The Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order
Chapter 3 - Life in Fraternity
21. On various levels, each fraternity is animated and guided by a council and minister (or president) who are elected by the professed according to the constitutions.
Their service, which lasts for a definite period, is marked by a ready and willing spirit and is a duty of responsibility to each member and to the community.
Within themselves the fraternities are structured in different ways according to the norm of the constitutions, according to the various needs of their members and their regions, and under the guidance of their respective council.
“May whoever observes all this be filled in heaven with the blessing of the most high Father, and on earth with that of his beloved Son, together with the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.” Blessing of Saint Francis from the Testament.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
The Admonitions - XVII THE HUMBLE SERVANT OF GOD
Blessed is that servant who no more exalts himself over the good the Lord says or does through him than over what He says or does through another. (Mt 24:46)
A person sins who wished to receive more from his neighbor than what he wished to give of himself to the Lord God.
Saint Francis of Assisi
Admonition XVII The Humble Servant of God
Source: Francis of Assisi, The Saint, Early Documents published by New City Press
A person sins who wished to receive more from his neighbor than what he wished to give of himself to the Lord God.
Saint Francis of Assisi
Admonition XVII The Humble Servant of God
Source: Francis of Assisi, The Saint, Early Documents published by New City Press
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
A Letter to the Rulers of the Peoples
A LETTER TO THE RULERS OF THE PEOPLES
St. Francis of Assisi
Brother Francis, your little and looked-down upon servant in the Lord God, wishes health and peace to all mayors and consuls, magistrates and governors throughout the world and to all others to whom these words may come.
Reflect and see that the day of death is approaching. With all possible respect, therefore, I beg you not to forget the Lord because of the world’s cares and preoccupations and not to turn away from His commandments, for all those who leave Him in oblivion and turn away from His commandments are cursed and will be left in oblivion by Him. (Gn 47:29; Ps 119:21; Ex 33:13)
When the day of death does come, everything they think they have shall be taken from them. The wiser and more powerful they may have been in this world, the greater will be the punishment they will endure in hell. (Mt 13:12; Mk 4:25; Lk 8:18; Wis 6:7)
Therefore I strongly advise you, my Lords, to put aside all care and preoccupation and receive the most holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ with fervor in holy remembrance of Him. May you foster such honor to the Lord among the people entrusted to you that every evening an announcement may be made by a messenger or some other sign that praise and thanksgiving may be given by all people to the all powerful Lord God. If you do not do this, know that, on the day of judgment, you must render an account before the Lord Your God, Jesus Christ. (Mt 12:36)
Let those who keep this writing with them and observe it know that they will be blessed by the Lord God.
St. Francis of Assisi
Brother Francis, your little and looked-down upon servant in the Lord God, wishes health and peace to all mayors and consuls, magistrates and governors throughout the world and to all others to whom these words may come.
Reflect and see that the day of death is approaching. With all possible respect, therefore, I beg you not to forget the Lord because of the world’s cares and preoccupations and not to turn away from His commandments, for all those who leave Him in oblivion and turn away from His commandments are cursed and will be left in oblivion by Him. (Gn 47:29; Ps 119:21; Ex 33:13)
When the day of death does come, everything they think they have shall be taken from them. The wiser and more powerful they may have been in this world, the greater will be the punishment they will endure in hell. (Mt 13:12; Mk 4:25; Lk 8:18; Wis 6:7)
Therefore I strongly advise you, my Lords, to put aside all care and preoccupation and receive the most holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ with fervor in holy remembrance of Him. May you foster such honor to the Lord among the people entrusted to you that every evening an announcement may be made by a messenger or some other sign that praise and thanksgiving may be given by all people to the all powerful Lord God. If you do not do this, know that, on the day of judgment, you must render an account before the Lord Your God, Jesus Christ. (Mt 12:36)
Let those who keep this writing with them and observe it know that they will be blessed by the Lord God.
Source: Francis of Assisi, The Saint, Early Documents, published by New City Press
Monday, June 21, 2010
THE RULE - Chapter 3 - Life in Fraternity -20
The Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order
Chapter 3 - Life In Fraternity
20. The Secular Franciscan Order is divided into fraternities of various levels – local, regional, national, and international. Each one has its own moral personality in the Church. These various fraternities are coordinated and united according to the norm of this rule and of the constitutions.
