Humility

    St. Francis, in his beautifully simple and childlike way, looked upon the virtue of poverty as the quintessence of godliness. And equally important to this “little poor man” was the virtue he classed as poverty’s twin — humility. To have the one in its true spiritual sense is to have the other. They walk hand in hand.
    St. Francis said, “A man is what he is in the sight of God and nothing more,” and in these words we have the twin virtues. To recognize that we are nothing without God is humility. To want nothing but God is poverty.
    To be humble is to be aware of the basic truth of Christ’s statement, “He who abides in Me and I in him bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing,"     We are nothing without God. We would not have life at all if God had not willed it, and without life, how could a nothing make a daily living, cook a meal, buy anything, sell anything, learn anything, laugh, talk and make progress of any kind? Some of these things we could accomplish with our backs turned to God. Many a so-called self-made man has reached the pinnacle of worldly success, with his back turned to God. But he would not have made it to Kindergarten if God had not first put the breath of life in him. He would not have had a back to turn to God or a brain in his head; or even a head at all to use to achieve success. He would be a “nothing.” And that is just what he is even with his success, without God. King for a day he may be, but a nothing in space and time. To recognize this fact is to take the first step towards humility.
    Christ, the Son of God, said, “Of myself I can do nothing.” Mary matched this with her humility when she said, “He has looked with favor on his lowly servant.”
    Christ and Mary are models of humility and so is St. Joseph. Think of Bethlehem, and the stable with a poor man and woman and a baby lying on straw in an animal’s manger. Who, other than Mary and Joseph, were the first living beings to lay eyes on the baby Son of God? Animals, an ox and an ass. No wonder the Jews could not, or would not recognize Him as the Savior and Messiah. They were expecting a glittering personage, a mighty ruler, a king bejeweled and resplendent in royal raiment. What did they get? A poor little baby born to a poor little family — but what a baby. Humble He came and humble He went to His death. But in glory He rose and in glory forever He reigns, King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Out of humility came God, stooping down to us on earth to become one of us. Out of humility we go to God rising up to become one of His very own.
     Remember this: All by ourselves we are nothing, dingy specks of dust. But, let the rays of the sun filter through the dust and what do we see? A transmutation! Dust into gold. Touch the dirty little specks that we are with the rays of God’s light and love and what do we see? Christ on the mountain, transfigured! We transmuted into something more precious than gold.
    Children of the world, though they rise to the heights of success and pomp and power, remain drab little specks of dust, but the children of God, though they struggle along at the lowest level of the world’s society, are princes and princesses in the royal household of God.
     We must remember, and remind ourselves over and over that “my” house, “my” money, “my talents“, “my” brains," “my” this and “my” that are not mine at all; they belong to God, on loan to me while I live on earth, to be left behind when I leave the earth. God is going to want to know a thing or two about them. What did we do with the 5, 10 or 100 talents He loaned to us to use? Did we develop them in the way He expected us to do? Or did we bury them in the ground, to give them back to Him unused, soiled and corroded?
    Now, to acknowledge our dependence on Him for everything is only one side of the coin of the virtue of humility. We also must be humble before our fellowman. We have said that each person is given certain gifts or talents and certain intelligence by God; some more, some less, but no matter how small, still most important. If an Einstein develops and uses his talents to the fullest extent he does not do one bit more than the poor little fellow who, just a shade above being a moron, develops and uses his poor little talents to the fullest degree. Both are equal in the sight of God. So, it ill behooves an intellectual giant to look down his nose on a mental dwarf.
    An intellectual giant is so only because God endowed him with a superior brain. So too, the mental dwarf steps forth into life with the brain God gave him. The real worth is in the use to which each puts his gifts from God.
     We should be humble, too, in looking upon the supposed faults of others. Are they really faults or just his different way of speaking, thinking, or doing? His fault, which in us might be a major sin, may not necessarily be a sin at all for him. We cannot judge his actions from our point of view which was gained in the cushion of our Christian homes or our background knowledge of right and wrong, and our gift of faith. Only God knows what lies behind another’s actions. I am afraid that we tend to be much too lenient with ourselves, while leaping to harsh conclusions about the ways of others. Background, environment, home life, love, inherited traits, opportunities, and many other factors all play a part in what makes people tick.
     No one knows the real truth of what makes someone do a certain thing except God, sometimes not even the person himself. We should not look down on anyone for his actions. Remember Christ’s words, “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.” We need not approve of the acts of others, neither should we condemn. That is God’s province.
    St. Bonaventure said, “I must consider myself below others, not because I am certain that I am, but because I am more certain of my own unworthiness than I am of theirs.” How few of us look so truly humbly into our own hearts and consciences.
    One of the reasons St. Francis had such great influence on other people was because, though he was really such an exalted, good man, he walked always in the utmost humility, He was so very genuine.
    The Friars Minor, or “Lesser Brothers,” as he chose to call his first order, were humble people, low in the sight of the world, but they walked tall in the eyes of God. So also, should the lay Franciscan be — a little person who strives for God’s eyes only; to walk tall and humble in a dignified manner in the eyes of man no matter what his position. This is exactly what it is to be a royal member of God’s household; a nothing by worldly standards but a VIP by the standards of God. This is our choice. But, wait a minute, even this, our choice, our desire to strive deliberately towards a closer union with God is not our own. It, too, is a gift of God, the gift of freedom of choice. We have our free wills only because God gave them to us as a gift.
    Jesus said, “Learn of me, for I am meek and humble of heart.” Sometimes it might strike us that a man who is meek and humble is a “milk toast.” How absolutely opposed this is to the truth! It takes real strength and courage to hold back an angry retort or to resist a temptation. A meek man need not be a weak man. A weak man has no trouble at all in roaring out his anger, or yielding in to a temptation. These are easy to do because it is terribly hard to hold back. A tantrum is easy — the weapon of a child, has no place in the discipline of an adult. This is easy to say but very, very hard to do.
    What is the answer, then? How about the two “bears” — “bear and forebear,” the very adult, Christ-like weapons of the Christian man and woman.
     Patience, meekness and humility — these are three little words. So are Christ, Mary and Joseph. The words are all cut out of the same cloth.
    Father James E Sullivan, in his book, “My Meditations on the Gospel,” says, “O Lord, teach me the serenity of patience and meekness. Help me to take people as I find them and life as it comes.” I think the key word here is “serenity” — serenity of patience and meekness. These are not very desirable and very hard to attain, but how Christ-like they are. See how again and again we come back to Christ. Patience — serenity — meekness. These are all Christ synonyms.
    Finally, in our consideration of the virtue of humility, we might think of Jesus, of His colossal humility and strength as He stood before the High Priest and Pilate and listened to the accusations and His sentence of death. Humble, but invincible, He stood there — and He “never said a murmuring word.”

