A Time to Reflect Advent is that special time of prayer in preparation for the Incarnation. We can cast our thoughts back to the Christmas of 1223 and Francis, after having spent such time in prayer, arranged for a living nativity scene. The people of the town of Greccio gathered and participated in this beautiful experience of enacting the first Christmas. It gave everyone the opportunity to more deeply experience the birth of Christ.[1] Thomas of Celano, an early companion of Francis, tells us that it is in the birth of Jesus, where God becomes en-fleshed, that the intimate link between creation and Incarnation become 'visible.'[2] Francis saw the most profound revelation of God’s love for us in the Incarnation. Through the Christmas scene he created at Greccio, Francis wanted to show the people in a very concrete way how God entered into our everyday world of creation through the Incarnation.[3] The Incarnation made all of creation holy. To Francis, and in Catholic theology, all is connected: The Incarnation in the form of Jesus, in the Word, and in the Eucharist, and in all of creation. The Incarnation is there at each Mass we celebrate – the amazing God of the universe came into the world in all humility in the form of an infant. The amazing God of the universe come to us at each Mass, in the form of the Eucharist. This advent, let us grow ever closer to the Incarnation!
Advent Blessings! Laura, OFS Minister [1] Short, Poverty and Joy: The Franciscan Tradition, 85.
[2] Ilia Delio, A Franciscan View of Creation: Learning to Live in a Sacramental World (St. Bonaventure, NY: Franciscan Institute, St. Bonaventure University, 2003), 15. [3] Delio, A Franciscan View of Creation: Learning to Live in a Sacramental World, 15. [4] LtOrd 26
0 Comments
An Invitation to go Deeper After the spectacular experiences of October with Transitus, the Feast Day of St. Francis, the Blessing of the Animals, and the Professions of Pam Pert OFS, Linda Ochwat OFS, and Peter Normandin OFS, where do we go from here? We go deeper.
In October, we received an abundance of grace and love in the celebrations of these wonderful Franciscan moments. I saw joy overflowing in our community. I heard fellow Seculars say about the Professions of Pam, Linda, and Peter, ‘I was able to re-live my own Profession!’ We received so much; now were called to go deeper. Our November 3rd gathering, immediately following All Saint’s Day, will be an opportunity to go deeper into the ‘soul of all we are and do.’ We will have an opportunity to engage our minds, hearts, and souls in the experience of contemplative prayer in the form of Eucharistic Adoration and the Franciscan Crown. We’ll have an opportunity to take in our hands the joys we have received in the Franciscan celebrations of October and reflect on them in our hearts. November brings its own Franciscan joys as well – The feast of our Patron St. Elizabeth of Hungary on November 17th, and the Feast of Al Saints of the Seraphic Order when the final Rule of Life for the Franciscan friars was approved on 1223. Let us enter this relatively quiet time following a very exciting October and take some time to ‘process’ and to appreciate the gifts we have received. Let’s spend just a bit of time in quiet prayer and contemplation. Pace e Bene - Laura Chun, OFS Minister The AscensionDear brothers and sisters, This month we gather on June 2, the Sunday when we observe the Ascension of the Lord. In the 5th century, Leo the Great preached that in His Ascension, Christ “began to be indescribably more present” to us. Much later, in the 13th century, Francis of Assisi wrote how we are supposed to respond that indescribable presence:
- St. Francis of Assisi, Letter to the Entire Order And today – how do you bear witness to God’s voice in word and deed? Because that is indeed the reason He has sent you into the world. May the Lord be “indescribably more present” to you this Ascension. Donna
Holding Each Other's Vocations Dear Brother and Sisters, Please remember that instead of our usual afternoon gathering, we will attend the 5:00 pm Mass and Profession of six new Franciscans. On this special day we will be joined by Holy Spirit Fraternity as their own Jaqui Bradley makes her profession. The Order is much enriched when we celebrate these rites together! I am sure we will give a warm San Luis Rey welcome to Jaqui, Judith and Bill Mussatto, and Maria Rodriguez (Holy Spirit’s Minister). When I made my own profession, I placed my hands in the hands of Gloria, my Minister. I will never forget the warmth and love in her eyes. I could feel her vibrant faith, and marveled that such person actually believed I had a Franciscan vocation! While each profession is utterly unique before the living God, there is a sense in which we truly hold each other’s vocations. May we do so with warmth and love. As fraternity, then, we take into our hearts and prayers the following candidates for profession:
Messengers of Perfect Joy
The Grace of CommitmentDear sisters and brothers, In our Rite of Profession, immediately before the candidates make their actual permanent profession, the priest celebrant says “Let us pray”: This coming Lent, whenever and wherever we undertake that most Franciscan of devotions - the Stations of the Cross – may the Spirit of love penetrate our hearts. May His grace strengthen us in our commitment to follow Him. As our Rule exhorts us: United themselves to the redemptive obedience of Jesus, who placed His will into the Father’s hands, let them faithfully fulfill the duties proper to their various circumstances of life. Let them also follow the poor and crucified Christ, witness to Him even in difficulties and persecutions (art. 10). When do you find it easy to unite yourself to “the redemptive obedience of Jesus”? When do you find it difficult? With prayers for strength and commitment,
Donna OFS Minister The Holy Martyrs of Nagasaki Dear brothers and sisters, On February 6, the Church remembers the Holy Martyrs of Nagasaki, Peter Baptist, Paul Miki and Companions, also known as the 26 Martyrs of Japan. They were three Japanese Jesuits, six Franciscan friars and seventeen Japanese Secular Franciscans, crucified on February 5, 1597. They were canonized by Pope Pius IX in 1862. From the letter of Friar Peter Baptist, February 2, 1597: Dearest brothers, help us with your prayers that our death may be acceptable to the majesty of God in heaven where, God willing, we hope to go. We will remember you. We have not forgotten your love here. I have loved you and still love you with all my heart. I wish you the peace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Farewell, dearest brothers, because there is no longer any time to speak to you. Till we meet in heaven. Remember me. Love will be the topic of our February 3 meeting.
Please bring a copy of the Rule. With Peace and love, Donna, OFS Minister What the Magi Know
Begotten of the Father before the daystar shone or time began, the Lord our Savior has appeared on earth today. He appears today, of course. Here and now. Will we have the sense of the pagan magi to recognize him? In this Adoration of the Magi image, we do not see the Christ Child. We just see the reverent posture of the two older wise men, and the radiant gaze of the younger man. What do these magi know that we don’t? Begotten of the Father before the daystar shone or time began, the Lord our Savior has appeared on earth today.
Joyous Epiphany, Donna The King Before All ThingsBrothers and sisters, Before we move into Advent, let’s pause to ponder a great gift of our tradition in the Church - the Solemnity of Christ, King of the Universe. So much of how we understand the two seasons of Advent and Christmas should flow from this day. On December 11, 1925 Pope Pius XI affirmed in his encyclical Quas primas that Christ Jesus is the first reason and final cause of all existing things. He did this in the face of a rising tide of facism, and when he did, Franciscans around the world took note. Why? Because this teaching on Christ the King reflects Scripture, tradition and the deep insights of Franciscan theology. In 1307, Bl. John Duns Scotus used this understanding of the primacy of Christ to defend his ideas about the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. After more than 600 years, the Church made the insights of this humble friar official. Christ the King and the Immaculate Conception are connected – and they both point to Christmas! Perhaps this is the reason we have the hymn from Colossians in Evening Prayer II on Christmas:
Blessings in these holy seasons,
Donna The Pastoral Visit: A Privileged Moment |
Archives
July 2022
Categories
|
|
Address
Secular Franciscan Order
Old Mission San Luis Rey 4050 Mission Avenue Oceanside, CA 92057 phone
1-800-FRANCIS
1-800-372-6247 |
Copyright ©2017-2024 SLR Secular Franciscan Fraternity. Please share respectfully. |