Loving 'the enemy'

[BarbaraTherese]

Thought it may be of real interest to look at this Lenten Gospel and discuss ways and means of dealing with those we may not like or find difficult, in a charitable and loving way as is our call. And for my part anyway, very easily forgotten or put aside in the interests of my own ego.
I think some of the shared attitudes and ways of coping and with a loving attitude to those we find difficult or we may not like will be of help certainly to me and I hope to others.

This is a most challenging and confronting Lenten Gospel. It’s challenge intrinsic to our spirituality and baptismal vocation since we shall all come across in our journies those we cannot like for some reason, or may find extremely difficult, and are called to love.
I have had to post the whole Gospel and reflection as the site below seems to only access the Daily Gospel through subscribing which I do.

Barb

stjosephkingston.org/
St. Joseph’s Catholic Parish - Kingston.

MATTHEW 5:20-26
Jesus said to his disciples: "I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter intothe Kingdom of heaven.

"You have heard that it was said to yourancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to
judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother willbeliable to judgment,

and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your\ opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny."

REFLECTION
"As we draw closer to Holy Week, let us remind ourselves of God’s invitation to continually change our lives for the better. But what does this mean for us? Our Gospel today emphasizes the need to look into our relationships with others.

There is no extraordinary merit when we are friendly with people whomwe really like or with those who are very kind to us. It’s quite normalto expect that from anyone. The challenge, it seems, lies in ourrelationships with people whom we’d rather not be nice and kind to for whatever reasons.

This doesn’t really have to be a complicated or overly difficult
challenge. In simple words, Jesus invites us to look at the people we dislike and ask ourselves if we are willing enough to let some charityand respect come through us.

Take some time out and try to identify these people, and then ask
yourself,

1. 
   *]“Am I willing to let some of God’s charity and respect pour from me towards these people?
   *]How can I show this?
   *]What can I do, even as this may be simple actions?”
   
   We need to be reminded that God’s challenge and invitation is built upon the small steps that we take. Let us strive to achieve God’s love and charity more actively in our lives."

 

[ncjohn]

Hi Barb,

This is unquestionably the biggest challenge I face in my everyday life, and I think it is a topic particularly well suited to a Catholic forum where the heat of the debates can draw us so quickly into antagonistic feelings and actions toward others who are just as well-intended–and equally weak and sinful–as we are.

Though I fail miserably and often, and there are some who I can only reach the point of *wanting to want * to love or forgive, there are a few things I have found helpful for me.

Of first priority to me, especially here, is to remember that each person I deal with is a beloved child of God, infinitely loved by Him just as I am. I further try to remember that each of these beloved children are wounded to their core and in need of healing and help with their crosses, just as I am. With that in mind, I do my best to ensure that any statement I make or action I take is not going to further wound that person’s soul or make their cross heavier.

My belief is that if one is going to propose to speak for God, as we are all called to do, that we should be doing our best to make sure that first and foremost we are speaking with the HEART of God. If we are going to take the souls of His wounded children in our hands, we’d best be prepared to set aside our own egos and remember that it is HIS work we are doing, not our own, and be ready to wrap His loving arms around even those who are most difficult for us.

In the end, it still is the Golden Rule that must prevail. Each of us must truly desire for others the good and the love that we desire for ourselves…and then act accordingly.

Lord, may I always be willing to be Simon of Cyrene, ready to help carry the splinter of your cross that my neighbor has had assigned to him.

Peace,

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Hi John…

This is unquestionably the biggest challenge I face in my everyday life, and I think it is a topic particularly well suited to a Catholic forum where the heat of the debates can draw us so quickly into antagonistic feelings and actions toward others who are just as well-intended–and equally weak and sinful–as we are.

Me too John…when I read the homily it really touched me and made me ponder and ponder my own attitude towards those that I may find difficult or perhaps hard to like…and to take some stock.

Though I fail miserably and often, and there are some who I can only reach the point of *wanting to want *to love or forgive, there are a few things I have found helpful for me.

I too fail ofte and most miserably!
I have been told John from one whom I hold with respect and trust that the hearfelt wanting and desiring to forgive though perhaps unable to feel it at all is a part of forgiving and an important part and to be invested in often until the feelings start to change. At times I have found that feelings just cling but rather than invest in those clinging negative feelings towards another I try to invest in the wanting to forgive.

