Laborers for his harvest inspired by the poverello of Assisi

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary for the Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi challenge us to contemplate the interplay of human misery and Divine Providence as we consider the motivation of those inspired by the poverello of Assisi to take on the mission of Jesus.

Source: https://www.franciscans.ie/pope-benedict-s-franciscan-heart/

The Book of Job presents the fifth reply of Job to God in which he asserts his faith in a vindicator.

* [19:25–27] The meaning of this passage is obscure because the original text has been poorly preserved and the ancient versions do not agree among themselves. Job asserts three times that he shall see a future vindicator (Hebrew goel), but he leaves the time and manner of this vindication undefined. The Vulgate translation has Job indicating a belief in resurrection after death, but the Hebrew and the other ancient versions are less specific.

In the Gospel from Luke Jesus describes the attitude of disciples sent to bring His message to others.

* [10:4] Carry no money bag…greet no one along the way: because of the urgency of the mission and the singlemindedness required of missionaries, attachment to material possessions should be avoided and even customary greetings should not distract from the fulfillment of the task.

An article by Douglas Sean O'Donnell, adapted from The Beginning and End of Wisdom, asks why is it more historical, scientific, and sophisticated to reason that if God is all-loving, then the existence of suffering tells us that he must not be all-powerful; and if God is all-powerful and yet such affliction exists, well then he must not be all-loving? O'Donnell notes at least two flaws in such logic.

First, such a view refuses to fathom that human misery can in any way contain elements of divine love. Yet this is the message of our faith. At the very center of the gospel is God’s omnipotent love incarnate, a love that is pierced through the wood of an old rugged cross. A love that suffers, a love that dies!Second, such a view assumes that if suffering appears to be pointless to me, then it must be pointless. Sometimes we are so arrogant and ignorant. While we know from experience (as we look retrospectively to times of suffering in our lives and see the benefits of such times), we still assume that if our finite “minds can’t plumb the depths of the universe for good answers to suffering, well, then, there can’t be any!

Mike Cherney can imagine himself as a follower of Jesus. Mike can see Him establishing a new order in this world… He can imagine the benefits that are in store for him, the Kingdom of God is at hand. Jesus charge is far from what Mike expects. The promise is not of earthly rewards, instead Mike is asked to give up his financial well being and told to adopt a nomadic lifestyle in a world that may be hostile to the message. Mike connects to the mission of St Francis of Assisi.

St Francis of Assisi comes to realize that his mission concerns an institution in need of repair. Today I see many venues in need of repair - physical, institutional and individual.
Counting myself among the sites in need of repair, I conclude with St. Francis’ prayer in San Damiano.
Most High, glorious God,
enlighten the darkness of my heart and give me
true faith, certain hope, and perfect charity,
sense and knowledge, Lord, that I may carry out
Your holy and true command. Amen.

Don Schwager quotes Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD) in a sermon that affirms faith in Providence.

"How then does [Jesus] command the holy apostles, who are innocent men and 'sheep,' to seek the company of wolves, and go to them of their own will? Is not the danger apparent? Are they not set up as ready prey for their attacks? How can a sheep prevail over a wolf? How can one so peaceful conquer the savageness of beasts of prey? 'Yes,' he says, 'for they all have me as their Shepherd: small and great, people and princes, teachers and students. I will be with you, help you, and deliver you from all evil. I will tame the savage beasts. I will change wolves into sheep, and I will make the persecutors become the helpers of the persecuted. I will make those who wrong my ministers to be sharers in their pious designs. I make and unmake all things, and nothing can resist my will.'" (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 61

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 10:1-12 notes that Luke 10:5 is a verse that seems particularly relevant today, on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi (1181–1226). Like the disciples in the Gospel reading, Francis and his followers wandered the countryside carrying the good news of Jesus. And like the disciples, they often did it by bringing peace and reconciliation into places of conflict.

One story in particular reveals Francis’ gift for peacemaking. In the last year of his life, the mayor of Assisi and the town’s bishop had fallen into a feud. To intervene, Francis composed a new verse of his poem “Canticle of Brother Sun and Sister Moon”: “All praise be yours, my Lord, through those who grant pardon for love of you. . . . Happy those who endure in peace; by you Most High, they will be crowned.”

A post by Franciscan Media connects Saint Francis of Assisi’s Story to the Gospel of Luke.