Franciscan Formation

FORMATION IS OUR FOUNDATION

(from an article written for the Southern Area Congress at Rollins College, June 1985)

Formation
Franciscan formation is a process wherein an ordinary Christian becomes an extraordinary disciple of Christ by following the gospel the way St. Francis of Assisi did.

I'm sure all of you have heard many times that one of the most important things in the life of a Secular Franciscan is On-going Formation -- The down-to-earth, nitty-gritty, taking-the-bull-by-the-horns process of ACTIVATING in our lives what we have been reading, hearing, and praying.

You can go through a textbook as a novice; you can read every book you can get your hands on about St. Francis; you can read the Bible every day of your life; but, none of these adds much of anything to your formation growth unless you put the message into practice in your daily living.

Pope Pius XII, in a talk to the tertiaries of Italy in 1956, said, "You must not just KNOW about the life of St. Francis; but, you must FORM yourselves in the spirit of his message." Father Benet Fonck, two years ago, right here at Rollins College said, "Without formation, Franciscans don't happen."

Formation has been likened to a school of perfection, a school where one aspires to "be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect."

In this school of perfection, the candidate is not just LEARNING this new way of life; he or she is undergoing an APPLIED learning experience, an on-the-job training procedure.

Once candidates are committed to this new way of life, they are never again the same. No longer their own boss, they can be compared to recruits entering an army.

In this army of St. Francis, into which no one is drafted, each person enters as a volunteer. We don't make our own rules. We operate under the tried and true "Rule" set forth well over 750 year ago by St. Francis himself. And he, as we all know so well, got it straight from the gospels.

What do we mean by that?

We mean: Die to self, to our own egos, to our desire to have everyone go along with our way of thinking or doing what we want all the time.

The basis of our formation is just that, a dying to self and Metanoia, a radical inner conversion.

In this army of the gospel way of life, we can get a lot farther as individuals if we motivate ourselves to a deep-seated sense of patriotism towards the great Franciscan family and a feeling of loyalty to the Church -- a gung-ho attitude of "God and St. Francis!'

New candidates actually must form themselves; but, they do not do it alone, they have instructors who urge them on and members of the fraternity who guide them by their example and friendly acceptance.

Formation Director
It can be a scary situation, both for a new candidate and a new director of formation. In many cases directors of formation didn't ask for the job.

One fatal day, one finds oneself looking down in disbelief at one's lap where the role of director of formation has just been dropped. Kerplunk! It's a bit shattering to say the least. But, after a period of stunned immobility, there is the gathering of oneself together and running, not walking, for the nearest help.

Where is this help?

Where does any child run for help but to an understanding father and a loving mother -- to God and to Mary. That is the first and the biggest step forward we need to take. It is a long, unwavering step into our prayer life.

We need to take a journey inward, away down into our mysterious inner self and get acquainted with it.

Down there we can, as Francis did, fall head-over-heels in love with Jesus Christ. This is what we are all about as followers of St. Francis -- people crazy in love with Jesus.

I'll never forget the first time I came across a passage by Thomas of Celano. He was saying Francis was a man so deeply in love with Christ that he had Jesus in his eyes, Jesus in his ears, Jesus in his mouth, Jesus in his hands, Jesus in every cell of his body, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! Before I finished reading that, I was goose bumps all over.

To have this feeling is to have one of the greatest gifts God can bestow. It is the center, out of which EVERYTHING in our lives should radiate.

We must truly believe what Jesus said, "Without me you can do nothing."

Ah, but with Jesus we can do so much. We can plunge into the awesome responsibility of being a director of formation.

Directors of formation, and postulant and novice instructors, are a terrific and privileged breed.

If you are chosen to be one, rejoice and be glad, even as you moan inwardly that you can't do it.

