Above all else St. Francis stands for love, but love that empties itself, love that is so secure that it can be poor. It can let go of its reputation, securities, and money.
In every age, Francis will be called the little poor man. He was free enough to be poor. He named his community "the brothers of the lower class" (friars minor). He changed sides intentionally...
Richard Rohr, Radical Grace: Daily Meditations
My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favouritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, "Have a seat here, please", while to the one who is poor you say, "Stand there", or, "Sit at my feet", have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?
(James 2.1-5)
In Francis' time, the minores were the poor, the servant class, while the majores were the aristocracy, the lords and ladies. It's a strange and unhappy thing, but even in our own time I've found this attitude among people in the church, and it is a stench in the nostrils of God! Francis' deliberate choice is a choice we must all, in one way or another, make as Christians. Maybe literally, as Francis and Clare (a highborn noble lady in Assisi) did, and maybe in other ways, but make it we must, if we are to follow our Lord, who read from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah,
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour.
and went on to say, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." (Luke 4.18-21)
I've been a bit neglectful of this blog the past week. Just been very busy here, with PCC meetings and so forth. I'll try and get back to regular posting, if only brief snippets! Doesn't do to let the poor thing lie fallow...
2 comments:
Oh fallow, schmallow... When you are not here you are missed! But we understand, life happens.
I loved reading this post and when I read the original Rohr email that we both get.
Minor. Poor. Little. Disenfranchised. On the edges.
It is only in our poverty that we are available, and poverty goes way beyond the money and the material.
To throw ourselves into the abyss to rely on God alone is something very Franciscan and something very hard to do.
Amen!!
Was just reading the obits of Dom Helder Camara (for something I was writing and because I have always loved and admired him) from 1999 and he truly lived this way.
Sorry I have been so scarce in my visits. I'll be back more often, it is always nourishing to read you. Bless you for this ministry.
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