Francis understood that Jesus came to reconcile us, not only with God, but with each other as well. On a personal level, unforgiveness can destroy families and friendships—even our health and peace of mind. On a broader level, it can lead to war, conflict, and destruction. But Jesus came to preach peace by putting to death all enmity through his cross, and he wants us to try to “preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).He must have suspected a deeper meaning to “build up my house.” But he would have been content to be for the rest of his life the poor “nothing” man actually putting brick on brick in abandoned chapels. He gave up all his possessions, piling even his clothes before his earthly father—who was demanding restitution for Francis’ “gifts” to the poor—so that he would be totally free to say, “Our Father in heaven.” He was, for a time, considered to be a religious fanatic, begging from door to door when he could not get money for his work, evoking sadness or disgust to the hearts of his former friends, ridicule from the unthinking.
But genuineness will tell. A few people began to realize that this man was actually trying to be Christian. He really believed what Jesus said: “Announce the kingdom! Possess no gold or silver or copper in your purses, no traveling bag, no sandals, no staff” (Luke 9:1-3).

American friar Tom Washburn, OFM, in his article “The Pope and St Francis” reflects on the influence of St Francis’ spirit on Pope Benedict and his historic decision to resign as Supreme Pastor of the Church.

“I think Pope Benedict has a Franciscan heart and understands the reality of letting go very well. When meeting with the priests of Rome recently, the Pope said, “I am strengthened and reassured by the certainty that the Church is Christ’s.” The Holy Father knows that the church never belonged to Benedict. Like St. Francis, Benedict was merely its steward for a time. St. Francis realized something similar. He understood that he never intended to create such a thing as a Religious Order, but simply wanted to live the life of the Gospel and if others wanted to join him in doing that, what a wonderful thing.

A post originally appeared at A Friar's LIfe, blog of Thomas Washburn, OFM, that celebrates Francis as a Jesuit Pope with a Franciscan heart.

I think it is one of the best indications of the kind of Church he dreams of, the kind of followers of Christ the Pope prays that we all will be. This is what a "church that is poor and that is for the poor" would look like.  These are truly the words of a Jesuit Pope with a Franciscan heart.

Friar Jude Winkler, OFM Conv, outlines the understanding of resurrection in the Book of Job. The goel or vindicator, who will defend Job, is invoked with a vigorous argument that the misery he knows is not fair. The Seventy Two disciples sent by Jesus do their part and leave judgement to God.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, reflects that In light of today’s information overload, people are looking for a few clear certitudes by which to define themselves. We see various forms of fundamentalism in many religious leaders when it serves their cultural or political worldview. We surely see it at the lowest levels of religion—Christianity as well as Judaism, Islam, and secular fundamentalism, too—where God is used to justify violence, hatred, prejudice, and whatever is “my” way of doing things.

Great spirituality, on the other hand, seeks a creative balance between opposites. As Jesuit William Johnston writes, “Faith is that breakthrough into that deep realm of the soul which accepts paradox with humility.” [1] When you go to one side or the other too much, you find yourself either overly righteous or overly skeptical and cynical. There must be a healthy middle, as we try to hold both the necessary light and darkness.

We settle human confusion not by falsely pretending to settle all the dust, but by teaching people an honest and humble process for learning and listening, which we call contemplation. Then people come to wisdom in a calm and compassionate way. There will not be the knee jerk overreactions that we have in so many on both Left and Right today. The problems and circumstances of misery for some today are not different from the society in which the message of peace of St Francis was proclaimed. We can pray for our own “Franciscan heart”.

References

(n.d.). Job chapter 19 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved October 4, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/job/19
(n.d.). Luke 10:25-37. Retrieved October 4, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/luke10.htm
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved October 4, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved October 4, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
(n.d.). Saint Francis of Assisi (Memorial) - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily .... Retrieved October 4, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
(n.d.). Saint Francis of Assisi – Franciscan Media. Retrieved October 4, 2018, from https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-francis-of-assisi/
(n.d.). Pope Benedict's Franciscan Heart! | Irish Franciscans. Retrieved October 4, 2018, from https://www.franciscans.ie/pope-benedict-s-franciscan-heart/
(2014, March 13). A Jesuit Pope with a Franciscan Heart - Happy Anniversary Pope .... Retrieved October 4, 2018, from https://www.escofm.org/news/a-jesuit-pope-with-a-franciscan-heart-happy-anniversary-pope-francis
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved October 4, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/