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REFLECTION Pune 2012 Enlarged General Council Franciscan Approach to the Freedom of Heart by Robin Daniels ofm cap. Encountering the Leper 'St. Francis says in his testament that his conversion journey took a decisive turn when the Lord lead him among the lepers. It was then that he left the world and changed his social condition and his residence. We recognise that closeness to the culture of the poor enriches us from a human point of view and is a necessary hermeneutical tool with which to reach our Franciscan heritage.... Referring to God's ownership of everything, Francis humbled himself towards the out casts and the disadvantaged and considered them as friends in love and service ...... Surrender to God: Francis embodied gospel radicalness and for him the fundamental thing is to surrender to God in total trust.... We must seek to implement models of evangelisation that are less bound up with power and security that derive from having expensive resources. We should be more ready to learn from the poor and to place our trust in God alone solidarity with those on the edge of society is one of the prime responses against injustice of our times. A Liberating Vision, this is what Francis had in relationships with the poor, avoiding assistiveness as a form of presence among them... He wanted to be with the poor in deep solidarity. we see here not a pedagogy for the oppressed, but a pedagogy of the oppressed. we see Francis liberation in terms of humanisation- physical solidarity with the poor..... Being poor with our brothers and sisters is part and parcel of our Franciscan charism and of our tradition as 'brothers and sisters of the people'. Spirituality of sisterhood: An institute, a province is not defined by its ministries, but by its fraternities. Our outreach to the world should be characterised by a 'spirituality of sisterhood'.
Meeting of New Provincials
Clare's Model of Leadership 'Though He was in the form of God He did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but He emptied Himself to assume the condition of a servant.' Philippians 2:8 'When Clare started with her community, there was no leadership within the community in the sense of a structured leadership. At the Lateran 1V Council the Church decided that there must be a structured leadership and she had to accept the role of Abbess..... It was as though she asked herself this question 'How does God exercise His sovereignty over the world?' She found her answer in Philippians 2 the 'kenosis' text on which all her spirituality is based. .... Clare's principle of authority is in her Rule at the beginning where she says: 'I together with my sisters'.....All of Clare's structuring of leadership is to listen to the Spirit in each sister and to act out of that.... What we are understanding more and more in theology to-day is Clare's insight, that God has chosen not only to serve, but God has chosen to share his sovereignty with all of us. God desires us to be co-creators of life with him, we are meant to make choices for how this life on earth has to be. God has opted for an open sovereignty, so we have to model that in religious life.' Sr. Briege O Hare OSC (from a Video Script)
Eastertide 2011 'Love is not a noun it's a verb....' Molly Parkin Desert Island Disc 8.5.2011
'They told their story of what had happened on the road and how they recognised him in the breaking of the bread' Luke 24 35 To Love through layers and layers of forgiveness Love in the breaking of the bread The bread that has to be broken
Blessed John Henry Newman is surely smiling down watching the warm embrace as Pope Benedict and Archbishop Rowan Williams meet in Westminster Abbey. Praying together in this year, the 450th anniversary of the Reformation and the celebration of the Beatification of Cardinal Newman, reminding us that the most profound desire of the human heart is to enter into intimate communion with the heart of God.
Cardinal Newman
Eastertide ......
Caravaggio 'Disciples at Emmaus' If we just use Eastertide to make our own Emmaus journey we too may see Him in the breaking of the bread Luke 24:31.
