Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Friday, October 4, 2013
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Thoughts on Saint Francis of Assisi
Francis reflected the image of Christ by his
life of prayer.
his poverty
and his humility.
We can follow Jesus with the help of His grace after the example of Francis by loving all people and creation with joyful hearts.
Even in the dark times we can be stouthearted and courageous because we know God will show us the path of life to Him
and the fulfillment of all joys in His presence.
We ask ourselves, "And where is His presence?"
His presence is
in His Holy Word, the Scriptures
In His Eucharist
And in all of God's people, our brothers and sisters.
As the apostle Paul says in his letter to the Galatians :
"All that matters is that one is created anew. Peace and mercy on all who follow this rule of life and on the Israel of God."
And here is my favorite line in this letter to the Galatians:
"Henceforth, let no one trouble me, for I bear the brand marks of Jesus in my body."
What are the brand marks of Jesus?
Poverty
Humility
and
Love.
Pope Francis in his interview with the Jesuits said that
Sanctity is patience.
There the brand marks of poverty, humility and love grow
with patience and we become holy by the grace of God.
Francis' rule of life was the Holy gospel.
His love was Lady Poverty which in some ways resembles the Church-the Bride of Christ.
As Francis loved the battered Lady Poverty
so Jesus Christ loves His battered Bride, the Church
and the church is all of us battered and worn.
Francis found his source of strength and nourishment in the Scriptures.
And Francis found his form of life in the simple words of Matthew 11 verse 28
LEARN FROM ME FOR I AM GENTLE AND HUMBLE OF HEART.
there you have it in a nutshell.
Learn from Me
As Francis said on his death bed
"Let us begin for up to now we have done nothing."
Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi and Pope Francis' Name Day
Quotes from the Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor
Brother Michael Anthony Perry OFM Minister General
As Pope Francis wrote in his Encyclical, Lumen Fide, that "There is an urgent need, to see once again that faith is a light, for once the flame of faith dies out, all other lights begin to dim,The light of Faith is unique, since it is capable of illuminating every aspect of human existence ."
St. Francis said in his rule,"persevere in the true faith and in doing penance, for otherwise no one can be saved.
For the Saint of Assisi both in God's Word and in the Eucharist
is the foundation of Faith.
Francis in his letter to the Friars reminds us of respect and reverence for the Lord's Body and veneration of Sacred Scripture.
The Word of God and the Eucharist always leads toward the sacrament of the brother and sister ,and the poorest people...
We all know that the Christian faith is not a central aspect of contemporary culture and now it happens that Christians give more concern for the social, cultural and political conditions of their commitment, continuing to think of the faith as a self-evident presupposition of common life. Our environment is marked by forms of religious indifference and by the seduction of the sacred according to man;s way of measuring things. This reality leads many men and women to "believe without belonging "We cannot get used to living a faith to fit our interests and desires.
The life of Faith is the absolute source of our joy and hope, our discipleship of Jesus Christ and our witness to the world.
"Lord to whom shall we go.You have the words of Life."
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