FS #102: The Means, Part 7 – Dec 04 – Homily – Fr Terrance

 

Fr Terrance gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Dec 04, 2024, on how suffering, embraced with love and faith, becomes a path to sanctification and a source of grace for ourselves and others.

This is a continuation of his series on Franciscan spirituality, and the subsection, "The Means," as in the means to obtain the goals of spirituality, which is union with God. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNN151zTIO4&list=PLejh_e0-LN4xgMllKrzSasL2Hljd5BHom

Father reflected on the Franciscan understanding of suffering as a path to closeness with Christ, rooted in humility and self-denial. He recounted how Saint Francis of Assisi overcame his fear by embracing and kissing a leper, a profound act that initiated his journey toward Christ. This transformative event led to an encounter with Christ crucified, as described by Saint Bonaventure in the Legenda Maior, where the suffering of Christ deeply imprinted on Francis' heart, making him constantly mindful of the Gospel's call to deny oneself, take up the cross, and follow Christ (Matthew 16:24 - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/16?24).

Father noted that Christ's solidarity with human suffering was foretold in Isaiah 53:3 - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/53?3, calling Jesus the "Man of Sorrows." By embracing suffering, Jesus purified it, transforming it into a source of redemption and a means of spiritual perfection. This reflects the Church’s teaching that suffering, while an inheritance of original sin, can become a channel for grace and sanctification when united with Christ's sacrifice.

Father reminded the faithful that through the sorrowful heart of Our Lady, who became the "Sorrowful Mother", suffering also leads to spiritual rebirth for humanity. He concluded by inviting all to embrace their crosses in union with Christ for personal sanctification and the good of others, emphasizing the transformative nature of suffering as a participation in divine love.

For Further Reading
Matthew 16:24 NAB - Call to take up the cross - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/16?24
Isaiah 53:3 NAB - The Man of Sorrows - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/53?3
CCC 599 - Divine plan for suffering - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p122a4p1.htm#599
CCC 618 - Sharing in Christ's suffering - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p122a4p2.htm#618
CCC 1505 - Christ's healing of suffering - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p2s2c2a5.htm#1505

Ave Maria!

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.

Mass: St. John Damascene - Opt Mem - http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=66
Readings: Wednesday in the 1st Week in Advent - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/120424.cfm
1st: isa 25:6-10
Resp: psa 23:1-6
Gsp: mat 15:29-37

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1207&r=1249

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and YouTube: https://youtu.be/jV8thL7Eyb8