Easter Sunday 'He is not here; He has risen!!!' Luke 24 'Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed.... John 20:1
Holy Week Silent Saturday 'Joseph of Arimathea ... asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission so he came and removed his body. There was a garden in the place where he was crucified , and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so because it was the Jewish day of Passover and the tomb was nearby they laid Jesus there. John 19:38,41-42
Jesus descends into Hell
Good Friday
The Salvador Dali masterpiece Christ of St John of the Cross 'Jesus on the Cross is the image of Jesus who was only thirty three years old and had not even gotten started on his mission, the misunderstood and misinterpreted Jesus, the oppressed Jesus' Richard Rohr OFM 'For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the very goodness of God'. 2 Cor5:21. Is what Paul says in this letter to the Corinthians possible... can we 'become the very goodness of God'? Perhaps the only way is for us to respond to the Good Friday call to Veneration of the Cross... 'Behold the wood of the Cross on which has hung the world's salvation' (Good Friday Liturgy). We have to keep 'beholding' just gazing at the Cross allowing 'the goodness of God' to enter us to start the becoming...... Thursday The Hour has come ...... 'Before the festival of the Passover Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world, He got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples feet. John:13 1,4,5.
Dirk van Baburen (detail) Take some time with this scene, allow the video to unfold before you..... Jesus getting up from table, changing his clothes, tying the towel, pouring water..... slowly follow him in this moment of realisation; the Hour's coming....is there something here for me personally .........
'With waving palm branches let us adore the Lord as he comes; let us go out to meet him with hymns and songs, rejoicing and singing: Blessed be the Lord. Magnificat Antiphon Palm Sunday
Feast of St. Joseph
'This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit'. Matt.1:18-20 Our Foundress, Blessed Mary of the Passion contemplated the Mystery of the Incarnation and the mysterious role to which Joseph was called ..... 'I saw that John possessed the rights that Jesus had had over Mary, but Joseph possessed the rights of God Himself over her. And my head bowed low.' Mary of the Passion 'I saw St. Joseph's abnegation. I love him and I think he was truly great to have remained so hidden in life. How does it happen that he is not better understood.' Mary of the Passion In to-day's struggles with role models, gender issues, family breakdowns; Joseph's much misunderstood role in the life of Jesus may hold some of the answers.
Lent The Barren Fig Tree.....
'Sir let it alone for one more year, until I dig round and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year well and good; but if not you can cut it down'. Luke 13.8-9
Peter said to Jesus,' Master it is wonderful for us to be here ........As he spoke a cloud came and covered them with shadow;... And a voice came from the cloud saying, 'This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him. Luke 9:33,35 These weeks of Lent give us an opportunity to stand aside for some time and allow the could to overshadow us. 'Teach me to go to the country beyond words and beyond names' Thomas Merton prayer to Our Lady of Mount Carmel
'He called the crowd with his disciples and said to them, 'If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.' Mark 8.34 The cross, our cross is not something special we have to look for rather it is in the daily grind of every day. The barbed wire we have to part to get through, or peer through to find the way and uncover the mystery of being a follower...... Ash Wednesday
But now, now it is Yahweh who speaks, Come back to me with all your heart, Fasting, weeping, mourning. Let your hearts be broken, not your garments torn, Turn to Yahweh your God again For He is all tenderness and compassion Joel 2: 12 -14
Feast of the Presentation
'There was a prophetess too, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher... she never left the temple serving God day and night with fasting and prayer. She came up just at that moment and began to praise God; and she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.' Luke 2:36-38 Rembrandt's beautiful portrayal of Anna opens up the secret of her enlightenment.....light from the Word calling her forth from her contemplation just at the right moment when Mary and Joseph carry their child Jesus into the temple... the child she was called to speak about to all who came to her.....
Feast of the Epiphany The visit of the travellers from the East... Magi, Wise Men, Astrologers..... following a star, something they had seen in the sky.... a comet perhaps.... something unusual calling them to follow and search for a King.
'The star they had seen in the East was leading them on, until it came and stood above the place where the little child was. They saw the star and rejoiced with a great joy. They came to the house and saw the little child with Mary his mother and they fell down and worshipped him.' Matt.2 9-11 In this translation by Nicholas King we see the detailed 'little child'... no longer a baby... and in the insert from Gentile da Fabriano's Adoration of the Kings, the little child reaching out to touch the head of the worshipping king.... These days of frosty nights and clear skies open up the heavens for us..... is there a special star calling me onwards in my 2010 journey in faith to discover that King born for us..... every day.....
