J
JReducation
Guest
Everything that has been said here about the cross of San Damiano is fine and dandy, but everyone seems to be missing its historical and theological importance.
Historical
It was through the cross of San Damiano that Christ spoke to our holy Father Francis, triggering a new era in the history of the Church an era of reform through penance. It was through the command of the crucified Christ that the largest religious family in the Church was born, the Francisan family, which today has more than 1.7 million members in more than 114 countries around the world and has the largest number of canonized saints.
Theological
In April 2009, 1200 Franciscan delegates, representing the Franciscan family from around the world held the Chapter of Mats in Assisi to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the order. They walked from Assisi to Castle Gondolfo to meet with Pope Benedict XVI who reminded the brothers and sisters of the words spoken by the crucified Christ. He said three things to the Franciscans.
Br. JR, OSF
Historical
It was through the cross of San Damiano that Christ spoke to our holy Father Francis, triggering a new era in the history of the Church an era of reform through penance. It was through the command of the crucified Christ that the largest religious family in the Church was born, the Francisan family, which today has more than 1.7 million members in more than 114 countries around the world and has the largest number of canonized saints.
Theological
In April 2009, 1200 Franciscan delegates, representing the Franciscan family from around the world held the Chapter of Mats in Assisi to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the order. They walked from Assisi to Castle Gondolfo to meet with Pope Benedict XVI who reminded the brothers and sisters of the words spoken by the crucified Christ. He said three things to the Franciscans.
- They have proven to be faithful to the Church for 800 years. Their fidelity is built upon the faith of Francis of Assisi who heard the voice of Christ.
- The voice of Christ still sends men and women to rebuild the Church; but the first house that they must rebuild is their soul. Thus the Holy Father told the brothers and sisters to go out and build with his blessing.
- The voice from the cross affirmed Christ’s promise to the apostles that he would never leave them alone and that the gates of hell would not prevail against them. At a time when the Church was in shambles, Christ brings forth a religious family that raised the spirit of the Church again and helped to restore the souls of millions of men and women around the world for many centuries. The mircle of the cross at San Damiano proves that Christ does keep his word and we have nothing to fear. God will send his spirit into the Church, either through a religious family, such as the Franciscans, or through some other way of his choosing. But he will not leave the Church alone.
Br. JR, OSF