Thank God, who saw fit to call you to this important work in the Franciscan family. Because, the Franciscan who benefits the most is yourself, in your own personal formation.

To be a good, dedicated director and or instructor is a gift of God, who is at your beck and call, and who gives you Jesus at your side to guide you in this great opportunity to delve heart and soul into the mysteries of what made Francis so great. So Great, that his name is renowned among Catholics, Protestants, nonbelievers and atheists throughout the world, to this day, and will be until the end of time.

If you are sincere and dedicated in this work (and this goes for all of you, too, who are in any kind of Franciscan work) you cannot stand still. You cannot because the preparation of the work itself will bring you to a closeness to God you never knew before.

It can grow to be so deep-seated that at times you have an overpowering desire to hug yourself because of the great wonder of what is going on inside you.

The mechanics of formation are important. They should be flexible enough at each session, whether it be novice instruction or On-going formation, to fit the needs of that particular day and group. They must not be allowed to become monotonous. They need to be dressed up in a new outfit every now and then -- a springtime look -- a new Easter bonnet.

Formation is on-going
We all need to read, read, read. Thus we will grow in the knowledge of the Franciscan way of life. But, growing in knowledge is NOT formation.

Formation is USING what you are learning, using it out there in the world where you knock elbows with a great assortment of temperaments -- That is formation. That is your on-the-job training; and, until you do that you will not grow much in the Franciscan way of life.

This applies not only to the candidates; but, to all the professed as well.

I have been in the happy situation in my fraternity of having a few professed members attend my instruction sessions for the new people, including, thanks be to God, council members. This example of dedication and caring from our leaders and professed members is a tremendous boost, not only for the novices; but, for all of us.

Good Franciscan example, by all members of the fraternity, is the best teacher of all. It is worth a thousand instructions, a thousand books. It leads and it says, "This is the way. Come follow me."

I remember at our first Southern Area Congress at St. Augustine several years ago, the late Ralph Fenton, our then provincial president, in a talk to fraternity ministers and directors of formation, said, we should not come at the candidates like a drill sergeant. We should Lead, invite and show them by our example, with our actions saying; "see, I'm not asking you to do something I'm not doing myself."

Ruth

Ruth Vogel

Thoughts about being Franciscan

   Good Franciscan example for all of us is the best teacher of all. It is worth a thousand instructions, a thousand books. It leads. It says, "This is the way. Come follow me."
    A good prayer life is also essential. Every person must establish his or her own prayer pattern for each day, including, if at all possible, Mass and Communion. A while ago we said we should read, read, read. Now we add, we need to pray, pray, pray. And we need to think and to meditate. Read -- think -- pray, Pray to the Holy Spirit to help your thoughts and zero in on the MESSAGE. What is the message for me, how can I use it in my daily living? How can I use it in my on-going formation?
   Francis' conversion was an on-going process, it didn't happen one bright morning in Assisi, It took years, sometimes agonized years for him.
   When one is professed it is only the beginning. Formation begins on the day a candidate attends the first instruction class, and it ends the day of his or her death.
    A Franciscan in formation, which means every one of us, should go about like a lighted candle -- simple and humble. The thought comes to me of the sacred Host that is so ordinary to look at yet so EXTRA ordinary in the vastness of what it is.
   Pilgrims on the way is what we are -- peaceful and quiet. A lighted candle doesn't make any noise. But, everybody knows it is there.

Monthly Meetings

   One of the most frustrating things I have encountered to impress on people is the importance of the monthly meetings.
   The Secular Franciscan Order is not just another spiritual organization, club, society; not just another undertaking to tack onto other spiritual things a person is already involved in. You may be sincerely high on, for instance: the charismatic movement. Good! That is leading you in the right direction. So, why do you want to be a Franciscan.? Why? You say you have a good reason. You tell us what they are. They seem good. All right, then, let’s get started. We do, and on we go; and now you have reached the point where you are professed.
   But, now what is happening? Are you satisfied now to be a Franciscan? Yes... but ... Now you are becoming restless. There are these people who are talking about committing yourself to the Franciscan way of life -- To its obligations.
   Where is your loyalty, your dedication to this Franciscan way, you were so excited about before. Now you are allowing another spirituality, good though it is, to push it aside.
   The Franciscan way of life cannot be pushed aside. Once you go through the ceremony of profession where you stand up there in that deeply religious ceremony during Mass and solemnly pledge before God to live under the Rule and Constitutions of the Secular Franciscan Order, you assume for life this obligation. You cannot take it off like a removable garment so that you can put on another garment you prefer for the moment. You cannot because it is not a removable garment. It is a part of you just as surely as your skin. You cannot zipper into and out of your skin. It goes right along with you wherever you go.    True Franciscanism requires sacrifices, at times, for the good of your fraternity and of the Franciscan Order.
   The Eucharistic ministry is an edifying and necessary work in our parishes. But, if you are a Secular Franciscan and want to become a Eucharistic minister, in my opinion you have an obligation to schedule your times of serving AROUND the day of your regular Franciscan meeting. Make it known to the person in charge of your schedule that such and such a day is the day of your Franciscan meeting and you cannot serve that day — any other day, yes, happily and gladly; but, not your Franciscan day.
   Your Franciscan way of life begins in, is nurtured on, and blossoms out of your Franciscan meeting. This is your community life. Only for a good and acceptable reason — and there are times, such as health problems and family matters should you skip a regular meeting. But to do it month after month because you prefer something else is a violation of your solemn profession promise. A sincere, dedicated, loyal Secular Franciscan will not tolerate him or herself such a violation.
   Without our regular monthly meetings, our Franciscan Third Order will come to a dead end and cease to exist.
   We all owe it to God, St. Francis, and to our brothers and sisters in our fraternity who NEED our presence at the meetings, not to let that happen.

