Franciscan Sister Mary Ann Spanjers continues her Franciscan Spirituality Series focusing here on St. Francis himself.
To understand Franciscan spirituality, we must begin with the spirituality of Francis himself “The Poverello, “the little poor man of Assisi. Martial Lekeux tells us:
The life of the Poverello may seem more cheerful and more peaceful than that of some of the other saints. But the truth is that he was the saint of excesses: excess in sacrifice, excess in love: and it was by reason of his excesses that he held to the happy medium, because his disregard for moderation worked both ways, just as a scale ensures better equilibrium the longer it is on both sides. Francis is the saint of excesses and yet he is the saint with a smile, because he always fused the two. For him, penance was love, and sorrow “perfect joy” Using this standard, folly was wisdom and excess supreme moderation.”
Fr Bill Short OFM writes that we must make some sense of this excessive saint if we wish to understand the beginnings and the permanent foundation of the Franciscan tradition. But understanding the tradition does not mean stopping with Francis. Otherwise, we would have only the spirituality of an individual, not a ‘tradition’.
The word, from the Latin means ‘handing over’, this indicates that others received something from Francis. What was it? For his contemporaries, friends, companions, brothers and sisters, it was the experience of knowing Francis himself; he was the message through word and example.
And what was the message? Jesus! For Francis the discovery of Jesus, Our Lord Jesus Christ was the ongoing revelation of his whole life in the twenty years after his conversion.
I have discovered the message of Jesus, through what Francis has handed on by becoming a Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity. It was the Sisters themselves who touched my heart as a young girl and a teenager; their compassion, interest in my life, prayers, ability to have fun, their loving care. As a Sister I continue to discover Jesus though our life together in community; we share in the depth of life through simplicity of meals, dishwasher, vocation ministry, decorating for Christmas, praying and discussing and making the world a better place.
With all that is happening in our country politically, economically and with the rule of law; I am ever more grateful for the Franciscan life of choosing not to enter into the sphere of politics but of choosing to enter into the lives of those in need. As the daughter of immigrants, I feel helpless and terribly upset at the direction of our country. Yet I feel consoled because I want to be on the side of the immigrants and stand with them. St Francis, at the end of his life, told his followers, “I have done what is mine to do, now you must do what is yours”
I do not have many answers, but I am convinced that this Franciscan way of life is the life Jesus wants me and so many more to live. I do believe that the more of us who choose a radical stance of peace, poverty, compassion, service and love will change the world; as did one man 800 years ago who fell in love with Jesus.
The post Understanding St. Francis Spirituality as a Franciscan Sister appeared first on Franciscan Sisters.