Franciscan Spirituality #20: Defining Franciscanism – Apr 21 – Homily – Fr Terrance

 

Fr Terrance gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Apr 21, 2023, on how how to define Franciscanism, the cornerstones of Franciscan spirituality, as he continues his series on this subject.

Focus on Christ in the present, not in the past or the future.

St Maximilian Kolbe lived Franciscanim differently than St Giles of Assisi

Typical 3 periods of a religious order, 1 founder, 2 doctrinal, 3 growth

Ciccerelli Franciscan Spirituality is Gospel lived integrally in conforming to the church and in the needs of the times.

Must have love as the inspiration for every action

Move from fear to love which is the fulfillment of the law Rom 13: 10 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/13?10

1 John 4: 16 God is love - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1john/4?16

Love is the center of Franciscan spirituality, and this will be talked about more in future homilies

Christ is the starting point as opposed to God-centered from earlier times or man-centered from later times

Means of union poverty, humility, and suffering, in other words, the cross, is not an end but a means

Fruits:

1 - interior joyful freedom to overcome oneself and the world - John 16: 33 I have conquered the world - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/16?33

2 - simplicity, spiritual simplicity, going to God directly as a child

3 - perfect joy from the procession of God, that no person can take away, making all suffering sweet

from Romans 8: 28 - We know that all things work for good for those who love God -  https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/8?28

4 - the Apostolate - our interior growth begins to bring benefit to others, bringing the light of Christ to all

Synthesis by Ciccarelli - Franciscan spirituality is the particular mode of conceiving and living the Christian ideal. It has love as the soul, as the animating force of every created and uncreated reality. It has Christ Jesus, Son of God and Son of Mary, as the foundation and center of the created universe and of the spiritual life of every man, of every person. It has the mystical union with God as its endpoint or goal.
It has God's grace, along with poverty, humility, and suffering, as the means to reach this goal. It has as its fruits interior freedom and liberty, spiritual simplicity, perfect joy, and the apostolic work, the apostolate. And lastly, all of this is lived under a devout and faithful submission to the Church.

This is a continuation of his series of homilies on Franciscan Spirituality - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNN151zTIO4&list=PLejh_e0-LN4xgMllKrzSasL2Hljd5BHom

The material for this series comes primarily from Ciccarelli, Marciano M., "I capisaldi della spiritualità francescana" in Italian, which translates as "The Cornerstones of Franciscan Spirituality". No English translations exist at the time of this recording.

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. Conrad of Parzham - Mem
Readings: Friday 2nd Week of Easter - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/042123.cfm
1st: act 5:34-42
Resp: psa 27:1, 4, 13-14
Gsp: joh 6:1-15

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=630&r=1700

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