FS #82: Theology of Art, Part 2 – Jul 03 – Homily – Fr Terrance

 

Fr Terrance gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Jul 03, 2024, on how St. Francis's life was a unique masterpiece of sacred art, transforming poverty, suffering, and death into sources of divine joy. This is a continuation of his series on Franciscan spirituality and the subsection, "Theology of Art," emphasizing the place of Art in Franciscan understanding and how it should lead us to God.

Father picks up from his last homily about art in Franciscan spirituality, emphasizing that St. Francis was an artist of the interior life. St. Francis didn't have formal education but was an artist in his conception of life and the supernatural. He had an intuitive understanding of reality, seeing it as light, knowledge, and love. St. Francis felt deeply the mystery of life and translated this into his life, which was a unique work of art. His art was not of aesthetics but of living a profound, mystical reality. His life, from his conversion, was filled with ardor, fullness, and harmony, making him a masterpiece of God's sacred art.

Francis's sacred journey began with his embrace of poverty, symbolized by casting aside his father's clothes and kissing the leper. He committed to preaching the gospel, like the apostles. He defended his ideals before the papal court with a parable and wept because "love is not loved." He shared his perfect joy and renunciation with his fellow friars and preached to all creatures about his ideals. Francis's life was a testament to his love for God, culminating in his reception of the stigmata, becoming a living image of Christ crucified.

Francis's unique blend of idealism and reality attracted many, transforming poverty into richness, suffering into joy, and death into a sister who opens paradise. His life was a poetic imitation of Jesus, celebrated and recounted through his experiences. Father encourages us to ask Our Lady for the grace to share in St. Francis's artistic madness, which is seen as wisdom in the eyes of Jesus and Mary.

References to the Bible and Catechism
Conversion and Idealism:
1 John 4:16 - God is love and has loved us - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1john/4?16
Matthew 19:21 - If you wish to be perfect, sell your possessions - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/19?21

Embrace of Poverty:
Philippians 3:8 - I consider everything a loss for the sake of Christ - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/philippians/3?8
CCC 1257 - Baptism essential for salvation, mandated by Christ, Church-focused - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/1257.htm

Preaching and Joy:
Mark 16:15 - Go into all the world and preach the gospel - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/16?15
CCC 2447 - Love for the poor is part of our tradition - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2447.htm

Stigmata and Suffering:
Galatians 6:17 - I bear on my body the marks of Jesus - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/galatians/6?17
CCC 618 - Christ calls his disciples to take up their cross and follow him - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/618.htm

Love and Idealism:
John 15:13 - Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/15?13
CCC 459 - Jesus is the model for the Beatitudes and the norm of the new law - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/459.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 "Theology of Art."

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.

00:00 - Introduction
00:09 - St. Francis as an Artist
01:21 - His Life as Art
03:28 - Living and Expressing His Ideal
04:04 - Moments of Realization
04:47 - Sharing His Ideal
05:59 - The Artistic Conception of Life
06:42 - Poverty and Wealth in Francis' Eyes

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. Thomas the Apostle - Feast - http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=410
Readings:  - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/070324.cfm
1st: eph 2:19-22
Resp: psa 117:1, 2
Gsp: joh 20:24-29

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1100

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