Different spiritualities

[MPSchneiderLC]

Dear CAF memebers in Christ,

I had been puzzling over how to seperate the various good spiritualites in the Church for a while and then I finally came to the idea that it could be based on a certain experience of God which they focus on. I started going through a bunch of spiritualities and I could see both how they experienced God, and how this affected all the other aspects of their charism so I published it on our blog (Regnum Christi Live). I don’t know enough of other spiritual families to explain them well. What do you all think?

live.regnumchristi.org/2011/04/each-called-by-name/

God bless.

In Christ,
Br Matthew, LC

 

[poor_clare]

Hi Brother Matt

I think that is great. Thank you for taking the time to segment it and share it with us.

I think that there are different aspects of Christ which we’re drawn to. For me it’s the Franciscans not only because of their humility but the pureness of their poverty. Literally all they need is love. Love creates its own blessings.

God bless,
Clare

 

[MPSchneiderLC]

Thanks, I think you are right. I didn’t intend to cover every aspect but give a one line summary so everyone could see the differences of the other spiritualities in the Church. Such a summary runs the risk of missing aspects like purity of poverty for the Fransicans but at least, as far as I understood, this flowed from humility and the imitation of Christ in Bethlehem and Nazareth. You obiously know more about the spirituality than I do so feel free to corect me if I misunderstood the Franciscan charism. God bless.

In Christ,
Br Matthew, LC

 

[poor_clare]

Thanks, I think you are right. I didn’t intend to cover every aspect but give a one line summary so everyone could see the differences of the other spiritualities in the Church. Such a summary runs the risk of missing aspects like purity of poverty for the Fransicans but at least, as far as I understood, this flowed from humility and the imitation of Christ in Bethlehem and Nazareth. You obiously know more about the spirituality than I do so feel free to corect me if I misunderstood the Franciscan charism. God bless.

In Christ,
Br Matthew, LC

Hi

I think you have it right with the poverty aspect but I’ve always thought that St Francis and his followers including St Clare were able to lead and enjoy a life of poverty because love was and is at the core of everything. St Francis’ prayer is all about love. Please make me an instrument to bring peace, love, pardon, joy.

Possessions and money are an obstacle to unity with God because we tend define ourselves by what we have. If we don’t have anything then there is nothing to covet and so we’re free to love God entirely.

That’s just my take on it and how I apply it in my own life. I haven’t given up my possessions but I share whatever I have (whether it’s money, material things or my time) and see sharing as something that I should do. I always try to give with love and real consideration for the other person because (to me) that other person is Jesus who lives in all of us.

Sorry I’ve gone on for so long. This just happens to be a favourite subject.

God bless you and thank you again for sharing with us,
Clare

 

[Michael_Mayo]

Hi Brother Matt

I think that there are different aspects of Christ which we’re drawn to. For me it’s the Franciscans not only because of their humility but the pureness of their poverty. Literally all they need is love. Love creates its own blessings.

I used to be a Franciscan and it was that purity and loving simplicity that attracted me. But what I found in the order was more emphasis on the fraternity. Not that it is bad or lesser but just seemed over emphasized to me. For Francis the poverty and humility were essential to having the intimacy with Christ crucified.