Secular Franciscan Order - Basic Requirements By Ruth Vogel

1.     Knowledge of St. Francis
2.     Apostolic Life of St. Francis
3.     Nature and Purpose of the Order
4.     Community Life
5.     Spirit of St. Francis

Knowledge of St. Francis
    It is not enough to know a factual history of St. Francis' life - not just what he said and did; but more important, what he felt and believed in. It is a probing into his inner most thoughts, his struggles, motivations and his SPIRIT; not just the what and the when, but the WHY.
    Reading is all-important - biographies, but not just one and not just bits and snatches of any one - the whole book.
    Scripture reading is important. Not just reading, either, but pondering and assimilating the MESSAGE; using the over-all message and the little messages in one's daily living pattern.
    Let us start with, "Who is St. Francis?" He is a man who fell head over heels in love with Jesus Christ.
    Where was he born? In Assisi, Umbria, Italy, in 1181 or 1182.
    Who were his parents? Peter Beradone, a cloth merchant; and Donna Pica, probably of Provencal, France. She was a woman of great virtue who sowed in Francis the seeds of holiness. In his schooling, on the other hand, his father had in mind the training he needed for him to be in the cloth merchant business. He received is religious training from the priest at St. George's Church.
    At 15, Francis entered his father's cloth business. He was shrewd and intelligent, but chivalry was his first love at that time. It fascinated him. He was eager for renown as a great knight and was fun loving, generous, among his friends and lavish with his father's money.
    His adventures as an amateurish knight imprisoned him for a year, and he was ill for perhaps another year. During that time he began to think deeply about God and his relationship with Him. God began to take an active part in his future.
    Through a vision, he was stopped in his pursuit of knighthood when God told him to go back home and He would let him know what He wanted him to do. Francis obeyed, but he spent agonizing hours and days lost in a void of waiting for God to tell him his desires.
    In the meantime, he shunned his former pleasure-bent friends. He learned to embrace and care for lepers. He became enamored with Christ crucified - Christ of the Gospels. He begged from door to door. He deeply angered his father with his way of life.
    He had another encounter with Jesus in the little church of San Damiano, which further propelled him forward along his conversion path. He stole from his father to get money for the poor. As a result he was brought before the bishop, at which time he renounced his father, Peter, and placed himself completely in the hand of his heavenly Father.
    From a reading of the Gospels at Mass one morning, he received the message he had been waiting for. Go out and spread the word of Jesus. Become poor and take nothing for your journey.
    Happy and full of zeal he went forth and began to preach. Soon, one by one, people followed him. Before too long many came, eager to join him. He sought and got the approval of the Pope, first orally, then later in writing. His Rule was to follow the Gospels.
    And thus started the first of his three Orders. Their preaching was always marked by absolute loyalty to the teachings of the Church and the Pope.

Apostolic Life of St. Francis
    The First Order, the Friars Minor, whose members were required by Francis to give all their goods to the poor, to pray intensely, serve lepers and the poor, and to live in peace and brotherly love and service to all.
     The Second Order, known as the Poor Ladies, or Poor Clares, was founded by St. Clare, under St. Francis' Rule and guidance, in 1212. This was a cloistered community of women who lived under the austere poverty advocated by St. Francis, who established them at the little church of San Damiano.
    The Third Order was founded in 1209 at which time an informal oral Rule was approved by Pope Innocent III. These were lay people who aspired to follow the life and spirit of St. Francis while remaining in the world. Simple frugality of living, prayer, peace and brotherly love were their norm. Pope Honorius III approved a formal, written Rule in 1221.
     Francis' remarkable example, his compassion and universal love for all people and all things created by God, were an outgrowth of his passionate love for Jesus Christ and His Blessed Mother Mary. His concern for the Universe was shown beautifully in his Canticle of Brother Sun and Canticle of the Creatures.
    In recent times he has been designated as patron of ecology.
    In 1224, while he fasted and prayed on Mount La Verna he received the sacred Stigmata on his hands, feet, and side.
    He was a perfect example of patience in sufferings, of which he had an abundance in addition to the Stigmata. But, in spite of his physical afflictions, he carried on his apostolate of preaching and serving, even when he could no longer walk because his feet were crippled by the wounds of the stigmata and he was nearly blind.
    On Oct. 3 or 4, 1226, he died at his beloved Portiuncula, the sanctuary he dedicated to Our Lady, the little church he himself rebuilt, Our Lady of the Angels. He made this little church the cradle of his Orders. It is now enshrined almost like a little doll's house inside the great basilica of St. Mary of the Angels just outside Assisi.
    Two years after his death he was canonized.

Q.     What, in the above material, do you feel would be helpful to you in your desire to form yourself as a follower of St. Francis?
Q.     What is your idea of simple and frugal living for you?
Q.     Suffering is a reality in our lives. How do you feel you can use your trials, frustrations, pains, etc. in your endeavor to grow in Franciscanism?

