Tag: St. Francis

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The Feast of St. Nicholas

Today, like most Sundays I got in my car for the forty minute drive to Mt. Irenaeus. Going to the Mountain as we call it is a Sunday ritual for me. The sun was shining adding a bit of luster to a fresh coating of snow we received overnight. Along the way I stopped at Giant Food Mart in Cuba, New York for orange juice and eggs. A morning at the Mountain is topped off with brunch for all following Eucharist in Holy Peace Chapel.

Today as I drove up the country roads that lead to Mt. Irenaeus I thought of my friend Paul Kelly who had recently died. I thought too of a couple of papers that are due for the graduate classes at St. Bonaventure University in which I am enrolled this semester. Being a perfectionist is not easy. I always want to do my best and there is always some anxiety as the final week dawns. When I arrived at the retreat center, I parked my car and greeted several students from nearby Houghton College. As I walked toward the House of Peace I was surrounded by little chickadees who flew about my head and slight above it. I thought of Paul and the Holy Spirit and how these little fellows seemed to be signaling that Paul was in good hands. After dropping off the food and then resuming my walk to the chapel I was again surrounded by this small flock of birds who seemed intent on accompanying me to Mass today.

I fetched my Blackberry to take a picture of these little birds who were so close to me in the bushes that lined the trail. One of them lit in my outstretched hand and with my free hand I was able to take a picture of my little feathered friend. At once I my eyes filled with tears and I thought of our seraphic father St. Francis. I was truly blessed today as I made my way up the path to the Eucharist. What a great blessing to hold one of these little creatures in my hand.

Today’s readings were special too. I loved the second reading from St. Paul and the one line that reads, “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it.” This was reassurance in God’s word that my paper and those of many more students would be completed. I’m sure that reading means something different to everyone, but to me today it was a great reminder that my life is ordered by a power greater than me.  The gospel too is one that I love and each year it’s proclamation is special.

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,
when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea,
and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee,
and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region
of Ituraea and Trachonitis,
and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,
during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,
the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert.
John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan,
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:
A voice of one crying out in the desert:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
Every valley shall be filled
and every mountain and hill shall be made low.
The winding roads shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” — Luke 3:1-6

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Warriors

My recent written conversations with my nephew, reading The Promise of Paradox and my reflections on both of those have lead me to believe that being a warrior at one time is a necessary experience that lead me to the path of peace. A number of my favorite Psalms including Psalm 63 and Psalm 91 are definitely written by a warrior. St. Francis of Assisi was a warrior too. I’m beginning to think that one cannot truly love peace nor work for it until one accepts the warrior in our hearts. I was never in combat, but I was in the military and I really loved my time in the military. I still get goose bumps when I see certain displays and I’ve felt a special affinity for members of the armed forces ever since I was one myself.

I’ve noted too that many of the apologists for our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan have never served in the military, they’ve never been warriors and that is the missing piece for them. I believe that this warrior phase is necessary and until it’s embraced and celebrated a man can never be whole. One cannot be peace until one has been at war. I cannot experience redemption until I have been a sinner and the most powerful redemptions are the fruit of the biggest sinners. It all belongs.

You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,Say to the LORD, “My refuge and fortress, my God in whom I trust.”God will rescue you from the fowler’s snare, from the destroying plague,Will shelter you with pinions, spread wings that you may take refuge; God’s faithfulness is a protecting shield. You shall not fear the terror of the night nor the arrow that flies by day, Nor the pestilence that roams in darkness, nor the plague that ravages at noon. Though a thousand fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, near you it shall not come. You need simply watch; the punishment of the wicked you will see. You have the LORD for your refuge; you have made the Most High your stronghold. No evil shall befall you, no affliction come near your tent. For God commands the angels to guard you in all your ways. With their hands they shall support you, lest you strike your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the asp and the viper, trample the lion and the dragon. Whoever clings to me I will deliver; whoever knows my name I will set on high. All who call upon me I will answer; I will be with them in distress; I will deliver them and give them honor. With length of days I will satisfy them and show them my saving power.

–Psalm 91

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Power made perfect

Lately I’ve been discouraged a great deal. Gasoline prices are rising nearly everyday and we seem powerless to stop it. As a person who needs to travel or provide transport for others this means more than temporary discomfort. Add to that the march of some in our government toward war with Iran and no real progress in Iraq. Congress was getting ready to send more funds down the drain today with most of that going to fund the illegal war and occupation of Iraq.  A verse from the New Testament just kind of jumped right into my lap.

My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.–2 Corinthians 12:9

I’m always looking for the upper hand. I want power. It’s my ego acting up again.  It’s upside down logic, but that’s prevalent in much of scripture. St. Francis was said to look at the world “upside down.”  The essence of prayer and spirituality is paradox. Strength from weakness.

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Home again

I’m home again after two days at Stella Maris Retreat in Skaneateles, New York. It was the annual meeting of the Kateri Tekakwitha Region Secular Franciscan Order. I’m humbled to be a member, much less a minister of our local St. Irenaeus Fraternity. The Secular Franciscan Order, originally known as the Brothers and Sisters of Penance follow a rule of life much like that followed by Franciscan friars and nuns everywhere in the world except they follow it as very ordinary folks. Some are retired, some are not. Some are married, others are not. Some of our members are social workers, nurses, while others are teachers and some are even computer geeks.  Our members come from all walks of life and all around the world. We’ve got one thing in common and that is a desire to follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the same way that our seraphic father St. Francis of Assisi did.

I’m humbled to be in the presence of such holy people. I feel like I am the least of the brothers.

Secular Franciscans, together with all people of good will, are called to build a more fraternal and evangelical world so that the kingdom of God may be brought about more effectively. Mindful that anyone “who follows Christ, the perfect man, becomes more of a man himself,” let them exercise their responsibilities competently in the Christian spirit of service.