Rule 13

As 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.

A sense of community will make them joyful and ready to place themselves on an equal basis with all people, especially with the lowly for whom they shall strive to create conditions of life worthy of people redeemed by Christ.

The very first part of Article 13 ... "As the Father sees in every person the features of his Son," shows us that our relationship with others, is based on a model of perfection. We are to have a "gentle and courteous spirit" and we accept all people as a gift of God. There is no ambiguity here. This is a clear and lucid command issued from the mouth of our Seraphic Father, St. Francis of Assisi, for he practiced this tenet in his very own life. It is said that when he addressed you, he was totally present to you.

Man is likened to God in everything except sin. God created us in his image. Knowing this, we can perhaps better understand Rule 13's intent that the Father sees in every person the features of his Son. We are made, in our humanity, in the image of Jesus Christ in His humanity. If we follow and love Jesus Christ, our spirit is made in His image, too. Our sins are not in the image of Christ, because Jesus did not sin. If we are a gentle and courteous people, we can see others as God's gift and as an image of Christ. Saint Francis was a very gentle and humble man, courteous to people, and thus a gift to all. In fact, Francis was somewhat of a dreamer, and if he talked to people in his time, they perceived a man of great joy. It is that joy that will come to us, too if we learn to live in our fraternal community, and from there, in the world among many people.

It is very unfortunate, that there are professed Secular Franciscans, who no longer attend fraternity meetings. I am speaking of those who have no valid excuse to absent themselves. You are missing out on that joyful sense of belonging, community, that fraternities are often noted for.

I was once very drawn to join the First Order friars, because every time I passed a friary, I heard sounds of joy, laughter, but also prayer. When I ultimately discerned a vocation to contemplative life (where I spent 4.5 happy years, but was unable to continue for reasons of health), we laughed a lot, too, but this was laughter of inner joy quietly expressed in a contemplative way. But at other times, during our recreation periods, and time off on Sunday afternoons on communal walks, we were happy people. At times we brothers kidded each other mercilessly, but always in good humor. Such happiness is possible when the soul is at rest, when there is no strife, no pressure, no stress. Unfortunately, stress is hard to beat back, even in an enclosed environment, when it is caused by poor health. I learned a lot about myself, and even more about Jesus and the Father, and the constant role they play in our lives, now and forever. Praise God!

Secular Franciscans are a different lot. They live in the marketplace and that is where they will set a good example by living the Rule. There is much bitterness and unrest in the world, maybe even more so in large cities, where there is a lot of crime. Catholics are often accused of leaning on their religion as a crutch. Don't listen to those who say those things. Remain cheerful, focussed, humble, charitable, and prayerful, as Christians, Catholics and/or as Franciscans, and act/react to others without reference to class, economic differences if any, but on an equal basis. Love the lowly and create for them conditions of life worthy of people redeemed by Jesus Christ. All people are a gift of God to us, even those we do not particularly appreciate. It is up to us to try to get along with them. Ask Jesus and St. Francis for help, and relating to such people will become easier.

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5-10-2008