FS #99: The Means, Part 4 – Oct 29 – Homily – Fr Terrance
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Fr Terrance gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Oct 29, 2024, on how Franciscan poverty is not something merely to be tolerated but enables one to become an ardent lover of Christ, thus key to following St Francis' seraphic way.
This is a continuation of his series on Franciscan spirituality, starting with a new subsection, "The Means," which is the means to obtain the goals of spirituality, union with God. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNN151zTIO4&list=PLejh_e0-LN4xgMllKrzSasL2Hljd5BHom
Father highlighted St. Francis' unique love for poverty as a pathway to deeper union with Christ. This poverty was joyful and detached, enabling an open heart to love all things in God, free from self-centered accumulation. Inspired by Jacopone da Todi's poetic tribute to "Lady Poverty," St. Francis envisioned poverty as more than philosophy—it was a loving discipline ("palestra") leading to God, akin to Dante's portrayal in the Divine Comedy (11th Canto of Paradiso), where poverty was seen as Christ’s constant companion. For St. Francis, poverty was a path to serve like strangers and pilgrims on earth, as noted in the Rule of St. Francis, Chapter Six. The “Poverello” spirit embraced a purposeful poverty that facilitated St. Francis' soul's "flight to heaven," a concept echoed in his Fioretti. This poverty culminated in Francis' mystical experience on Mount La Verna, marked by receiving the stigmata, a sign of perfect unity with Christ. Father urged listeners to seek a spirit of detachment, drawing closer to God and others in selfless love, as exemplified by St. Francis and inspired by Our Lady’s intercession.
For Further Reading
Rule of St. Francis, Chapter 6 - Poverty as service in God's kingdom - https://franciscanmissionaries.com/rule-admonitions-st-francis-assisi/#:~:text=Chapter%20VI,That%20the
Divine Comedy, Paradiso Canto 11 - Dante on poverty as Christ’s companion - https://digitaldante.columbia.edu/dante/divine-comedy/paradiso/paradiso-11/
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 - Intro
00:09 - St. Francis and Joyful Poverty
00:28 - The Beauty and Freedom of Poverty
00:53 - Lady Poverty’s Embrace
02:12 - St. Francis’ Love for Poverty
04:00 - Union with God Through Poverty
Ave Maria!
Mass: Tuesday in the 30th Week in Ordinary Time - Wkdy
Readings: - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/102924.cfm
1st: eph 5:21-33
Resp: psa 128:1-5
Gsp: luk 13:18-21
More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=980
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