Father Richard understands the Franciscan vow of poverty through Francis’ commitment to live the gospel.
Francis initially needed no rule, no code of behavior, for his brother friars. He was quite satisfied with Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and his instructions to the disciples. When Francis read the inaugural discourse of Jesus, he saw that the call to be poor stood right at the beginning: “How blessed are the poor in spirit!” Henceforward, Francis’ reading of the gospel considered poverty to be “the foundation and guardian of all virtues.” [1] The other virtues receive the kingdom only in promise; poverty, however, is invested with it already now and without delay. “Theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). [2]
Spiritual teacher Mirabai Starr shares some examples of how Francis lived out the beatitudes of Jesus:
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”
—Matthew 5:6
Francis inspired his followers to desire the liberation of their brothers and sisters as passionately as they themselves longed to be free. He modeled a spiritual path that combined private, contemplative prayer with active service in the world.
While Francis could easily have become the respected leader of a successful monastic community, removed from the distractions of society, he chose instead to immerse himself in the messy human condition, where he was often reviled as an embarrassment to the high society from which he came. Rather than accept a traditional endowment, Francis and his followers begged in the streets for bread, bricks, and firewood. He tended the sick and cared for orphans. He stood up against oppression wherever he encountered it, but he did so in such a loving way that he posed no obvious threat to the authorities and so managed to convert them to his cause….
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’s sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” —Matthew 5:10
Francis began and ended his religious vocation the victim of condemnation and rejection. When he first gave up his life of comfort and ease and took to the streets to live among the poor and beg for his most basic needs, the people of Assisi slammed their doors in his face and called him crazy. Multiple betrayals broke his heart, yet also opened him to receive the ultimate gift from Christ: participation in his passion through the stigmata. The full spectrum of Francis’s life—from joyful exaltation of the Lord to crushing self-doubt—reflected his living commitment to Christ’s teachings of love….
The Way of Love can be harrowing. It is not a path of convenience. It requires vigilance and discipline to speak for the voiceless, and courage to accept the consequences of ringing the bells that break the spell of complacency. Yet the fruits of such action are sweet. They are wild fruits, and they yield in abundance—enough to feed a whole kingdom, right here on earth. [3]
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Sarah Young Jesus Calling
Never take for granted My intimate nearness. Marvel at the wonder of My continual Presence with you. Even the most ardent human lover cannot be with you always. Nor can another person know the intimacies of your heart, mind, and spirit. I know everything about you–even to the number of hairs on your head. You don’t need to work at revealing yourself to Me.
Many people spend a lifetime or a small fortune searching for someone who understands them. Yet I am freely available to all who call upon My Name, who open their hearts to receive Me as Savior. This simple act of faith is the beginning of a lifelong love story. I, the Lover of your soul, understand you perfectly and love you eternally.
RELATED SCRIPTURE:
Luke 12:7 (NLT)
7 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
Additional insight regarding Luke 12:7: Our true value is God’s estimate of our worth, not our peers’ estimate. Other people evaluate and categorize us according to how we perform, what we achieve, and how we look. But God cares for us, as he does for all of his creatures because we belong to him. Thus, we can face life without fear; we are very valuable to God.
John 1:12 (NLT)
12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
Additional insight regarding John 1:12,13: All who welcome Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives are reborn spiritually, receiving new life from God. Through faith in Christ, this new birth changes us from the inside out – rearranging our attitudes, desires, and motives. Being born makes you physically alive and places you in your parent’s family (1:13). Being born of God makes you spiritually alive and puts you in God’s family (1:12). Have you asked Christ to make you a new person? This fresh start in life is available to all who believe in Christ.
Romans 10:13 (NLT)
13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