Of first priority to me, especially here, is to remember that each person I deal with is a beloved child of God, infinitely loved by Him just as I am. I further try to remember that each of these beloved children are wounded to their core and in need of healing and help with their crosses, just as I am. With that in mind, I do my best to ensure that any statement I make or action I take is not going to further wound that person’s soul or make their cross heavier.

That is entirely beautiful John and it has touched me…and I can see from what you have written that attitude I need to work on to commence to change myself.
Coming home from school this afternoon on the bus stop I was looking at differnet people and thinking to myself: “God loves you”. I have never been able to see Jesus in others…but I can get a real feeling that God loves each person very personally and ardently, though I do not always act as if I know this, hence the lesson has not truly sunken home to where it needs to sink

I further try to remember that each of these beloved children are wounded to their core and in need of healing and help with their crosses, just as I am. With that in mind, I do my best to ensure that any statement I make or action I take is not going to further wound that person’s soul or make their cross heavier.

The attitude above is one I need to try to develop and to keep working on it until it is my attitude.

My belief is that if one is going to propose to speak for God, as we are all called to do, that we should be doing our best to make sure that first and foremost we are speaking with the HEART of God. If we are going to take the souls of His wounded children in our hands, we’d best be prepared to set aside our own egos and remember that it is HIS work we are doing, not our own, and be ready to wrap His loving arms around even those who are most difficult for us.

Entirely beautiful John! I’m going to print your Post and use it as an oft meditated matter and prayerfully.

In the end, it still is the Golden Rule that must prevail. Each of us must truly desire for others the good and the love that we desire for ourselves…and then act accordingly.

Lord, may I always be willing to be Simon of Cyrene, ready to help carry the splinter of your cross that my neighbor has had assigned to him.

Speechless John and most unusual for me. Thank you very much for the Post.

Barb

 

[BarbaraTherese]

I had occasion to check on Forum Rules and I noticed this quote there:
**Love without truth would be blind; **
truth without love would be like “a clanging cymbal” (I Cor 13: 1).

http://www.vatican.va/gpII/documents/homily-pro-eligendo-pontifice_20050418_en.html
Cardinal Ratzinger - Homily 2005. The link is to the entire homily.

The above quote rang bells with me too! I think at times in these Forums I know I have a valid point, but forget that I should make my point lovingly or I am nothing but “a clanging symbal”.

Barb

 

[blessedstar]

It takes alot for me to dislike a person but those I do dislike I really do struggle to love, this is usually because they have deeply hurt me in some way. The only way I have found to love them is to forgive them and pray for them, by that I mean put them in the Father’s hands and let His will be done.

Once I have made this act of ‘letting-go’ and giving all to the Father it is much easier to love them. This may mean I do not speak to a given person, nor be their friend, but it does mean that I love them as a child of God and wish them well in their lives by handing them to their Father.

Sometimes it is very difficult to approach a person and actually make amends with them and I don’t think for one minute God desires we put ourselves at risk or in danger to make amends with our brothers and sisters, but I do think God desires within our hearts that we are at peace with our brothers and sisters and this means not bearing hatred or ill feelings towards them and certainly not being their judge and jury, truly that we let go and leave things in the Father’s hands. Our hands are so clumsy even with the best of intentions (sometimes by going to our brother we can inflame a bad situation and make it worse), but the Father’s hands are faithful and steadfast and He knows the needs of all hearts.

Seeing as peace is mostly destroyed by our wounded hearts and those who wound them, I have learnt to allow God to heal my wounds by handing myself also to Him in such situations; the Lord is my strength and refuge. Only by His grace are we reconciled with each other. This reconciliation may not be one of friendship, but in the heart we are spiritually reconciled by trusting in the justice of God and His mercy, in this way His grace of forgiveness becomes our forgiveness of each other. We must pray that we may be forgiven and our enemies be forgiven as all of us are sinners and in no position to condemn. By not ‘letting go’ we condemn those who have sinned against us and in this condemn ourselves.

On an aside, I don’t know if you know the song by the Beatles ‘Let it be’, but that song has been a source of peace and acceptance of many situations in my life, by God’s grace and has inspired me to forgive and to keep forgiving.

We have to know when to draw a line under things for our good, the good of others and for the good of heaven.

Thank you for this beautiful thread.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Helpful thoughts, BlessedStar, thank you.

Once I have made this act of ‘letting-go’ and giving all to the Father it is much easier to love them. This may mean I do not speak to a given person, nor be their friend, but it does mean that I love them as a child of God and wish them well in their lives by handing them to their Father.

