?”

Shortly after I returned home, Mike and Michelle walked over to say hello and see how I was doing. I shared that things were going well, but I had started chemotherapy and was tired much of the time. They again assured me that if I needed anything, they were there for me. Michelle said, “Jan, even if you just need a drink of water and you are too tired to get up, just call me, ok?” Then Mike, who has always struck me as more reserved, warmly added, “We’re supposed to love our neighbor, so let us do that.” To this day, their words remain in my heart. Those Gospel words spoke to me.

A book that has accompanied me during this past year poses this question: “Has it ever occurred to you that the people that surround you have, in some way, been sent to you by God?” It goes on to say, “They have been chosen, and you have been chosen to circle through one another’s lives as a welcoming presence, a constant blessing.”(1)  I believe God chose Mike and Michelle to be in my life at this time, not simply because of my need for help, but for their witness of living and sharing the Gospel message. There is now a wonderful bridge of caring between their home and mine, a bridge built upon the words of Jesus.

Being chosen for each other has great significance for us as Franciscans, both in our fraternities and in our
everyday lives. When we focus on others as “a gift of the Lord and an image of Christ” we will approach them with a certain reverence. Our encounters and interactions will be marked by holiness, conversion, and transformation. Without this perspective, we miss the blessing of others whom God has chosen to be part of our lives. We close ourselves off to grace-filled possibilities.

I found a good example of this in the film series The Chosen. (2 ) The early episodes unfold the call of the apostles, and we clearly see how these first followers of Jesus were real people, with distinct personalities and quite different backgrounds. We see how the apostles question why Jesus chose this person or that person. In particular, we see Simon struggling when Matthew, the tax collector, is invited to follow. While the apostles realize they have been chosen to follow Jesus, they do not yet see how they have also been chosen for each other. It would take Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit to unite them.

We can experience a similar situation in fraternity life as we struggle with the faults and shortcomings we see the Father sees in every person the features of his Son, the firstborn of many brothers and sisters, so the Secular Franciscans with a gentle and courteous spirit accept all people as a gift of the Lord and an image of Christ. OFS Rule, Art. 13  in our sisters or brothers. The temptation is to shake our heads, look up to heaven and say, “Lord, you are certainly giving me many opportunities to practice patience!” But is this really what God desires, that we put up with each other?

If we genuinely believe that we are chosen for each other, we will look at our sisters and brothers much differently. We will no longer see their faults and shortcomings, but we will connect at a deeper level. Spiritual growth does not come from putting up with each other, but from our openness to the presence of the Spirit among us, conforming us to the way of love. It is for this we were chosen.

1 Macrina Wiederkehr in The Flowing Grace of Now, p. 98
2 The Chosen is a television drama based on the life of Jesus Christ, created, directed, and co-written by American filmmaker Dallas Jenkins. It is the first multi-season series about the life of Christ, and season one was the highest crowd-funded TV series or film project of all time. The series portrays Jesus through the eyes of those who met him. (Wikipedia)

https://secularfranciscansusa.org/2021/07/25/national-ministers-message-chosen-for-each-other/

(This article originally appeared in the Winter 2021 Issue #102 of the TAU-USA)

By Josh Molidor, OFS

Many might remember the cute poster popular in the 70’s that pictured a cat desperately hanging on to a branch with its claws! The depiction underneath was “Hang on, Baby!”, and it became a common catchphrase, often used to this day. Words of wisdom for the struggles we are dealing with now.

About one year ago, the Covid virus started to circulate through the United States and the world, with the first national shutdown in April, and the virus is really raging now. Most fraternities have cancelled in-person meetings, and virtual gatherings are now the norm. That close connection we once enjoyed, that intimate gathering with family, is now replaced with something much less. Yes, thank God for the technology, but a Zoom meeting just doesn’t fulfill our need to continue to grow the bonds between our favorite sisters and brothers in fraternity! Oh, what to do?

Well, let us make prayer and contemplation the soul of all we are and do. It’s a good (Art.8) Rule of Life! Most have more alone time to pray for the suffering and pain around us, so use your time fruitfully. Finally, we have the spare moments to delve into the Gospels, as we always said we wished we did! Now the opportunity for contemplating His Wonderous Love is here for the taking. It seems we even have extra moments to study our Rule and Constitution. How many of us have gone in that direction?

While we cannot yet give those needed hugs to our sisters and brothers, we must still try to build fraternal bonds! Most all of us have phones, so let’s more readily reach out and touch somebody, and less texting. Call everybody in your fraternity and spend time that way. Thank your council, both Local and Regional, for keeping it together. Share your stories, offer your talents up, never forget the shut-ins and suffering of our fraternities.

These plagues and pandemics come and go, but Our Lord’s Love remains. Just over 100 years after Francis’ passing, the Black Death hit Europe, and claimed 60 percent of the population. Franciscans have survived to this day! One hundred years ago, the Spanish Flu claimed 50 million worldwide, and we still are here to serve others in Christ Jesus! We have sadly lost many to this virus in the last year, but our light must grow only brighter. We are called to be that Hope that the suffering are looking for, the word of encouragement and help for those who have lost their livelihood, and the joyful message of the Risen Lord to all around us.

God has gifted us with the knowledge to produce a vaccine to overcome this virus. Never in the history of the world has this happened so quickly, Thank You, Jesus! Our fraternities will go back to gathering in a short while, we will once again hold visits and elections, and lots of love and hugs will happen at meetings once more. We will get through this with His Strength, and so in the words of St. Padre Pio…Pray, Hope, and Don’t Worry!

https://secularfranciscansusa.org/2021/07/05/steady-franciscans/