Category: Franciscan

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Corpus Christi

Today at Mt. Irenaeus our liturgy began in the friar garden next to the House of Peace. Fr. Dan opened up the Eucharist with an invitation to silence. In the silence we listened for the voice of God. Fr. John invited us to remember that the Eucharist comes from the earth and that we are one with all creation. We processed up the hill to Holy Peace Chapel and as we walked we sang “Laudate Dominum, Laudate Dominum, omnes gentes, alleluia.

It was all very moving. As I walked behind Fr. Bob and Br. Joe I was blessed by a benediction of tears. Tears of gratitude and an overwhelming sense of presence of the Body of Christ.

Throughout the Eucharist there was a sense of presence and connectedness to the Body of Christ. We are all one in Christ and through Christ. I am grateful today because it has been Christ who transformed my broken spirit and gave me a new life. I believe no one can be transformed without that brokenness. Each of us and all of us must pass through our agony and metaphoric crucifixion to join with Christ in our redemption. There is after all a purpose for our suffering. We cannot be complete until we recognize and accept our imperfection.

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Prayers for Oklahoma

Tonight as I read the news on the Internet via @Twitter and Google I was struck by the ferocity of the storms in Oklahoma and elsewhere in the heartland of the United States. It must be terrifying to be in the path of one of these great storms and not be able to do anything but pray. I prayed as I read the news and sent positive vibrations that way. There are some among us who deny that the climate is changing. I wondered how can anyone not see change as forecasters predicted grapefruit sized hail would be pelting Oklahoma. What terrible chain of events have we set in motion by our wanton disregard for the planet we call home. St. Francis saw all creation as brother and sister in much the same manner as the indigenous people who once called Oklahoma home. What will it take for us once again to put creation and our Mother Earth first in our thinking? I hope it is not too late to bring some care to our environment.

Creation has an intrinsic order. The following quote is taken from a document from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The created universe is the fruit of the love of God, which has produced human beings in his image who can recognize the intelligent ordering of creation. Because of their privileged position in creation, human beings must recognize their responsibility to be guardians of this creation, and to ensure the proper balance of the ecosystems they depend on.

Let us pray for Oklahoma and the earth that we call home. Let us pray that we become better stewards of the ecosystem that’s been entrusted to us.

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Altissimo Omnipotente Bon Signore

Altissimu, onnipotente bon Signore,
Tue so le laude, la gloria e l’honore et onne benedictione.
— St. Francis of Assisi

Translated from the original Umbrian dialect this is: Most high, all powerful, all good Lord! All praise is Yours, all glory, all honor, and all blessing. That was on my heart tonight as I drove away from home and toward my destination. It was a beautiful night for a drive. Temperature hovering at 81 F and low relative humidity. I reflected on the blessings of the day and of year and years. This has been a year of reflection. Yesterday my wife and I celebrated thirty years of marriage. Today it was another memory of an earlier time prior to meeting Diane that had my attention. I’ve been consciously trying to be more grateful. I’ve been following the suggestions of Positive Psychologists and making note of three things each day that have gone well. Originally I noted them here, but have taken to using the notepad app on my iPhone. In any event I am living more mindfully and that is a plus.  It’s easy in the hustle and bustle of everyday to live mindlessly and I do that, but in the past almost 18 months I’ve been living more mindfully and practicing yoga which I’ve found has increased my focus, relaxed me and complemented my contemplative life.

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Called to be a Franciscan

In the past year I’ve looked more and more what it is to be called to be a Secular Franciscan. I was professed into the order in April of 2002 and since then I’ve grown in fits and starts. What is it that I’m called to be? Am I to be a pious “stick in the mud?” I hope not. As a Secular Franciscan I’m called to live the Gospel and to move from “Gospel to life” and “life to the Gospel.” That’s a tall order most of the time, but that’s the ideal. I’m blessed to be a member of the Secular Franciscan Order and refer to myself as the “least of the brothers.” I’m drawn to shrines, monasteries, quiet chapels and working with people. My heart breaks when I’m confronted with injustice. Being a Franciscan is a blessing of tremendous consequence in my life.

United by their vocation as “brothers and sisters of penance” and motivated by the dynamic power of the gospel, let them conform their thoughts and deeds to those of Christ by means of that radical interior change which the gospel calls “conversion.” Human frailty makes it necessary that this conversion be carried out daily.

My life is one of conversion and each day I become a little more converted. I can live with that. A simple daily walk of conversion that has produced a radical interior change. Not perfect. Perfection is not the mark of the creator. Imperfection is a blessing bestowed by God.