This paragraph particularly struck me about ‘letting-go’ and handing the whole situation to The Father. I happened to see the end last night of ‘Desperate Housewives’ and who would think something inspiring could come of it. It particularly moved me because the woman had lost her child to death. A man gave her a gas filled baloon and told her to symbolically let go of her child and her grief as she let go of the balloon and she did find peace in doing this.

I point this out because once something terrible had happend in my home and for months I could not return to it…I was advised to get a candle and go right through my home at night praying “I reclaim this house for me and God”. I felt a little silly doing it actually, but as I moved through my home with the candle I started to feel that I was indeed reclaiming my home for myself and for God and I found the emotional equanity to return home here again. I think to do something symbolic can be helpful in the healing process and the next time I am in a situation of needing to forgive and finding it difficult to do so, I shall do something symbolic of giving my feelings and the situation to God asking Him to grant me the Grace of forgiveness from my heart.

I think perhaps to do something symbolic like this may not work for everyone, but I do intend to give it a try next time I may have the need.

Thank you for your inspiring post, BlessedStar.

Barb

 

[ncjohn]

BarbaraTherese:

I think perhaps to do something symbolic like this may not work for everyone, but I do intend to give it a try next time I may have the need.

Barb

Hi Barb,

I remember reading in one of the Jungian psychology books at some point, that we have to come to a point of “owning our shadow” since that shadow side does objectively exist.

Most of the time we try to repress and deny our shadow side, and the Church seems often to encourage this approach. The point of the book though, as I recall it, was that our shadow is going to satisfy itself in some way and we end up better off if we control what that way is.

One of the easiest and most effective ways of doing this is through ritual, which you touch on in your post. For example, if we are angry with someone we might have three possible approaches: try to repress the anger; let the anger express itself; or deal with the anger in through a ritual. That ritual might be something as simple as finding some symbolic object–say “tobacco”–to represent the anger, placing it in a bowl, and dissipating it through letting it burn. In this way we are giving voice to it while possibly simultaneously offering it to God in prayer.

Applied to loving our enemies, it might be something as simple as setting a picture of the person next to a picture of Jesus, possibly even with a picture of ourself in the mix, and praying that we might all walk together down some path (or go fish together) as Jesus heals us.

It can sound simplistic, and as you note it may not work for everyone, but I have found on occasions where I have done this, as you did with your candle, that giving thought and voice to our fears and anxieties brings them into the light where they can be dealt with in a positive way.

Peace,

 

[Mark_Robert]

It’s a common problem I experience especially at work where you have to be in close proximity to people you would not normally associate with in your personal life. Unfortunately, in your fallen state, there will be people you like and those you don’t like. This is a problem shared in common by all unless you’re that guy who said he never met a person he didn’t like.
What I try to do with people I don’t like is at least greet them or, in some other way, outwardly acknowledge their value as a human being. It doesn’t have to be showy. Just a casual hello as you’re passing by. You don’t even have to wait for a response. Just give your positive acknowledgement and move on. By doing this, you are being charitiable to the person in some tangible way without being obtrusive. Just ignoring people is not charitiable. It’s an affront in a passive aggressive sort of way unless they’re so hostile you simply HAVE TO avoid them. However, people usually don’t fall into that extreme and a simple greeting will do.
Also, pray for your enemies. Pray for their conversion and their general welfare. This will foster empathy for them as persons and will help keep feelings of antipathy at bay.
Realize that positive feelings, while nice, are not essential to loving your neighbor. Rather love is a decision of the will for the good of another. It’s the intent of one’s actions not the feelings that accompany it that determine love versus hate.

 

[T.A.Stobie_SFO]

One thing I try to do is see Everyone as a child of God.

I take this one step further, when I need to, be imaging how if God was a human adult, how would he see us? As two year olds with dirty diapers differing only in the amount of dirtiness.

Now no one enjoys the dirty diapers, we do love the two year olds.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

ncjohn:

Hi Barb,

I remember reading in one of the Jungian psychology books at some point, that we have to come to a point of “owning our shadow” since that shadow side does objectively exist.

Most of the time we try to repress and deny our shadow side, and the Church seems often to encourage this approach. The point of the book though, as I recall it, was that our shadow is going to satisfy itself in some way and we end up better off if we control what that way is.

One of the easiest and most effective ways of doing this is through ritual, which you touch on in your post. For example, if we are angry with someone we might have three possible approaches: try to repress the anger; let the anger express itself; or deal with the anger in through a ritual. That ritual might be something as simple as finding some symbolic object–say “tobacco”–to represent the anger, placing it in a bowl, and dissipating it through letting it burn. In this way we are giving voice to it while possibly simultaneously offering it to God in prayer.