Nature and Purpose of the Order
    Did you know a Secular Franciscan's spiritual journey begins in Rome? Why?
    The unity of the Church, from the time of the apostles down through the popes, the bishops, the priests, and the laity, is centered in the See of St. Peter in Rome.
    In Rome, the Rule of the Franciscan Order was approved, at first informally, then formally in writing.
    Therefore, we who are members of the Order are sent by the Church to further Christ's work on earth. Our Order belongs to the church and we are committed to be evangelizers.
    We are dedicated to strive for Christian perfection as members of our fraternity and as faithful members of the Catholic Church. Our way is the way of Gospel living in our secular world, following the message and spirit of St. Francis of Assisi.
    Therefore, it is necessary for us to strive to know what that spirit and message is. To supply that information is the point of these instructions.
    Francis wrote his first rule directly from the Gospel teachings of Jesus Christ.
    The lay followers of Francis were advised by him to dedicate themselves to a life of penance and simple living right in their own homes and places of work.
    Francis brought about renewal in the Church under the rule of his three Orders for priests, religious, and laity, all of which was approved by the Pope.
    We seculars, as members of his great Franciscan family, are committed to the task of making present the charisma of St. Francis in the life and mission of the Church.
    The Secular Franciscan Order is a union of fraternities throughout the world, open to all the faithful. Secular Franciscans strive for perfect charity right in their own environment, bringing it into action in their own state in life.

Q.     What does it mean when we say a Secular Franciscan’s journey begins in Rome?
Q.     Currently there is much talk about evangelization and as stated above, a Secular Franciscan is an evangelizer. In what ways are you putting this into action?
Q.     What is the charismatic spirit and message of St. Francis?

Community Life
    Jesus said, “The command that I give you is that you love one another.”
    This is the basis upon which we should build our life in the Franciscan community. This community life takes place for each of us is our fraternity.
    To achieve brotherly love in fraternity, and elsewhere, requires that we diligently cultivate the virtues of humility, meekness, patience, gentleness, kindness, tolerance, openness, and tactfulness. A peace loving commitment and concern for the other members of the fraternity should be the endeavor of each member.
    St. Francis reached out to everyone as his brother and sister. He always had at least one of his brothers as a companion wherever he went.
    Secular Franciscans should look upon the other members of their fraternity in this same spirit, one in Christ, one in the spirit of St. Francis and one to one with each other.
    Coming together in a reunion of their community life at least once a month, we should aid one another wherever needs arise among the membership, but also, act together in works of charity and apostolates.
    It is impossible to be a true Franciscan alone.
    The Holy Spirit moves in each one of us. Each is imbued with a deep love for Jesus under the paternal blessedness of our Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit.
    Thus, a Secular Franciscan should be gentle and courteous, cheerful and to be at the service of all of his or her Franciscan brothers and sisters in the community of the fraternity.

Q.     Do I use my abilities to aid spiritually, mentally, and physically, the other members of my fraternity? How?
Q.     Do I myself derive aid, spiritual or otherwise, from reunion with the members of my fraternity at the monthly meetings?
    If not, why not?
    Could the fault be mine?
    Think about this — in depth.
    Ask Jesus to help you to be absolutely honest in answering these questions.

Franciscan Spirit
    The most important aid to formation of a Secular Franciscan is the spirit of St. Francis. What is this spirit?
    It is to KNOW Jesus as Francis did, the poor Jesus, the humble Jesus. “Learn of me for I am meek and humble of heart.” (St. Paul, Col. 3: 12-15) “Because you are God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved. Clothe yourselves with heartfelt mercy, with kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another; forgive whatever grievances you have against one another. Forgive as the Lord has forgiven you. Over all these virtues put on love, which binds the rest together and makes them perfect.”
    As we go our Gospel way with Christ at our side, we strive for harmonious relations with our brothers and sisters, in the world, with the Church, its teachings, its liturgies, with the pope, the bishops and the priests.
    We are in continual renewal of our radical inner conversion, fostered by prayer and the Sacraments, particularly the Holy Eucharist.
    We imitate Mary, our Mother.
    We surrender to the will of the Father.
    We imitate Jesus, the poor one — our suffering servant.
    Our lifestyle is simple, humble, unostentatious, a striving for purity of heart, with a deep concern for the poor and deprived of the world.
    We share our time and energies in the service of others.
    We are promoters of Justice.
    We carry out our part in the continuing creation and redemption that never ends, by the work we do, occupational, family, neighborhood, parish, market place, being an example of Christ’s love at all times in all places.
    We are respectful of and careful stewards of all of God’s creation, animate and inanimate.
    And most important, we are instruments of God’s peace.

