Knuckleheaded Francis got it right

I'm reading St. Bonaventure's life of St. Francis.

While reading it hit me: St. Francis was a bit of a knucklehead!

What I mean is that as he began his spiritual journey, he took things so literally, almost like one of the Three Stooges.

For example, when asked to rebuilt the Church, he understood that to mean build a particular church. He did that in instance after instance. God would ask him to do something, and he would interpret the request literally.

The important thing is that he did respond. He did act. Even when he did not do what he was really supposed to do, he still followed the directions to the best of his abilities.

After, all, he was a fool for Christ.

I must seek what God wants form me in my own life, and I can't let fear that I'll get it wrong stop me. I just have to do what I believe God wants me to do, do it to the best of my ability, and do it in a spirit of humility and openness so that if I have not gotten it right God can tap me on the shoulder - in my case, maybe a whack me on the head - with further directions.

I wonder what Francis would have thought of the Three Stooges? He might have welcomed them as brothers.

Pax et bonum

Prayer of St. Bonaventure

Pierce, O most Sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, with true, serene, and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with love and longing for Thee, that it may yearn for Thee and faint for Thy courts, and long to be dissolved and to be with Thee.

Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the bread of angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and supersubstantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delight of taste; let my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, upon whom the angels desire to look, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst after Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the richness of the house of God.

May it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, attain Thee, meditate upon Thee, speak of Thee, and do all things to the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, and with perseverance unto the end.

May Thou alone be ever my hope, my entire assurance, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my fragrance, my sweet savor, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession and my treasure, in whom may my mind and my heart be fixed and firmly rooted immovably henceforth and for ever. Amen.

Pax et bonum

Franciscan quotation

"While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart." - St Francis of Assisi

Advice I need to keep reminding myself about.

Lord, give me peace in my heart.

Pax et bonum

A Franciscan surprise (St. Anthony)

I went to morning Mass today and got a surprise.

Yesterday was the Feast of St. Anthony of Padua, but since the Feast fell on a Sunday it was superseded. So the parish marked his Feast at this morning's Mass instead.

Several ladies dressed in Franciscan robes processed with a decorated statue of St. Anthony - lilies in hand. (Though i don't understand the dollars attached to the statue. An Italian custom?)

Father preached about St. Anthony, telling about him and some of the customs surrounding him'

At the end of Mass, some of the "Franciscan" ladies distributed bread in St. Anthony's honor.
I got two small loaves - one for me and one for the Good Looking One.

Thank you Lord. What a great way to begin summer!

Pax et bonum

Prayers

My formation session on Friday dealt with prayer.

I had to admit that lately my prayer life has become uneven.

On good days, my daily prayers include Mass, a rosary, some Bible reading, some spiritual reading, Night Prayers, and assorted short spontaneous prayers of praise, joy and supplication.

Sounds good - though there certainly could be and should be more if I am going to grow spiritually.

Alas, there have been too many days - especially of late - that have not been "good days."

Too tired, too stressed, too busy with end-of-the-school year business.

Of course, when I am tired and stressed, that's precisely when I need prayer.

I'm not beating myself up, but I do have to get back up to speed spiritually and have more "good days."

Maybe even some "better days!"


Pax et bonum

Offering it up

A couple of weeks ago ago, my Brown Scapular broke. A few days later, we stopped at the local Catholic shop and while there I bought a new one. It's slightly larger than the one I'd had before, and shorter, so it rides higher under my shirt.

My wife had it blessed last week, and I put it on.

It itches. A lot.

At first, I considered not wearing it. I kept it on, though.

Then yesterday we were in the gift shop at the Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs in Auriesville, N.Y. - a shrine dedicated to the North American Martyrs, and Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha.

They had a nice selection of scapulars. I thought about buying one.

But then I thought about some of the disciplines engaged in by holy people of the past - including St. Francis and Blessed Kateri. Among those practices was the wearing of hair shirts.

It occurred to me that in a way, this itchy scapular is like a mini hair shirt!

I've decided to keep wearing it and to offer up the minor irritation.

It's the least I can do considering the suffering Jesus went through for me.

Pax et bonum

Possessed by possessions (Book 'em)

At my formation session at our last fraternity meeting we talked about poverty. One part of that discussion was about having too much.

When it comes to me, books was one of the things that came up.

I just own too many of them. I once counted and found I had more than 2,000 books - and that was more than a decade ago.

Books are good, but like so many other good things, in excess they can hold us back. They are possessions that can possess us.

At least in my case they can.

Now that doesn't mean I should stop buying books - if they are books that I can really use. But I have books packed in boxes that I haven't looked at since we moved here into this smaller house 16 years ago! (My old house had enough room to have most of them out - I actually had a "library" room.)

So I'm adopting a rough rule of thumb: If I buy a book, I have to get rid of two other books. Maybe I'll give some to other people. Or maybe I'll donate them to the library for their book sales to help them raise money.

And to reduce the clutter in my life.

Pax et bonum