FS #75: Nature in Franciscan Spirituality, Part 5 – Jun 03 – Homily – Fr Terrance

 

Fr Terrance gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Jun 03, 2024,where he speaks on Franciscan spirituality, explaining that nature reflects God's providence, wisdom, and love, and everything depends on His continuous creation and conservation. This is a continuation of his series on Franciscan spirituality and the subsection, "Nature in Franciscan Spirituality," emphasizing the Franciscan understanding and appreciation of nature and how it should lead us to God.

He explains that the Christian view of nature liberates the created world from concepts like absolute determinism, fate, or destiny. Nature, even without reason, is not chaotic but comes from the Creator and is open to Him. Nature reflects God's power, wisdom, and love. As Blessed John Duns Scotus noted, creation and conservation depend on God, who sustains all things. According to St. Augustine in "The City of God," everything is the work of a creative intelligence that orders the universe hierarchically. Dante, in "Paradiso," illustrates the universe as a poem of order. The breakdown of our culture is seen as a revolt against both creation and the Creator.

God not only creates but also conserves the universe. Contrary to ancient philosophers like Democritus and Lucretius, the created beings are not left alone but are governed by God's providential care. Scotus emphasizes that everything depends on God for its being and conservation. God, being perfect and absolute, sustains creatures in their relative and contingent existence. St. Augustine says, “Nihil igitur casu fit in mundo,” nothing happens by chance in the world.

Despite the rise of evil, God remains in control, guiding all things. In Romans 8:28 - All things work for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/8?28, St. Paul assures us of God’s providence. Scotus and Augustine assert that God's virtuosity is essential for existence; without it, everything would collapse into nothingness. The world cannot stand without God’s controlling hand. Thus, creation and conservation are continuous actions of God.

Father reminds us that God's Providence governs all things, as stated in Wisdom 14:3 - Your providence, O Father, governs all things - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/wisdom/14?3. Jesus revealed the Father’s providential care, leading to Franciscan optimism about life and creation. We should thank God for creation and trust in His providential care, recalling Romans 5:20 - Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/5?20.

Further Reading
CCC 301 - God's providence is universal and immediate - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/301.htm
CCC 302 - Creation's journey towards perfection - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/302.htm
CCC 307 - Human cooperation in divine providence - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/307.htm

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: Sts. Charles Lwanga and Companions - Mem - http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=35
Readings: Monday 9th Week of Ordinary Time - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/060324.cfm
1st: 2pe 1:2-7
Resp: psa 91:1-2, 14-16
Gsp: mar 12:1-12

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1085&r=1613

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