In the past 15-20 years, we have seen people expressing their opinions in ways that are more and more extreme. Instead of reason, we have emotion; in place of discussion, we have insults. Social media adds to this by giving the shield of anonymity to the most hurtful remarks. It isn’t so much what people believe, as the way they say it, that is driving us apart.
Have you thought of God being an encourager? Have you experienced our merciful God urging you into areas of your life where you did not want to go? He encourages us in those small "whispers" or nudges to do something out of our comfort zone. Sometimes God has to drag us reluctantly to take that leap of faith.
The message is clear. The Church invites me—no, actually demands of me—as a secular, professed Franciscan, to work toward the equality of all people in our society. Of course, depending on our particular gifts and personalities, what I do may be different than your response to the call of the Holy Spirit.
Perhaps one lesser known fact about St. Anthony is his great devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and, on account of the many references to Mary in his sermons and expressive passion with which he speaks of her, he might well be called, like St. Bernard of Clairvaux, whom he so frequently quotes, a second “Marian Doctor.”
Many feel unable to move forward, stifled by current world problems that seem insurmountable. Feelings of depression, division, greed, fear, or apathy thwart our efforts to live our vocation authentically. Secular Franciscans have a choice: either to hide from troubles or, with the help of our Rule and Gospel, to seek ways of moving forward in spite of difficulties.
I am certain we will get to the other side of this (Pandemic). My certainty rests in God. My prayer is that we get to the other side with a new vision, a deeper understanding, more compassion, and a fervent commitment to do all that we can individually, fraternally, and through our Order to care for the world and all within it.
Since there are no issues within the Order in our region, our focus moved to educate ourselves on the Beatitudes of Good Communication amongst all people. I heard a quote that went something like this: “You are the other part of me, I don’t yet understand.” We need to learn from each other. This is why learning and practicing mindful dialogue is so important with all people, because we don’t understand each other and what life is like from the perspective of other cultures.
A Historical View
By William Wicks, OFS, NAFRA Historian 2005 – 2012
I believe strongly that as Secular Franciscans, we are called to accept all people as equal under God; our Rule testifies to this by stating “in the divine seed in everyone.” (Rule 2:19) And who can […]
The national OFS fraternity has asked us: to identify and eradicate the structures that perpetuate racism…; to pray for an end to racism…; to identify and confront our own unconscious racial biases. I hope this article provides some resources for each of these actions that you can use individually or as a fraternity for on-going formation. It is not comprehensive, but rather offers a menu of ideas.
During these difficult times of political turmoil and racial upheaval, one question keeps coming up over and over again: “What can I do?” I have only one answer: Dialogue with one another. Listen to the stories. Validate the stories. Then you will be able to share your stories.