He Discarded His Second Garment

    I was thinking about Poverty and wondering what to say, my mind began to tighten up. The more I tried to think the tighter it became. I leafed through the pages of the Omnibus of Sources of St. Francis and prayed to the Holy Spirit — nothing. Finally, in desperation, I banged the Omnibus shut and said, “All right, St. Francis, you’re simply going to have to help me. I’ m going to open this book and you will have to show me what you want me to say about poverty.” This book has close to 2,000 pages.
    I opened it and the first words my eyes lit on were, “He discarded his second garment.” I was startled. That tied right in with Poverty. I glanced up to the beginning of the passage and this is what I read: “Francis still wore the garment of a hermit with a strap to serve as a belt, and he carried a staff and had sandals on his feet. Then, one day, during the celebration of Mass he heard the words in which Christ bade his disciples to go out and preach, carrying neither gold nor silver, nor haversack for the journey, without staff, bread, or shoes, and having no second garment.” After listening to the priest’s explanation of these words of the Gospel, Francis, “discarded his second garment,” and full of unspeakable joy, exclaimed, “this is what my whole heart desires.”
    He learned these words by heart, meditating on what he had heard and joyfully he started to put them into practice. He discarded his second garment, and from that day onwards he used no staff, shoes, or haversack; he kept one miserable tunic, and instead of the strap took a length of cord as a belt.”
     To open this huge book on one of the passages of the Gospels that Francis himself had opened to was not only amazing; it left me a bit shaken.
    “He discarded his second garment,” and “This is what my whole heart desires,” is how he seemed to answer my demand, when I said, “Francis, you have to tell me what to say.”
    We know that as Franciscans we must, if we are sincere in our calling, practice the spirit of poverty. What does this mean? Everyone who talks about it says in effect, it doesn’t mean we have to give up our worldly possessions. It means we have to strip ourselves of worldliness, sin, avarice, and anything that comes between us and Christ. That’s very good, but wait a minute, aren’t we holding back something?
     I remember Father John when he said, “Are we holding something back from Christ?” What are we holding back? Let’s look at that again. “He discarded his second garment.” This, the first phrase that my eyes fell on when I opened the book, what about this? I thought about it a long time.
    When I was a novice we had as spiritual moderator, the scholarly and very St. Francis-like Franciscan priest, Father Stephen Hardtegan. He told us not once but several times, “Poverty is to share. It is to give away the garments that are hanging in your closet, things that you are not using now but are keeping with the vague thought that you might want them some time. Give them to the poor,” he said. “Now!” It doesn’t make any difference if they are practically new, expensive, and you have a soft spot in your heart for them — give them away. And, that applies to all the other things in our life that are dear to us as well. Let us seriously think about those other things.
    It is for us to decide what we should do, whether it is to take that extra helping or give it to someone else, or the desire to do what I want or to attend to the needs of someone else.
    In our third Order catechism, it says: “In regard to charity, if we have a surplus above our own needs … there is not merely the choice but the duty of sharing to a greater or lesser degree. But the rule of moderation and charity to which the tertiary pledges himself inclines him to take less than he may take; and in giving, to give more than he need give. This attitude opens up the way to various degrees of moderation and charity, all of which are a matter of choice and not of commandment. This is not the way of the world, it is true, but it is the tertiary’s way of fostering the spirit of poverty.”
    Please note that last phrase “but it is the tertiary’s way of fostering the spirit of poverty.” This brings us back to the statement made in the beginning that most people say that it is the spirit of poverty that counts, and we agree that this is true, but the spirit of poverty is not just a spiritual thing; the spirit of poverty is fostered and begins by “doing.” Poverty is poverty all the way.
    In a Christian’s striving for perfection, you can’t separate the physical aspect of it from the spiritual, any more than you can separate the love of God from love of neighbor.
    St. James said: “Suppose there are brothers or sisters who need clothes and don’t have enough to eat. What good is there in your saying to them, “God bless you, Keep warm and eat well! If you don’t give them the necessities of life?”
    So, what is St. Francis telling us when we point to the words, “He discarded his second garment?” Let’s turn to the catechism again -- Article 153 -- which states: “...Let them share these things (temporal goods) with their neighbors, bearing in mind that all temporal things — private property included — have been given to them by God not only for their own advantage but also that they may be administered well for the good of society. Moreover, let them in good time, will their property, with due regard for justice and charity.”
     This reminds us that nothing we have is really our own. In the manner of worldly thinking things that we have are considered ours. Our property is in our name. We buy and pay for things with our money. Can we call it ours — will we be able to take it with us when we die? If it were truly ours we would be able to take it with us. Why can’t we? Because everything we have belongs to God and He kindly lends it to us for our needs while we live on this earth. Since it is His, we have an obligation to take good care of it and not abuse it; to share it with others, generously, as He is sharing it with us and finally, like the Parable in the Gospel, show Him on the day of judgment what we have done with it. Have we squandered it? Have we buried it in the ground? Or have we watched over it and taken care of it for ourselves and for others to the best of our ability?      St. Anne and St. Joachim were not poor people. They had flocks and possessions; yet they never accumulated them so that they became possessed of vast riches. When the flocks reached certain numbers they divided them into three parts. The best part they gave as a gift to the Temple. The second best part they gave to the poor. And the least desirable third they kept for themselves. This they did over and over so that they never amassed wealth.
    St. Paul said, "Those who can work, should, so they will have something to give to those who can't work."
     Jesus said, "Go sell all you have and give it to the poor." Another time, when He was with his disciples they were watching the Pharisees and Scribes and other well-to-do people dropping donations in the Temple treasury. When a widow dropped in two cents, Jesus' eyes lit up and He cried out with satisfaction, "There! Out of their abundance they have given; but, she has given all she had."
     How much can we water down these things Jesus said? In this day and age it is common for us not to distribute all we have to the poor, while the welfare rolls groan under the burden of those in need.
     We could not, as St. Francis did, go about daily with our little bowl and beg for food from door to door. If we did we'd be hustled off to the clink or funny farm. Rather, is it for us to take good care of what is under our custody; as the catechism says, "observe moderation in acquiring and enjoying goods of fortune and to share our own goods of fortune with God and neighbor."
     What does St. Francis say? Listen to what he said to the brother who did not possess sufficient alms to provide for the help of the needy: "Strip the altar of the Blessed Virgin and take away its many ornaments, since you cannot otherwise come to the help of the needy. Believe me, our Lady would be pleased to have the Gospel of her Son kept and her altar stripped than the altar be ornamented and her Son despised."
     Here's a little verse that shows the starkness of physical poverty. It gets down to the nitty-gritty; to the bare bones and hank of hair; to the big sad eyes in the prematurely old face of a poverty-stricken child. The verse is called a "Starving Child's Lament."

