In Rio - a Renewed Call to Rebuild!

Pope Francis has frequently spoken of St Francis and how his life and message are particularly relevant to the Church of our time.

During World Youth Day in Rio, at the Prayer Vigil, in which some 2 million youth participated, the Pope recalled the invitation from Christ that changed the life of Francis of Assisi. Praying before the Cross in the little ruined chapel of San Damiano he heard the invitation: 'Francis, go and rebuild my house!'

As part of the vigil a group constructed a 'church' on the huge stage - a symbol of our task to work with the Lord in constantly renewing his House, his People!

Pope Francis said: 'We have just recalled the story of Saint Francis of Assisi. In front of the crucifix he heard the voice of Jesus saying to him: "Francis, go, rebuild my house". The young Francis responded readily and generously to the Lord’s call to rebuild his house.'

However St Francis had to learn the deeper meaning of Christ’s invitation.

'But which house? Slowly but surely, Francis came to realize that it was not a question of repairing a stone building, but about doing his part for the life of the Church. It was a matter of being at the service of the Church, loving her and working to make the countenance of Christ shine ever more brightly in her.'

The Pope reminded the youth that this call of Christ was also given to them:

'Tonight, let us answer Christ: Yes, I too want to be a living stone; together we want to build up the Church of Jesus! Let us all say together: I want to go forth and build up the Church of Christ!

Dear friends, never forget that you are the field of faith! You are Christ’s athletes! You are called to build a more beautiful Church and a better world.'

And as he so often stresses -  this sacred space we help rebuild must be 'roomy' enough for the whole world. Pope Francis has no time for an inward looking Church, caught up in itself.

'In the Church of Jesus, we ourselves are the living stones. Jesus is asking us to build up his Church, but not as a little chapel which holds only a small group of persons. He asks us to make his living Church so large that it can hold all of humanity, that it can be a home for everyone!'

That First Smile...

The Irish Jesuit Michael Paul Gallagher likens Christian faith to the first smile of an infant:

“For weeks you smile and express your love... then one day your baby smile back. He or she has entered into a different relationship, has responded to all you have given. It is a moment of recognition, of love. Our life of faith is exactly like that in its core simplicity. God loves us in Christ; and one day you must realise it... there is a danger of reducing faith to morality or to the externals of religious belonging. If that happens behaviour in the Christian life becomes a matter of ‘I ought to’ or ‘I ought not’. Needless to say the commandments come alive and make best sense if God’s love is received and recognised – like that first smile.”

I recalled this image of the first smile when reading Pope Francis’encyclical, Lumen Fidei where he writes:

“Faith transforms the whole person precisely to the extent that he or she becomes open to love.”

Then, in turn, this love leads an ever deeper knowing.

"Through this blending of faith and love we come to see the kind of knowledge which faith entails, its power to convince and its ability to illumine our steps. Faith knows because it is tied to love, because love itself brings enlightenment. Faith’s understanding is born when we receive the immense love of God which transforms us inwardly and enables us to see reality with new eyes.”

“Love itself brings enlightenment.”

This echoes our deepest Franciscan understanding. Commenting on the profound Christian wisdom obvious in St Francis’ life, Friar Thomas of Celano, his first biographer, wrote:

 “Where the learning of the scholars remains outside, the affection of the lover enters within!”

Pope Francis emphasises frequently the link between love, faith and seeing:

"Faith is born of an encounter with the living God who calls us and reveals his love, a love which precedes us and upon which we can lean for security and for building our lives. Transformed by this love, we gain fresh vision, new eyes to see. Those who believe - see!"

And by the grace of the Spirit this seeing, this knowing can persist even when our faith enters, as it must, the various seasons of darkness on life's path.

Telling it like it is!

British Prime Minister, David Cameron, is chairing the G8 Summit that began in Northern Ireland today.

He received a letter from Pope Francis that goes beyond "wishing you well with your discussions" type of greeting. Basically the Pope said there will be no change in the "rotten system" - to quote Dorothy Day - until the dignity and value of the human person is recognised.

Concern for the fundamental material and spiritual welfare of every human person is the starting-point for every political and economic solution and the ultimate measure of its effectiveness and its ethical validity.

The goal of economics and politics is to serve humanity, beginning with the poorest and most vulnerable wherever they may be, even in their mothers' wombs.

Every economic and political theory or action must set about providing each inhabitant of the planet with the minimum wherewithal to live in dignity and freedom, with the possibility of supporting a family, educating children, praising God and developing one's own human potential.

This is the main thing; in the absence of such a vision, all economic activity is meaningless.

In this sense, the various grave economic and political challenges facing today's world require a courageous change of attitude that will restore to the end (the human person) and to the means (economics and politics) their proper place.

Money and other political and economic means must serve, not rule.

Fundamental Christian, indeed human, principles.

Pope Francis ends: I wished to share these thoughts with you, Prime Minister, with a view to highlighting what is implicit in all political choices, but can sometimes be forgotten: the primary importance of putting humanity, every single man and woman, at the centre of all political and economic activity, both nationally and internationally, because person is the truest and deepest resource for politics and economics, as well as their ultimate end.

