Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity Sr. Mary Ann Spanjers continues to deeply explore how St Francis of Assis’s call can resonate with your own discernment and relationship with God. “intimacy….. affects every aspect of life in a way nothing else can: ministry, work, family, community, faith life, one’s image of God and one’s personal self-image, because we are not trying to hide behind excuses, fears, humor, obsessions. In other words, our experience of intimacy affects the way we pray, the way we serve, the way we forgive, the way we live, the way we relate to others close to us, the way we hope the way we dream about our future.” Since 1869, Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity have served in Catholic Health Care, Education, Campus Ministry and Parish-Community Service in Dioceses in Michigan, Wisconsin, the Midwest, Central and Southwest U.S. God Calls You. We Invite You Dios te llama. Te invitamos. Visit us at fscc-calledtobe.org Photo of St. Francis: St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Frisco, Texas
Franciscan Discernment VI
St Francis hears Jesus speak to him from the San Damiano icon crucifix, “Francis, go rebuild my Church for it has fallen into ruin”
Francis does just this at San Damiano, how does he get the funds? He sells the fabric from his father’s store and uses the money to buy the needed supplies.
Francis’ father was irate beyond words. His son, unintentionally, was making a mockery of him, was an embarrassment to the family and stole merchandise from his cloth shop. He was fed up with Franics and tried to summon him before the civil authorities. When that didn’t work Fr. Roch Niemier tells us in his book In the Footsteps of Francis and Clare, he appealed to the bishop whose residence was at Santa Maria Maggiore. In the Legend of the Three Companions the story is told thus,
Then he [Francis] came before the bishop and was received by him with great joy. “Your father,” the bishop said to him, “is infuriated and extremely scandalized. If you wish to serve God, return to him the money you have, because God does not want you to spend money unjustly acquired on the work of the Church. Your father’s anger will abate when he gets the money back. My son, have confidence in the Lord and act courageously. Do not be afraid, for He will be your help and will abundantly provide you with whatever is necessary for the work of this church.”
Then Francis got up, joyful and comforted by the bishop’s words. And brought the money to him. He said, “My lord, I will gladly give back not only the money acquired from his things, but even all my clothes.” He took off all his clothes and putting the money on top of them, naked before the bishop, his father and all the bystanders said, “Listen to me, and understand. Until now I have called Pietro di Bernadone my father. But because I have proposed to serve God, I return to him the money on account of which he was so upset, and also all the clothing which is his, wanting to say from now on; Our Father who are in heaven and not My father, Pietro di Bernadone.”
One of the ways to explore the spirituality of this event has to do with intimacy. Nakedness has overtones of intimacy/vulnerability, which is each person’s deepest need. In using the word “intimacy,” or “vulnerability” the intent is the sharing of one’s heart, one’s deepest self.
When intimacy happens it affects every aspect of life in a way nothing else can: ministry, work, family, community, faith life, one’s image of God and one’s personal self-image, because we are not trying to hide behind excuses, fears, humor, obsessions. In other words, our experience of intimacy affects the way we pray, the way we serve, the way we forgive, the way we live, the way we relate to others close to us, the way we hope the way we dream about our future.
May we have the courage to be intimate with God, our Father today.