     On the back of one of our missalettes in church recently was this prayer. I wonder how many people noticed it. It read: "Forgive us, Father, that we are so eager to make our own lives comfortable while others must suffer hunger and want.
     Bless the little which we have done and multiply it in your mercy to serve the needs of many, unknown to us, but known and loved by you,"
     The spirit of poverty could be depicted in this reading from Isaiah, the prophet: "Thus says the Lord: Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when you see them and do not turn your back on your own. Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call and the Lord will answer, you shall cry for help and He will say: 'Here I am!' If you remove from your midst the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the glory shall become for you like midday."
     The spirit of poverty isn't something watered down to suit our ideas or desires. It is something that falls within the ideas and desires of Christ and St. Francis, who, as we all know, went always 100% "gung ho" the poverty way - physically, mentally, and spiritually.
     One time on a cold day Francis had a length of cloth folded to form a cloak across his shoulders. An old woman came to him asking alms and without a second's hesitation he snatched the cloth from his shoulder and handed it to her. Somewhat astonished and hardly believing her good fortune, the woman hurried away before Francis could change his mind. She cut the cloth to make a garment for herself, but found she didn't have quite enough cloth, so she went back to him. A bit timidly, yet boldly enough she said, "I didn't have quite enough cloth to make my garment. Immediately Francis's eye fell on the piece of cloth his companion had across his shoulders, similar to the piece he had given the old woman. "Do you hear what this Poor woman says?" he demanded.
     His companion, knowing what was coming, winced. "Come, come," St, Francis exhorted, jabbing a finger at his shoulder, "let us put up with the cold for the love of God and give this cloth to her so she can complete her garment." Sighing with resignation, his companion divested himself of his cloth and handed it to the woman.
     This is but one instance of many where Francis took the shirt off his back, literally, and gave it to someone he considered in greater need than himself. In short, "he discarded his second garment" over and over again.
     Since he popped those words at me when I opened the Omnibus of Sources, I take it that is what he wanted me to talk about.
     Take care of our own needs we should, but, we should take care of the needs of our brother also.
     We've covered a number of down-to-earth poverty questions in this article. How each person answers them is a matter of individual conscience. No one can decide for anyone else what is right for her or him.
     Won't it be pleasant, on that final day, to hear a beloved voice call out to us, "Come, you blessed of my Father. Possess the place that has been prepared for you - for I was hungry and you gave me to eat. I was naked and you discarded your second garment and gave it to me."
     Amen. To the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Homework
By Ruth Vogel

    First of all let us get in the practice, each day, if at all possible, of reading a little bit from the Gospels or other spiritual and Franciscan works. We can't emphasize too much that the Franciscan way is the Gospel way. Unless we believe this and act on it we will never really be Franciscans. But, aside from that, let us try to cultivate a good habit - the habit of giving our pains, our heartaches, our annoyances, our rebuffs, etc., etc., etc., to Jesus, all day long.     I am writing here the Morning Offering - if any of you do not know it already:
    O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day, for all the intentions your Sacred Heart, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in reparation for my sins and the sins of all mankind for the intentions of all our associates, and in particular, for the general intentions of the Holy Father for this month. Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto yours.
    Now, every morning, as soon as you get out of bed, focus your mind on Jesus and say this little offering.
    Then, throughout the day, every single time something pops up to annoy you, or hurt you in any way, give it to Jesus. "Jesus, I offer this to you," you could say. Or you could use your own words, but try to picture, or better still, to sense the presence of Jesus in the room.
    I am sure that at first you will forget it right and left. So, if you need a reminder, write it down on a piece of paper and put a copy somewhere that you will practically fall over and when you do see it, say it then and there. You could say, "Jesus, I'm sorry I forgot awhile ago but I remember now." If you didn't think of it until 10 minutes, an hour or half a day after you had blown your top over some annoyance, don't think, "It's no use to say it now. It won't be any good now." It will be good - good to help you form the good habit. So, say it right then.
     Keep your Morning Offering on your dresser in your bedroom, or some place like that where you can't fail to see it in the morning and as soon as your eye falls on it, say it. Try to focus your mind on Jesus as you say it. He is in the room with you! Try to get that feeling. Again, if for some reason you forget the Morning Offering, and think of it at 3 P.M., or 9PM., say it then. The idea is to form the habit.
    Don't despair and don't give up. It will grow on you more and more, and it's a beautiful habit to have in your life. You are bringing Jesus right into your daily living pattern. This is what we are striving for as Franciscans.