Octave Day of Christmas Solemnity of Mary Mother of God
'Mary is really part of God's plan.....This was no mere fiction as some have thought. Far from it. Our Saviour really did become man, and this brought about the salvation of the whole man.......What was born of Mary, according to scripture, was by nature human; the Lord's body was a real one- real because it was the same as ours. This is so because Mary was our sister, since we are all descended from Adam' Letter of St. Athanasius to Epicetus, 5-9 At the start of the New Year pause for a moment, gaze at the Icon, see your sister Mary tenderly holding her child. Feel the softness of Jesus cheek on yours.... allow the tenderness to filter through.......
Happy Christmas
'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God' John 1:1 The Incarnation of the Word of the Father is central to the Spirituality of St. Francis....... 'I decided to offer you in this letter and message the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the Word of the Father..... The most high Father made known from heaven through His holy Angel Gabriel this word of the Father so worthy, so holy and glorious- in the womb of the holy and glorious Virgin Mary, from whose womb he received the flesh of our humanity and frailty. Though he was rich, He wished.. to choose poverty in the world beyond all else.' Second Letter to all the Faithful Pause, take time allow yourself to be drawn into the scene above; Caravaggio's Nativity with Sts. Francis and Lawrence. Discover Incarnation anew with Francis
Remembering in November Remembrance Sunday 8th November 2009
Now I can lie down and go to sleep and then awake for Yahweh has hold of me; No fear now of those tens of thousands posted against me wherever I turn...... From Yahweh rescue, On your people blessing! Psalm 3 5-8
Dear shadows now you know it all, All the folly of a fight, With a common wrong or right The innocent and the beautiful have no enemy but time; Arise and bid me strike a match And strike another till time catch; .... W.B. Yeats
Most High Glorious God Enlighten the darkness of my heart And give me true faith, certain hope and perfect charity, Sense of knowledge Lord that I may carry out your holy and true command. Prayer of St. Francis before the Crucifix
Easter Sunday
'Do not cling to me..... But go and find the brothers and tell them I am ascending to my Father, and your Father, to my God and your God......' John 20:17-18 And perhaps when she met the brothers she said something like this ....... 'I believe in Jesus Christ who is resurrected into our lives so that we shall be free from prejudice, from presumptuousness, from fear and hate and push his revolution onward and towards his reign.' Political Evensong by Dorothee Soelle Lent Paschal Triduum Holy Saturday Christ's Descent into Hell
'There is no place, no situation or time that Christ does not fill with the mystery of his presence and resurrection. Every situation and event, even those hostile to God such as evil are places and occasions where God can be sought, discovered and invoked, since Jesus has been conqueror of evil and death'. Gilles Bordeaux OFM 'I am afraid that he died for nothing....... because .......