As we have come to expect from Pope Francis - he tells it like it is.

Let's hope someone is listening!

Friars' Letter: Defending Life

Below is a letter to our local TDs (members of parliament) in which Irish Franciscan Friars (OFM) express their deep concern about proposed legislation that would introduce abortion into Ireland.

Debate about this fundamental issue is often contentious and bitter. In keeping with the Franciscan spirit the tone of this letter seeks to be prayerful and courteous.

Franciscan Friary
.......

Dear…..

The Lord give you peace.

I write to you as an Irish citizen and also as a Franciscan friar, guided by the Gospel vision that inspired St Francis of Assisi. At the heart of that vision was a profound reverence for life.

As you are so well aware the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill has aroused intense discussion. The proposed legislation has raised grave concerns for many, particularly about its likely unintended impact on the protection and care for human life in our country.

I wish to echo the compassionate approach expressed by Pope Francis who has said: “We must listen, support, and understand in order to save two lives: we must love and support the mother in every way we can and also respect the smallest and most defenceless human being, to take all possible steps that can preserve the child’s life, to allow that child of God come to birth.”

I realise that you carry a major responsibility as you reflect on this most important matter – literally one of life or death.

I promise to pray for you as you fulfil your duty as our elected representative.

Yours respectfully,

A Brother's Embrace!

 

"How good and how pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!" (Ps 133:1)

The Irish Provincial Minister, Hugh McKenna embraces our new Minister General, American friar, Michael Perry,OFM, after his election in Rome on 22 May.

He succeeds our brother now Archbishop José Rodrígiez Carballo, OFM, who was appointed by Pope Francis to the Vatican position of Secretary of the Congregation of Religious.

Michael, in an interview after his election, rightly said that the friars are united, energised and challenged by the ministry of the new pope, whose name honours our founder, St. Francis.

Pope Francis "has energised us, but he also has challenged us just by who he is. His authenticity challenges us to rediscover our own authenticity. By his example he calls us to simplify our lives and to speak less and demonstrate more who we are."

“It's not a matter of promoting the Franciscan ‘brand,’ but of demonstrating that simplicity of life means greater life for all people, it means greater access to all that people need to have dignity and survive on this small, tiny planet we have. It means respecting creation so that we do not destroy the environment in which we live.”

Michael is honest: “Pope Francis has taken the name of the person we hold as a model, who calls us to live faithfully the Gospel. I think how short we fall sometimes in living the Gospel. This man has lived for a very long time what he is calling all of us to take on."

On the Wind of the Spirit

I live by the sea and I often watch the gulls hover in the wind. They know the art of working with the wind. They let the wind carry them. That is why they are able to remain in the air for so many hours and yet not grow tired.

The gulls teach me how to be carried by the wind of the Spirit, the Breath of God.

It is hard to walk against a strong wind. Yet with what ease we move when the wind is in our favour. So when I am ‘moving in the Spirit’ how much ‘lighter’ does my daily Christian living become. But what heavy work I make of my life when I am out of tune with the movement of grace!

One of the Fathers of the Church put it clearly: ‘The breath of the Spirit blows to fill the sails of our faith and our praise.’

An even earlier source, the second century Odes of Solomon uses another image.

‘As the wind passes through the lyre

And the strings speak,

In the same way through my inward being

Sounds the Spirit of the Lord, and I speak in his love.’

The wonder is that the Spirit who hovered over the waters at the dawn of creation is available now to me, to you, to breathe fresh life in us and to uphold us with power from on high.

Come Holy Spirit, Come Divine Wind, Come!

The Hungry Soul

 

Matthew Kelly in the The Rhythm of Life writes, "It would be lovely if our souls growled every time they were hungry the way our stomachs do. But they don't. The voice of the hungry soul is confusion, questions, and a general sense of being overwhelmed."

I know the feeling! These past few weeks have been filled with rushing, taking on too many tasks, and so not giving myself enough time for silence and solitude. And my hungry soul is making me aware of the imbalance.

So this morning in prayer, by God’s patient goodness, I was able to refocus, to centre myself, and to surrender in peace the concerns and tasks that had seemed so important.

And as Pentecost draws nearer the desire grows within me for the grace of Pentecostal refreshment. I realise that this holy desire is itself a touch of grace, a desire that the Lord stirs up so as to fulfil it in me if I am open, available for the fresh gift.

I hope to pray the Sequence for Pentecost Sunday daily during these coming weeks. Many of the ancient, beautiful invocations speak deeply to my present need.

Thou, of all consolers best,
Thou, the soul's delightful guest,
Dost refreshing peace bestow.

Thou in toil art comfort sweet;
Pleasant coolness in the heat;
Solace in the midst of woe.

Heal our wounds, our strength renew;
On our dryness pour thy dew,
Wash the stains of guilt away.

Bend the stubborn heart and will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill;
Guide the steps that go astray...

Amen, Alleluia!