Applied to loving our enemies, it might be something as simple as setting a picture of the person next to a picture of Jesus, possibly even with a picture of ourself in the mix, and praying that we might all walk together down some path (or go fish together) as Jesus heals us.

It can sound simplistic, and as you note it may not work for everyone, but I have found on occasions where I have done this, as you did with your candle, that giving thought and voice to our fears and anxieties brings them into the light where they can be dealt with in a positive way.

Peace,

John me pal…and hi there to you too!..you are going to get a fan club of which I shall be president and get yourself canonized mate!
One of the criteria for canonization I hear is a cult following.

Thank you for the above! Your sentence “we are all broken” in your post before the above has come home to me in a new way. I read in Word Among Us, which I know you read daily too, this morning that Jesus speaks to us through others often and we hear his voice in them…that’s what I heard with “we are all broken”, John…the voice of The Lord speaking to me about my brothers and sisters though you. A channel of Grace.

But gee mate…not tobacco burning away in a bowl. Its too expensive…oh what a waste and as a symbol of forgiveness for my enemies -that precious tobocco …ah well it sure would be a big sacrifice and peneance for me symbolic gesture!

Barb smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_18_105.gif

All jesting aside…the candle really did help and after I had gone through my home with it reciting that I reclaim my home for God and myself, I knew I could pack and return…so I think Jung had a valid point about ritual and our shadow and darker side. I was rather stunned that a program like “Desperate Housewives” could hold something inspirational for me. Goes to show that The Holy Spirit moves indeed where He will, huh?..He’s unbiased and not a snob!

 

[BarbaraTherese]

T.A.Stobie:

One thing I try to do is see Everyone as a child of God.

I take this one step further, when I need to, be imaging how if God was a human adult, how would he see us? As two year olds with dirty diapers differing only in the amount of dirtiness.

Now no one enjoys the dirty diapers, we do love the two year olds.

Another beautiful and thoughtful, insightful, way of looking at things. SFO that’s Franciscan isn’t it…there is something about these Franciscans that is quite unique:yup: amongst the Orders in the main I from my personal experience anyway. St. Francis would be proud of you lot! Thank you for that thought and it does bear a careful ponder.

Thank you TAS! …Barb…Soth Aussie

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Mark Robert:

It’s a common problem I experience especially at work where you have to be in close proximity to people you would not normally associate with in your personal life. Unfortunately, in your fallen state, there will be people you like and those you don’t like. This is a problem shared in common by all unless you’re that guy who said he never met a person he didn’t like.
What I try to do with people I don’t like is at least greet them or, in some other way, outwardly acknowledge their value as a human being. It doesn’t have to be showy. Just a casual hello as you’re passing by. You don’t even have to wait for a response. Just give your positive acknowledgement and move on. By doing this, you are being charitiable to the person in some tangible way without being obtrusive. Just ignoring people is not charitiable. It’s an affront in a passive aggressive sort of way unless they’re so hostile you simply HAVE TO avoid them. However, people usually don’t fall into that extreme and a simple greeting will do.
Also, pray for your enemies. Pray for their conversion and their general welfare. This will foster empathy for them as persons and will help keep feelings of antipathy at bay.
Realize that positive feelings, while nice, are not essential to loving your neighbor. Rather love is a decision of the will for the good of another. It’s the intent of one’s actions not the feelings that accompany it that determine love versus hate.

Thanks Mark and spot on theology!..I started this thread because loving my ‘enemies’ is something I find difficult from time to time. The above is an excellent way of dealing with the difficult and entirely productive positively as you have pointed out.
I was hoping for good feedback in this thread to develop my lack in coping skills…I sure am getting it! Thank you to all posters.

Thanks again Mark…Barb …South Aussie

 

[BarbaraTherese]

NCJohn, Post #7

QuotingMost of the time we try to repress and deny our shadow side, and the Church seems often to encourage this approach.

I thought there was something about your Post #7 that I had missed so I went back and found it…the above.

Our negative emotions like anger, urge to revenge etc. etc. are looked upon I think as something ‘sinful’. I think it a good idea to state in order that we do own our own ‘shadow’ or the negative side of us without guilt, that emotions have no morality at all. They are neither good nor bad, evil, sinful etc. etc. Our emotions rise up in us almost at the turn of every little breeze or the differing circumstances we find ourselves in…we usually dont invite them to arise or ask them to arise. They just rise and there they are and as you pointed out we are inclined to disown or repress them and with guilt on our minds.

