Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity Sister Mary Ann Spanjers continues with her Franciscan Discernment Video Series comparing St. Francis of Assisi to the Suffering Christ.
Transcription
G. K. Chesterton in his book, St Francis of Assisi asserts that St. Francis did acts of charity, self-denial and austerity after a close study of the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes. But it is evident that he made an even closer study of the silent sermon on that other mountain, called Golgotha. The strict historical truth Francis’ fasting or suffering humiliation was to try to do something of what Christ did.
He did not compare himself with his followers, he compared himself more and more with his Master, towards whom he sees himself only as a servant. This is a lesson I continue to find myself in need of learning. Far too often I compare myself with others and not with Jesus, which only brings me deeper into my own self-centeredness.
The service to which St Francis had committed himself was one which he conceived more and more in terms of sacrifice and crucifixion. He was full of the sentiment that he had not suffered enough to be worth even to be a distant follower of his suffering God. This passage in his history may really be roughly summarized as the Search of Martyrdom. This was his ultimate idea in the expedition among the Saracens/Muslims in Syria. Francis wanted to bring the war of the Crusades to their end. He wished to do it by conversion and not by conquest; that is by intellectual and not material means. Francis’ idea was simple yet at the core of his relationship to Christ, “It was better to create Christians than to destroy Moslems” Yet the desire for martyrdom came in a different way, he was not killed for his message, Francis was received instead of the message.
At this point in his life another shadow fell on his spirit after his disappointment in being unable to affect peace during the Crusades; I believe that Jesus gives us the grace to do all we can to affect change in unjust situations where people are suffering. We are called to make life better; often the results are not what we hope for; this is the suffering Francis experienced in uniting himself to Christ. This is the suffering we experience when we fail to see that uniting oneself to Christ is not about success but about being faithful.
During this time of the Triduum and Easter of war and unyielding power at work in our world, of injustice and suffering, we are called like St Francis to compare ourselves to the Master, Jesus towards which the truth of who we are called to be is a reflection of him; that we respond to the grace God gives us to make the world a better place through our lifestyle, self-gift, generous spirit, prayer for those in places of war and violence, respect for each other and above all comparing oneself and one’s life to Christ. (Most Precious Blood Parish, New London, Wisconsin stained glass window, New London, Wisconsin)
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