“May whoever observes all this be filled in heaven with the blessing of the most high Father, and on earth with that of his beloved Son, together with the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.” Blessing of Saint Francis from the Testament.
Chapter 3 - Life In Fraternity
20. The Secular Franciscan Order is divided into fraternities of various levels – local, regional, national, and international. Each one has its own moral personality in the Church. These various fraternities are coordinated and united according to the norm of this rule and of the constitutions.
“May whoever observes all this be filled in heaven with the blessing of the most high Father, and on earth with that of his beloved Son, together with the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.” Blessing of Saint Francis from the Testament.
Friday, June 18, 2010
The Admonitions - XVI CLEANNESS OF HEART
Blessed are the clean in heart, for they will see God. (Mt 5:8)
The truly clean of heart are those who look down upon earthly things, seek those of heaven, and, with a clean heart and spirit, never cease adoring and seeing the Lord God living and true.
Saint Francis of Assisi
Admonitions XVI Cleanness of Heart
Source: Francis of Assisi, The Saint, Early Documents published by New City Press
The truly clean of heart are those who look down upon earthly things, seek those of heaven, and, with a clean heart and spirit, never cease adoring and seeing the Lord God living and true.
Saint Francis of Assisi
Admonitions XVI Cleanness of Heart
Source: Francis of Assisi, The Saint, Early Documents published by New City Press
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Blessed Angela of Foligno, sfo on Poverty
Blessed Angela of Foligno, sfo writes:
He raised us up and redeemed us through his poverty.
The first man fell because of poverty; the second man, the God-man, Jesus Christ, lifted us up through poverty. The inferior poverty is a lack of knowledge; through this lack of knowledge Adam came to his fall and all who fall thereafter do so because of this lack of knowledge. It was therefore necessary that the children of God should be raised up and recover from the fall through an opposite kind of poverty.
We have an example of this poverty in the God-man Jesus Christ. He raised us up and redeemed us through his poverty. It was certainly poverty beyond the power of words to describe when he hid his infinite poverty and majesty. He allowed himself to be blasphemed, despised, upbraided, captured, led away, scourged and crucified. He endured all this as a helpless man. This kind of poverty is exemplar of our life. We must learn from this poverty that is not necessary for us to hide a power we do not have; nay, rather we must clearly set the extent of our lack of power, our weakness.
We have yet another example of this poverty, the example of the glorious Virgin, the most holy Mother of God. She gave us a lesson when in her response to the stupendous mystery she openly declared that she was a member of our distressed race designating herself by a lowly name in saying: I am the servant of the Lord. This was indeed a very lowly name. This kind of poverty is most pleasing to God.
What a perfect example we have from our glorious Father Francis! He had an exceptional insight of this poverty and was so brim full of it that he instituted and showed us a unique way of life. I can look to no other saint who can show more specifically the way to the Book of Life, the example of the life of the God-man Jesus Christ. Neither do I see anyone who so uniquely embodied it in himself. So exceptionally did he reproduce it in himself that he never lost sight of it. It was visible even in his body. Because he steeped himself so fully in it he was filled with the highest wisdom which he imparted and keeps on imparting to the whole world.
Autobiografia e scritti della B. Angela da Foligno, M. Raloci Pulignai (Citta di Castello 1932) numbers 161-162 pgg. 266-268.
He raised us up and redeemed us through his poverty.
The first man fell because of poverty; the second man, the God-man, Jesus Christ, lifted us up through poverty. The inferior poverty is a lack of knowledge; through this lack of knowledge Adam came to his fall and all who fall thereafter do so because of this lack of knowledge. It was therefore necessary that the children of God should be raised up and recover from the fall through an opposite kind of poverty.
We have an example of this poverty in the God-man Jesus Christ. He raised us up and redeemed us through his poverty. It was certainly poverty beyond the power of words to describe when he hid his infinite poverty and majesty. He allowed himself to be blasphemed, despised, upbraided, captured, led away, scourged and crucified. He endured all this as a helpless man. This kind of poverty is exemplar of our life. We must learn from this poverty that is not necessary for us to hide a power we do not have; nay, rather we must clearly set the extent of our lack of power, our weakness.