In fact we emote 24 hours of every day including in our sleep.

We need to be aware that often our emotions can arise from conditioning and conditioning is occuring all our waking life almost and from almost endless sources. We can have often little control over it and conditioning can be most difficult to dismantle in ourselves.

Emotions have no morality at all and no matter how bad that emotion or feeling may be. Morality only enters into the pictre when we make a decision about what to do with those emotions.

I think you are very correct John in stating that The Church can give us the impression that feelings are bad feelings. No such thing. Feelings are only feelings and amoral.

Psychology, good psychology and spirituality should walk hand in hand and if they don’t something is wrong somewhere, either with the psychology or the spirituality. I think Jung’s observations about our dark side and coining the phrase ‘shadow’ was very correct and we should if we are going to be psychology and spiritually healthy own our own shadow or negative emotions and without guilt.

For example “Ah, that’s interesting I am blind furious” I am owning my own shadow and good psychology, also good spirituality because it is self-knowledge - I am acknowledging and owning the truth of my selfhood, which St. Teresa of Avila advises we never leave - ‘the mansion of self knowledge’. When I make a decision about what to do with that blind fury…I am in the arena of morality and right or wrong enters the picture and the potential to sin or not to sin.

Some philosopher or other stated: He who acts before counting to three is a fool. Excellent observation and at times not easy to effect where strong emotions are concerned.

As John pointed out in an earlier thread and made I think what will be a lasting impression on me: “we are all broken” hence we are ARE going to slip up and give in and probably without thought to strong emotions and negative one’s and act on them almost without thought…or even with clear and deliberate thought. We are all indeed broken…hence we need a real acceptance of each other as broken (thanks heaps John!) and also a wondrous grateful and praising concept of God’s Loving Mercy for God, and no matter WHAT sin we commit, loves us abundantly ALWAYS and despite everything and anything. It is I who make the choice to accept humbly that …or reject it.

Barb
PS I am disconnecting my signature for a while because I hope this thread will develop and I was unable to make the crucifixion icon smaller in my signature.
http://forums.wordsfree.org/index.php
“Neccessity overrides every law…Common Sense is the guide of all the virtues” St. Albert

 

[AlanFromWichita]

Loving the enemy can be about several things.

One, is “judging” another person, normally some adversary regarding some point, issue, or project.

Another is once having “judged” a person the enemy, how we feel about having such an enemy.

Yet another is regardless of feelings, what goals do we have in life, and how does our behavior toward that enemy affect those goals at any given moment?

One thing I keep in mind is that species who have natural enemies are strong. Why? Because those enemies test us, purify us, and strengthen us. If we got rid of our strongest enemies, then we would be less equipped to handle the weaker ones that are left. Therefore, I recognize that enemies are just as essential to life for me as friends if I intend to be a strong Christian, with tried and true faith.

Another thing is to recognize that the wisdom Christ brought us, the “foolishness of God” as it were, actually does work in the world if it’s done with the right heart. Of course, in the world where things are either a mixture of and/or devoid of good and bad (depending on your view) one never knows whether a particular strategy will work. Christ offers us some novel ones, though, and that is if attacked turn the other cheek. This seems absurd for physical fights, but it can work. For spiritual/verbal fights, I think it is brilliant strategy. It’s like protecting your front door from getting beaten down by opening the door.

Also, we have been taught to be angry because when we grow up we expect if we do something an authority figure doesn’t like there will automatically be anger in response. Therefore we think the right way to handle conflict when we believe we are right is to staunchly and angrily uphold our position. Regardless of technique, most fighters recognize that getting angry actually gives up control and authority to the opponent. So “hating your enemies” does too, by given them emotional control over us. In the physical realm that can mean even a much more devastating loss than in the physical, where we can see the effects.

Another strategy is to convince myself that the “enemy” is nothing instrinsic to any given individual person, as a person. In other words, we all share some evil in our hearts at some level even if it doesn’t feel the same or manifests itself the same way. We all have some good within us. Also at any given time a person could pull a Paul-to-Saul story so the worse an adversary somebody is, the stronger the fighter for our side if we win him over. In other words, if I am angry at “Joe” for doing this or that or the other, I convince myself that it is not “Joe” himself, but the spirit of anger or jealousy or pride or whatever that is acting through “Joe.” The trick then is to remain loving to Joe, without being fearful of the spirits that inhabit him that threaten me.