'I believe in Jesus Christ who was right when he as an individual who can't do anything, just like us, worked to alter every condition and came to grief in so doing. Looking to him I discern how our intelligence is crippled, our imagination suffocates and our exertion is in vain because we do not live as he lived. Every day I am afraid that he died for nothing because he is buried in our churches, because we have betrayed his revolution in our obedience to and fear of the authorities...... From Political Evensong by Dorothee Soelle Note: All pictures of The Passion from Oberammergau 1990 Good Friday 'Whoever does not carry his or her own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple Luke' 14:27
'When the centurion saw what had taken place , he gave praise to God and said, 'This was a great and good man. And when all the people that had gathered for the spectacle saw what had happened, they went home beating their breasts. Luke 23:47-48. Holy Thursday 'I have longed to eat this passover with you before I suffer, because I tell you I shall not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God Luke 22:14-16
'Then he took some bread and when he had given thanks, broke it and gave it to them saying: This is my body which will be given for you.... Luke 22 :19 (Picture 'This is my Body' from Passion Play Oberammergau)
Go to the upper room, find a place for yourself, a place where you can see what is going on.... Watch closely as Jesus gets up, takes off his cloak, ties a towel around his waist, pours the water and washes .... Me Journeying through Lent with Francis and Clare ........ Taking up the challenges laid out in our Chapter Document 2008
5th Week
Worthy is the slain lamb to receive power and divinity and wisdom and strength, honour, glory and blessing........ Francis' Little Office of the Passion "In John's gospel Jesus says, 'he who believes in me, out of his interior will come a fountain of living water, springing up to eternal life'. That is what it is to believe in Jesus. It is to have one's own flood gates opened. Into the image of Jesus on the cross, wood and nails and all, the psyche pours its endless and otherwise forgotten life.' The Crucified Jesus is no Stranger -Sebastian Moore
4th Week March 25th Solemnity of the Annunciation
ECCE FIAT In answering 'yes' Mary shaped the future of humanity through faith, hope and love. Francis' Salutation of the Blessed Virgin Mary captures the Mystery .... Hail, O Lady, Holy Queen, Mary Holy Mother of God, who are the virgin made church and who are the one chosen by the most Holy Father in heaven, whom he consecrated with his most holy beloved Son and with the Holy Spirit the Paraclete, and in whom there has been and is all the fullness of grace and every good ..... Hail His Palace! Hail His Tabernacle! Hail His Home, Hail His Robe! Hail His Handmaid! Hail His Mother! Perhaps we could stand still for a moment in this fourth week of Lent and ask ourselves are we continuing to shape the future of humanity through faith, hope and love ...... 3rd Week March 19th Feast of St. Joseph
Icon, Joseph's Embrace of Mary by Domenica Ghidotti This particular Icon was written for the Carmelite Monastery Kirkintilloch Glasgow and hangs in their Chapel. 'Another Joseph, another dream, Do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, Yes she is pregnant, but take her, hold her, protect her. To the world you are the father of her son.... You watched him grow up, taught him your trade, he was just Joseph's son That awful day he got lost, the frantic searching with Mary, The temple finding; Your father and I have been looking.... Did you not know about my Father's business. Your Father.... I'm just the husband of Mary, father to God's Son Another Joseph.... another dream ..... 2nd Week We discover again how to see from a lowly place, contemplating the gift of God in each person, in ever creature, in all creation'...FMM Chap Doc. 2008 Franciscan contemplation is a journey towards the centre of ourselves, of our lives, of our world........ 'The journey of prayer for Franciscans is the discovery of God at the centre of our lives. We pray not to acquire a relationship with God as if acquiring something that did not previously exist. Rather we pray to disclose the image of God in which we are created, the God within us, the one in whom we are created and in whom lies the seed of our identity..... In prayer therefore we discover what we already have, the potential for the fullness of Life and this life is the life of Christ'. Franciscan Prayer Ilia Delio St. Anthony Messenger Press. 'Ultimately the story of Francis is an invitation to experience a love that radically transforms the human person into the image of Christ crucified in intimate union with an all loving and merciful God.' Francis of Assisi the Saint Armstrong, Hellmann and Short The lives of Francis and Clare invite us into an ever closer union with the crucified Christ and call forth in us a desire for transformation which enables us to be Christ for one another. 'We recognise the space existing between what we are called to be and what we often are; we are searching for ways to close this gap. We discover once again the face of God who is a humble God, and we want this discovery to change our way of seeing, our way of contemplation, and our way of being in the world'. FMM Chap.Doc. 2008
But if you wish to know how these things come about, Ask grace, not instruction, Desire not understanding, The groaning of prayer not diligent reading......St. Bonaventure *************************************************************
THE MOST HOLY TRINITY Ant. The Father is Love, the Son is grace the Holy Spirit is the one who unites. O Blessed Trinity 'The hidden wisdom of God which we teach in our mysteries is the wisdom that God predestined to be for our glory before the ages began..... the depth of God can only be known by the Spirit of God'.1Cor.2: 7,11
************************************************** These are two stained glass window by Lorraine Lamont
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