FS #79: Nature in Franciscan Spirituality, Part 9 – Jun 19 – Homily – Fr Terrance

 

Fr Terrance gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Jun 19, 2024, where he speaks on Franciscan spirituality and how it reveals nature as expressing Christ, leading us to Christ and the Father because God the Father created creation through Christ. 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 emphasizes that if Jesus is the highest and most perfect creature, the Apex of Creation, all other creatures will reflect him in some way. The Father expresses himself through the Word, and creation is an external expression of this Word Incarnate, who is the firstborn of all creatures and the consubstantial image of the Father, as stated in Hebrews 1:3 - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/hebrews/1?3 and Colossians 1:15 - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/colossians/1?15. Therefore, every being carries Christ's mark and manifests his love, becoming a voice that calls us back to him. The world, seen through the eyes of faith, reveals the face of Jesus, who illuminates all creatures. Dante's Paradiso is referenced to illustrate the order and harmony of creation that reflects Christ. Father concludes that understanding creatures is only possible by comparing them to Christ, for whom they were made and through whom they must return to God. He invites the faithful to seek Christ in creation, inspired by Romans 1:20 - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/1?20 .

00:00 - Introduction
00:10 - Franciscan Overview, Jesus in Creation
02:35 - Discovering Jesus in Creation
03:21 - Understanding the Universe Through Christ
04:10 - Franciscan Approach to Knowledge

For further reading:

CCC 241 - Creation and humanity's response to God's revelation. - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/241.htm 
CCC 282 - The relationship between creation and the Creator. - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/282.htm
CCC 298 - God creates through wisdom and love, creation reflects the Creator. - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/298.htm
CCC 339 - Each creature's goodness and the Creator's reflection. - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/339.htm
CCC 1147 - Creation's role in expressing God's Word. - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/1147.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: St. Romuald - Opt Mem - http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=406
Readings: Wednesday 11th Week of Ordinary Time - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/061924.cfm
1st: 2ki 2:1, 6-14
Resp: psa 31:20-21, 24
Gsp: mat 6:1-6, 16-18

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1091&r=1627

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