Retailiation against an enemy is best when one treats him politely. The enemy will only attack if you violate its value system, and there is no rule against the fruits of the spirit.

Therefore, all one really has to do is develop the fruits of the spirit so that they are not only intellectually known, but habitual parts of our discourse. There is no law against the fruits of the spirit – that means to me that no enemy can legitimately attack (even in his own mind) me for behaving according to those fruits.

In short, it is using the teachings and love of Christ to elevate above the fight. If one is consistent about behaving in a habitual manner that exemplifies the fruits, that is fine.

What, though, about the hatred in our heart? It’s about judgment and fear. Lose it, I say. Does us no good.

The only objection I can hear already is, “wait a minute, I have to make judgments about things,” to which I say make action decisions but simply SAY NO to making a “good person/bad person” judgment. Just because I love somebody and know they are only treating me poorly because they themselves are troubled, doesn’t mean I have to give them a promotion or something, or that I should not fire them. It’s about matters of the heart first and foremost and if those things are under control then we can make decisions without fear, and without the blinding darkness of anger clouding our view.

Alan

 

[T.A.Stobie_SFO]

BarbaraTherese:

Another beautiful and thoughtful, insightful, way of looking at things. SFO that’s Franciscan isn’t it…there is something about these Franciscans that is quite unique:yup: amongst the Orders in the main I from my personal experience anyway. St. Francis would be proud of you lot! Thank you for that thought and it does bear a careful ponder.

Thank you TAS! …Barb…Soth Aussie

Thanks, Barb - SFO is a lay order of Franciscans. Franciscans tend to be simple in nature. Now simple does not mean uneducated, but rather trying to look at things at face value and how everything interrelates including relating to God. God made one finely integrated and logical universe. Many well-educated (diversity of knowledge) Franciscans sre superb out-of-the-box thinkers.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

T.A.Stobie:

Thanks, Barb - SFO is a lay order of Franciscans. Franciscans tend to be simple in nature. Now simple does not mean uneducated, but rather trying to look at things at face value and how everything interrelates including relating to God. God made one finely integrated and logical universe. Many well-educated (diversity of knowledge) Franciscans sre superb out-of-the-box thinkers.

Thanks TAS for the info…I did suspect it was a lay order of Franciscans and you are not the first lay member I have come across by a long shot.

Franciscans tend to be simple in nature. Now simple does not mean uneducated, but rather trying to look at things at face value and how everything interrelates including relating to God

This reflects what I have insighted about Franciscans. Simplicity is a beautiful quality and virtue.

Many well-educated (diversity of knowledge) Franciscans sre superb out-of-the-box thinkers./

Absolutely!

Whatever the formation process is, it works!:dancing:
I hope that The Lord will call me to a lay order…but to date not quite there! I hope incidentally to Carmel! …which is no offence to St. Francis, its just that I have very close connections with Carmel and have had since I was 12, formalized at 16 and onwards to my now bonnie 61st year just begun almost. And I am sure St. Francis and St. Therese are great pals in Heaven since both were the essence of simplicity and attained great holiness resulting in great gifts to we the troops…the motely crew of our Wondrous Lord. …we ‘broken vessels’ as John so rightly and well stated pointed out.
St. Francis delights me on many points, but mainly in his own ‘forgiving’ nature at that point in his journey anyway strips naked and parades in front of his earthly father’s home denouncing him. I am sure The Lord allowed Francis to do this to reveal to the rest of us that great saints have flaws and not to get discouraged! …all this happened of course in the early days of his own call and formation…goes to show the potential in the most unforgiving nature. St. Francis was to go on to great things indeed and indeed rebuild The Church and continues to do so through his brothers and sisters in his Order lay or professional religious in some way. And I think no Catholic will travel his/her journey without being touched in some way by St. Francis of Assisi…the human saint!

Another delightful point from St. Francis is when he hears The Lord somewhat amiss in the words ‘rebuild my Church’…I mean how can anyone not love our dear and indeed great St. Francis of Assisi…the human saint! …as is his spirituality in its simplicity and ardent, nay passionate, love of The Lord.
Another endeareing quality is when he shows up in Rome to get approval for his Order in his simple rag habit…amongst the glory and splendour of medieval Rome!..and goes on to delight the Holy Father who gives him approval, though I think then the number of his brothers was quite small and his rule quite strict for the day?

Regards TAS…Barb
smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_18_102.gif