FS #71: Nature in Franciscan Spirituality, Part 1 – Apr 17 – Homily – Fr Terrance

 

Fr Terrance gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Apr 17, 2024, on the Franciscan conception of nature, emphasizing the spiritual and governing roles humans have over nature, which is viewed as a conduit for reaching spiritual perfection and glorifying Christ. This continues his series on Franciscan Spirituality, starting a new subsection, "Nature in Franciscan Spirituality," on the role of nature in our journey to God.

Father elaborated on the Franciscan conception of nature, describing it as a creation subordinate to humans, intended for human dominion and spiritual enlightenment. Nature is portrayed as an entity where the human spirit should prevail over material instincts, aligning with the belief that our bodies and the natural world are to be governed by our souls. This concept extends to viewing nature as a tool for scientific, industrial, aesthetic, philosophical, and theological study—each perspective offering insights into its laws, uses, beauty, origins, and divine significance. Saint Bonaventure's teachings emphasize nature's role in aiding spiritual growth and glorifying God. Father called for appreciating nature as a reflection of Christ, who is central to all creation, thereby using the natural world as a means to ascend spiritually and honor God.

For Further Reading:

CCC 344 - Creation reflects the Creator's goodness - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/344.htm
CCC 299 - The world is created for God's glory - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/299.htm
CCC 339 - Each creature possesses its own particular goodness - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/339.htm

00:00 - Intro Nature in Franciscan Spirituality Subsection
00:13 - Exploring the Franciscan Conception of Nature
00:18 - The Inferiority of Nature in Franciscan Thought
00:26 - Dominance of Spirit over Material World
01:24 - Scientific and Industrial Study of Nature
01:53 - Philosophical and Theological Perspectives on Nature
03:06 - Christ-Centric Understanding of Nature
04:16 - Nature as a Pathway to Glorifying God

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 "Nature 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: Wednesday 3rd Week of Easter - Wkdy
Readings:  - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/041724.cfm
1st: act 8:1-8
Resp: psa 66:1-7
Gsp: joh 6:35-40

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1791

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