The Apostolate of Suffering

    When Christ was on earth He suffered for man. Now, it is the role of the Christian to re-enact Christ's Way - His Truth and His Life.
    From the Third Order Constitutions we have this: "Tertiaries who are sick, disabled, or afflicted with any infirmity, shall bear their trials patiently, with Franciscan joy, as companions of the suffering Christ. In union with the whole Mystical Body of Christ they shall offer the hardships of their lives to the heavenly Father in expiation of their own sins and the sins of the world,"
    Suffering is one of the mysteries of life. Do we know the meaning of suffering? It can seem to be a senseless thing.
    Why suffering?
    It can be a holy thing or it can be a terrible tragedy. It can be a holy thing if one unites himself with the "Suffering Servant," Christ.
    Suffering is not automatically an atonement for sin. It can, however, be "used" as an atonement for sin, our own sins, or the sins of others. A small suffering or a large suffering can be united to the sufferings of Christ and thus become a part of His redemptive sacrifices.
    Consider the mystery of suffering, the why and the wherefore of it. What Man suffered more than all other men combined? The answer is Christ!
    Why did Christ suffer? He had it made in Heaven for all eternity. Why did He leave that ideal setting, free from all imperfections, and deprivation; free from all suffering, sorrow, fear, cold, heat, hunger and thirst, to come down to earth to the imperfection, the pains, the toils, the loneliness and the downright meanness that is so abundant in this vale of tears? He certainly didn't do it for kick and He didn't do it for Himself. He did it for sins. For whose sins did that good Man suffer? We all know the answer to that - it was for us.
    Franciscans are told, "All the suffering brothers and sisters of Christ are asked to become part of Christ's great act of love on the Cross by continuing it and offering it as a substitute for all the sins ever committed."
    St. Peter said, "Beloved, do not be startled at the trial by fire that is taking place among you to prove you, as if something strange was happening to you; but, rejoice, in so far as you are partakers of the suffering of Christ, that you may also rejoice with exultation in the revelation of His glory."
    What is this Franciscan joy in suffering?
    St. Francis said, "… and I ask the sick brother to thank the creator for [everything], and well or sick he should want to be just as our Lord wants him to be." Shouldn't that make us think? Well or sick we should want to be just as our Lord wants us to be.
    We have also been told, "Perhaps the greatest thing a man or woman does in life is to co-suffer with Christ in sickness. They, themselves, make giant strides in holiness and the whole Mystical Body is benefited. The sick must never think that they are useless. Christ achieved His greatest work when He was 'useless' on the Cross,"
    Think about that. Didn't He seem useless hanging there nailed to the Cross? How else could He have seemed to His disciples who were there in person on that day? What was the purpose of this terrible agony - He was suffering right before their eyes? And for us, today, what did He mean when He said, "I am the way, the truth and the life?" What did He mean when He said, "I have given you an example, that as I have done so do you also?"
    Christ's words still live today, as they lived then, and as they will live forever, through His Church, which is to say through His people - us! So, the sick, the crippled, the sorrowing could have a noble role to enact. They could be united with Christ in His suffering, for the same reason for which He suffered - to save sinners. They could be, if they would, co-redeemers with Christ.
    We, who are the Church today, are the continuation of the life of Christ - Christ does through us what He no longer is doing visibly with His human presence on earth. He is praying and suffering through us and continuing His missionary work in the world, to keep His Way, His Truth, and His Life an on-going thing.
    By all means, let us pray to Christ for good health, for a return to good health and for healing of all manner of afflictions. Does anyone, having the gift of faith, doubt for one instant that Christ can heal? How about the words of the man in the gospel, "Lord, if you wish you can make me clean," and Jesus' prompt answer, "I do wish it, be thou make clean,"
    But then we must think also of the other side of the coin: for instance, Jesus, Himself, pleaded at Gethsemani, "Father, if it be possible let this chalice pass from me," Did the Father take that chalice from Him? He did not. The Father's answer to Jesus Himself was, "No."
    The Father always answers our prayers. Sometimes, many times, the answer is "no."
    His way is perfect. Our way would throw a flaw into His over-all plan. His way is perfection absolute. His answer to us may be "no." And if it is, God grant us the power to not muff the chance this gives us to hang on the cross a little while with Him.
    Then, too, we have the example of St. Francis. If we are followers of St. Francis we should be followers of his example. When did he ever shun suffering? Rather, he took joy in it because it gave him an added opportunity to unite himself to Christ, the Suffering Servant. To this end he prayed: "O Lord Jesus Christ, I entreat you to give me two graces before I die. First, that in my lifetime I may feel in body and soul as far as possible the pain you endured, dear Lord, in the hour of your most bitter suffering; and second, that I may feel in my heart as far as possible that excess of love by which you, O Son of God, were inflamed to undertake so cruel a suffering for us sinners."
    The stigmata of St. Francis was Christ's response to this prayer. And in this prayer we have one answer to the question, 'Why suffering?' "That I may feel in my heart that excess of love by which you, O Son of God, were inflamed to undertake so cruel suffering for sinners."
    So, once more we say, don't hesitate to pray to Christ for good health, for His intercession in our physical and mental and material behalf. He will answer our prayer. If the answer is "no," just remember that the Apostolate of Suffering can be a noble and a holy Christ-like thing.

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