It is never good to be alone.
This is a fact we sometimes forget.
In Genesis, where the good of Creation and humanity in
particular, is defined, so too is our Franciscan identity moored. A
Christian reflection on the Universe asks why.
Why this planet or solar system as the birthplace of salvation? Why God did you choose humanity, the only beings
made for faith or reason? Since nobody
in the history of time has answered this question, it will be the first I ask
the Maker when we meet.
God’s Word speaks of love between creatures, and the relational
nature of human beings. And so, by the
way does our particular tradition.
In his Feast Day Homily two years ago, Minister General Jose
Carballo noted that St. Francis was “radically relational”. For Francis, the Word of God and he shared in
“intimate relationship”. The two expressed
themselves sine glossa, freely and without
interference, to each other. To what the
Lord said in the Word, was the heart of Francis totally open. Francis was very aware that the closer he got
to God’s Word, the closer he got to God Himself.
But Francis was not only relational, he was communal. “He knew well,” Brother Jose insists, “that
when the Lord spoke and he responded communion was established. Listening to the Word and devouring it,
Francis not only edified himself, but conformed to the God speaking.” As the law of love states: a lover conforms
to his beloved. Observe a married couple
for a few years to see this occur. And
dare I say that such is even seen in community.
When he wrote his testament, a look back on life lived, our
Father Francis referred to the difference between the man he was without
brothers and the man he became once no longer alone. In community Francis changed, the pious
disciple adopted new priorities. When alone Francis enjoyed an exclusive
relationship with God, and while never losing this completely, in community he became
concerned about something known as “the common good”, and how others related to
each other.
Brothers, I inserted in today’s liturgy a short reading from
Celano as a reminder to us all about who we are, where we come from and where
we, ideally, go.
In the gospel, Jesus invites us to be like children, which as
Friar Charles Talley of the Santa Barbara Province tells us is to be “open,
innocent, spontaneous and joyful”. To be
childlike is not to be childish, which is perhaps dodgy, manipulative, fearful,
to scratch the surface.
If childlike we are brothers, men who holistically depend on
one another but do not own one another.
If like children, we trust in one another. If truly brothers, we are men who celebrate
the gift of one another as totally other than ourselves.
The gospel Jesus preached invites us to be brothers. In the same way friars were called 800 years
ago, Jesus gathers us together in a spirit of holy simplicity, innocence of
life, and a purity of intention stemming directly from the human heart. And even though such seems impossible (I do tend
to doubt historicity of Celano’s romantic memory), even though the bar is high,
we as men of common faith are directed to common ground. We are to be of a common spirit, a common will,
a common mind, harmony and common virtues. God, for whatever reason, God for faith, chose
us, as so we share a common call.
Now Jesus says, my yoke is easy, my burden is light, but
brothers the aforesaid seems impossible. I doubt that all of us can agree on much. I fail to foresee multiple friars excited
about many common causes. But brothers,
the same gospel is ours to share.
And so, if we do nothing else, may we live it with passion! May each and every one of us love the Word of
God and be drawn together. Like and as faithful children, may we be
brothers to one another.