We have yet another example of this poverty, the example of the glorious Virgin, the most holy Mother of God. She gave us a lesson when in her response to the stupendous mystery she openly declared that she was a member of our distressed race designating herself by a lowly name in saying: I am the servant of the Lord. This was indeed a very lowly name. This kind of poverty is most pleasing to God.
What a perfect example we have from our glorious Father Francis! He had an exceptional insight of this poverty and was so brim full of it that he instituted and showed us a unique way of life. I can look to no other saint who can show more specifically the way to the Book of Life, the example of the life of the God-man Jesus Christ. Neither do I see anyone who so uniquely embodied it in himself. So exceptionally did he reproduce it in himself that he never lost sight of it. It was visible even in his body. Because he steeped himself so fully in it he was filled with the highest wisdom which he imparted and keeps on imparting to the whole world.
Autobiografia e scritti della B. Angela da Foligno, M. Raloci Pulignai (Citta di Castello 1932) numbers 161-162 pgg. 266-268.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Breath of God
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what thou dost love,
And do what thou wouldst do.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Until my heart is pure,
Until with thee I will one will,
To do and to endure.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Till I am wholly thine,
Till all this earthly part of me
Glows with thy fire divine.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
So shall I never die,
But live with thee the perfect life
Of thine eternity.
Edwin Hatch, 1878
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what thou dost love,
And do what thou wouldst do.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Until my heart is pure,
Until with thee I will one will,
To do and to endure.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Till I am wholly thine,
Till all this earthly part of me
Glows with thy fire divine.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
So shall I never die,
But live with thee the perfect life
Of thine eternity.
Edwin Hatch, 1878
Monday, June 14, 2010
THE RULE - Chapter 2 The Way of Life - 19
The Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order
Chapter 2 - The Way of Life
19.
Mindful that they are bearers of peace which must be built up unceasingly, they should seek out ways of unity and fraternal harmony through dialogue, trusting in the presence of the divine seed in everyone and in the transforming power of love and pardon.
Messengers of perfect joy in every circumstance, they should strive to bring joy and hope to others.
Since they are immersed in the resurrection of Christ, which gives true meaning to Sister Death, let them serenely tend toward the ultimate encounter with the Father.
“May whoever observes all this be filled in heaven with the blessing of the most high Father, and on earth with that of his beloved Son, together with the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.”
Blessing of Saint Francis from the Testament.
Chapter 2 - The Way of Life
19.
Mindful that they are bearers of peace which must be built up unceasingly, they should seek out ways of unity and fraternal harmony through dialogue, trusting in the presence of the divine seed in everyone and in the transforming power of love and pardon.
Messengers of perfect joy in every circumstance, they should strive to bring joy and hope to others.
Since they are immersed in the resurrection of Christ, which gives true meaning to Sister Death, let them serenely tend toward the ultimate encounter with the Father.
“May whoever observes all this be filled in heaven with the blessing of the most high Father, and on earth with that of his beloved Son, together with the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.”
Blessing of Saint Francis from the Testament.
Monday, June 7, 2010
THE RULE - Chapter 2 The Way of Life - 18
The Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order
Chapter 2 - The Way of Life
18.
Moreover they should respect all creatures, animate and inanimate, which “bear the imprint of the Most High,” and they strive to move from the temptation of exploiting creation to the Franciscan concept of universal kinship.
“May whoever observes all this be filled in heaven with the blessing of the most high Father, and on earth with that of his beloved Son, together with the Holy Spirit, the Comforter."
Blessing of Saint Francis from the Testament.
Chapter 2 - The Way of Life
18.
Moreover they should respect all creatures, animate and inanimate, which “bear the imprint of the Most High,” and they strive to move from the temptation of exploiting creation to the Franciscan concept of universal kinship.
“May whoever observes all this be filled in heaven with the blessing of the most high Father, and on earth with that of his beloved Son, together with the Holy Spirit, the Comforter."
Blessing of Saint Francis from the Testament.
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