Tag: Jane DeRose-Bamman

  • Don’t jump to Christmas too early

    Don’t jump to Christmas too early

    By Jane DeRose-Bamman, OFS
    National Minister

    Listen Audio: 3:45 min.

    Download PDF: Advent Letter to OFS-USA


    Jane DeRose-Bamman National Minister

    Dear Brothers and Sisters,

    New Year’s blessings to you. The beginning of the liturgical year also means the start of the Advent Season. Notice I wrote Advent Season, not Christmas Season. Although the Church says the Christmas Season doesn’t start for 3+ weeks, the rest of society doesn’t buy it. Most of our friends, neighbors and businesses have jumped to Christmas already. By the time the Feast of the Nativity arrives, and the actual Christmas Season begins, many have moved on – ready to take down the decorations.

    As Catholic Christians and especially Franciscans, I encourage you to resist the societal push to jump ahead. This year we have 24 days of Advent… savor the time. The season is about preparing our hearts – getting us ready for the celebration of Our Lord’s birth – as St. Francis called it, the “Feast of Feasts.” (Francis of Assisi: Early Documents. The Founder Chapter CLI, p 374)

    It does not take much for me to get distracted from the reality that God is with us daily – especially when the noise of the commercial Christmas starts earlier and gets louder each year. The commercial Christmas can bring a type of joy – but I find that it does not last. Advent is an opportunity or invitation to reflect, dive deeper, into the meaning of the Incarnation – to sustain lasting joy. So, I do my best to resist jumping into the commercial Christmas season the day after Thanksgiving by focusing on the Advent Season.  Image shows St. Francis in Nativity scene surrounded by Advent Candles.

    We are in control of how we react to the noise of this time.

    What special features will you build into your Advent experience?

    Will your fraternity focus on Advent in December?

    When do you decorate your home? Brian and I put up the lights on the outside. Currently the main decoration on the inside is an Advent wreath. Do you have one in your home? We light the candle(s) during prayer time each day. This Advent, we’re planning to reflect on the National Formation Commission’s “Formation Friday” messages what will include reflections on the Prayer before the Crucifix* and the daily Advent suggestions in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Advent Calendar.

    In addition to the prayer and reflection time, I will try to be active with the message during this season – through sharing details (e.g. Jesus is the reason for the Season). I recently learned that an acquaintance is Buddhist. She mentioned to me that she decorated her home for Christmas. It gave me an opportunity to learn more about her situation as a minority trying to fit in.

    There are many ways for us to participate in the Advent Season. Thank you for considering my request to spend time in Advent and not to jump immediately to Christmas. As you are transformed, may the light of Christ shine through you to family, co-workers, friends, neighbors and everyone you encounter. May our Advent help us to “testify to the whole world of God’s great power working everywhere.”**

    Peace and all good,
    Jane


    *If you’d like to receive the emails, contact your Formation Director or the Regional Formation Director to be added to the email list. These are boosters for our vocation all year round. Formation Fridays are also posted to: https://jdpofs.org/resources/formation-fri/

    **Liturgy of the Hours, Week 2, Thursday Morning Prayer, Psalm Prayer for Antiphon 1

  • Reflect on the Sacred Heart

    Reflect on the Sacred Heart

    By Jane DeRose-Bamman, OFS
    National Minister

    Listen Audio: 2:33 min.


    Jane DeRose-Bamman National Minister

    In my home, visitors see religious articles throughout. These include a crucifix by the entrance of most of our rooms. My office has all my Franciscan images along with my framed profession certificate. In our primary bedroom, we have a collage of religious art across from the chairs where I often sit to pray.

    The month of June is very special to me. I professed to live the Rule of the OFS on June 4, 1995. It holds many feast days for inspiring saints (including St. Anthony of Padua, St Thomas More, St John the Baptist, Sts Peter and Paul). But the most important aspect for me is the month is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

    Pope Leo XIII consecrated the world to the Sacred Heart and established June as the month to celebrate it in 1899. Although St. Francis may not have used the term “Sacred Heart”, St. Francis’ love for the suffering Christ was the basis for the Stigmata.

    Article 10 of the OFS rule fits in well with this month’s dedication:

    “Uniting themselves to the redemptive obedience of Jesus, who placed his will into the Father’s hands, let them faithfully fulfil the duties proper to their various circumstances of life. Let them also follow the poor and crucified Christ, witness to him even in difficulties and persecutions.”

     New Mexican style images of the Sacred Heart are in the collage on my bedroom wall. More than just decorations, the images keep me focused. My prayer for this month is for all of us to reflect on the Sacred Heart and to find ways to transform any suffering we experience into grace for our neighbors.

    I conclude this message with the verse of a song by songwriter Michael John Poirier.

    “Most sacred heart of Jesus
    Truly present in the Holy Eucharist
    I place all my trust in You!”
    By Michael John Poirier

    May Jesus Christ be praised now and forever!

  • You Can’t Take It With You

    You Can’t Take It With You

    By Jane DeRose-Bamman, OFS
    National Minister

    Listen Audio: 3:00 min.


    Jane DeRose-Bamman Minister 2022
    Jane DeRose-Bamman National Minister

    The idiom, “You can’t take it with you” encourages all to enjoy life now because we can’t take money or possessions with us when we die.  It appears that Jesus in Luke 12:13-21 may be advocating for us to spend our money and use up our possessions.  As we see at the end of the parable, stored up possessions and money are meaningless in the grand scheme of things.  However, Jesus concludes with the bottom line – we should be focusing on storing up “what matters to God.”

    So what do we want to take with us – or what can we take with us?   This month of November, there are numerous feast days highlighting those who have figured out what to take with them on their journeys.  We remember All Saints (Nov 1), All Souls (Nov 2), Commemoration of All the Deceased of the Seraphic Order (Nov 5), Blessed John Duns Scotus (Nov 8), St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Patroness of the OFS (Nov 17) and all Saints of the Seraphic Order (Nov 29).

    Each is a billboard for not hoarding the God-given gifts we have. After all, the songwriter, Marty Haugen reminds us: “the gifts we have, we are given to share.” (We are Many Parts by Marty Haugen).  The gifts also should not be obstacles to seeing the needs of others or how we are impacting people or the environment.

    Instead of focusing on the accumulation of material goods, we shift our focus to taking with us: a collection of good deeds, opportunities we took to share our possessions, the times when we cared for creation (including moving earthworms from the sidewalk) and the knowledge of God through spending time in prayer. What will you take when you encounter Sister Death?

    This is a perfect month to reflect on OFS Rule Article 19. “Since they are immersed in the resurrection of Christ, which gives true meaning to Sister Death, let them serenely tend toward the ultimate encounter with the Father.”
    May our eyes, minds and hearts be open to share our many gifts and to grow in our understanding of the ways of God.


    Note:  We have a “treasure” on our website – a calendar of Franciscan Saints by day compiled by Mary Lou Coffman OFS:  https://www.secularfranciscansusa.org/wp-content/uploads/Franciscan-Saints-01-2023.pdf. This information could be used in fraternity newsletters or formation sessions.  But give credit to the original sources of information in any publication!