FS #40: Spiritual Christocentrism, Part 1 – Jul 24 – Homily – Fr Terrance

 

Fr Terrance gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Jul 24, 2023, where he continues his series on Franciscan Spirituality, and he starts a new section on Spiritual Christocentrism in contrast to but flowing from the previous section of Dogmatic Christocentrism. Here he explains how we need to be constantly searching for Christ relates to the doctrinal Christocentric basis of this spirituality.

Franciscan Spiritual Christocentrism focuses on our connection with God, which is made possible only through Christ, the mediator of God's works and the enabler of our spiritual growth [John 14:6 - Jesus is the way, truth, life - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/14?6]. He is the embodiment of divine holiness that we strive to replicate. The desired union with God can only be attained through the Incarnate Christ and His crucified love. This need for the redeeming blood of Jesus stems from our soul's incapability to ascend spiritual heights independently. The words of St. Bonaventure echo the necessity of an intense love for Christ Crucified.

Christ, merging the extremes of divine and human nature, offers himself as an object of contemplation and love to all. This unity of God and man through Christ is at the heart of spiritual Christocentrism in Franciscan spirituality. It recognizes humanity as directed towards and designed for Christ, the universal mediator of creation and grace, central to our spiritual and social lives.

Franciscan spirituality as presented by Fr. Ciccarelli, focuses on the innate longing of the soul for Christ. After marveling at Christ's greatness in His humanity and divinity, we explore our deepest attributes that respond instinctively to God's creative love. There exists a dual movement - God's infinite life descending and giving, and our finite life participating and seeking the infinite. This quest is fueled by an insatiable search for love and happiness as the finite worldly goods and abstract divinity fail to truly satisfy us.

Our longing is for a relationship with an infinite person, Jesus Christ, who fuels our growth towards a fullness of justice, love, and life. This need is reflected in our desire to devote ourselves wholly to someone else. We seek Our Lady's intercession to reignite this longing for God and her Son in our hearts, praying for the grace to kindle Christ's love within us so others may share in it.

00:00 - Introduction: Transition from Dogmatic to Spiritual Christocentrism
00:22 - Role of Christ as the Mediator for Union with God
01:10 - Crucified Christ's Impact on Our Path to Perfection
01:56 - Spiritual Christocentrism in Franciscan Thought
02:48 - Longing of the Soul for Christ in Franciscan Spirituality
03:36 - Dual Movement Between God and Creature
04:54 - The Inexhaustible Search for Love and Happiness
05:38 - Desire for the Infinite Person

Ave Maria!

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.

Mass: St. Sharbel Maklouf - Opt Mem - http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=112
Readings: Monday 16th Week of Ordinary Time - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/072423.cfm
1st: exo 14:5-18
Resp: exo 15:1-6
Gsp: mat 12:38-42

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1114&r=1450

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