FS #67: Man in Franciscan Spirituality, Part 13 – Mar 05 – Homily – Fr Terrance

 

Fr. Terrance gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Mar 05, 2024, where he focuses once again on the Franciscan view of the nature of a person, but this time on how true societal cohesion and fulfillment come from a communal and public relationship with God, as modeled by the Trinity, emphasizing love and worship as central to God's plan. This continues his series and the subsection, "Man in Franciscan Spirituality," humanity's role in God's plan.

Father emphasizes the importance of incorporating the supernatural and our intrinsic relationship with God and Christ into societal concepts. He argues that a society focused merely on material interests is doomed to fail due to egoism, which breeds division and instability. True stability in society can only be achieved through a deep, spiritual bond rooted in our relationship with the Divine. This is exemplified in the Trinity, which represents the perfect society and model for human social structures. The essence of social life is the person, inherently social and fundamentally open to a relationship with God. Father cites 1 John 1:3 - "that which we have seen and heard we also proclaim to you so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ" - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1john/1?3, highlighting the importance of fellowship with the Divine. Through Christ's sacrifice, humans are reconciled with God, each other, and the angels, forming a singular society bound by love. This love mandates a dual openness in the human heart, towards both God and others. Consequently, societal worship of God is crucial, reflecting the collective spirituality of its people and strengthening societal bonds. Father concludes by urging devotion to Our Lady for the grace to live in a society that honors and worships Christ, in alignment with God's plan.

00:00 – Introduction to Franciscan Spirituality and Man's Role
00:17 – The Importance of Openness to God
00:29 – The Consequences of Ignoring the Supernatural
01:17 – Spiritual Foundations for a Stable Society
01:34 – Personal Relationship with God as a Social Essence
02:53 – True Brotherhood Through Christ
04:14 – Social Public Worship and Society's Supernatural Roots
05:11 – Conclusion: Living According to God's Plan in Society

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

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 of this book exist at the time of this recording.

Ave Maria!

Mass: Tuesday 3rd Week of Lent - Wkdy
Readings:  - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/030524.cfm
1st: dan 3:25, 34-43
Resp: psa 25:4-9
Gsp: mat 18:21-35

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1753

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