I like the big picture. Looking at the last three Holy Fathers, we see John Paul II, yes, as an intellectual, but also as a mystic, whose spirit had an almost hard-wired connection to God. We next see Benedict XVI as the intellectual theologian, known for his incredible mind. Now, we have Francis, who seemingly eschews both high theology as well as mysticism in favor of pouring his heart into the job. When we examine the most prominent traits of those three: spirit, mind and heart, we see a completed set of the human intangibles - perhaps even a reflection of the Godhead.
I like this paradigm very much.
Now here’s another that we were discussing among the brothers the other day.
We don’t know exactly when, but at some point in his life St. Francis had a vision that he shared with Br. Giles. In the vision he saw the throne of God and a long line of Franciscans that seemed to go on forever.
In his usual way, Francis interpreted it very literally to mean that he would have many sons and daughters, as did Abraham. However, there was also a message in the vision. He heard the voice of Christ promising him that he (Francis) would be an instrument of reconstruction. Francis could not find the connection between the vocal message and the image, so he shared with Br. Giles who was himself a great mystic. In fact, he is a Blessed.
Br. Giles was one of the original brothers. He remembered Pope Innocent’s dream. Pope Innocent reported that he watched as St. John Lateran was about to crumble and along came Francis, leaned against the basilica and grew into a giant, holding it up.
Pope Innocent had the same dream twice. The second time that he had it, he saw Dominic, but propping up the Basilica of St. John Lateran from the other side.
Br. Giles thought about Francis’ vision and Pope Innocent’s dreams and started to connect dots. He told Francis that it was true that God would give him as many sons and daughters as he had given to Abraham. He said that it was also true that God would protect the Dominicans and the Franciscans from extinction and that both would see the Second Coming.
Here is the curious part of this legend. Br. Giles thinking was that Dominic and Francis would die physical deaths, like everyone else. However, they would never die in the life of the Church. They would not just be remembered on their feast days, but they would play key roles in the reconstruction of the Church throughout her history and they would prop her up until Christ came back. Br. Giles also believed that Dominic and Francis would not fade into memory, but their presence would be strong in the Church.
Now, remember that this is legend. Most of this is an oral tradition, except for the actual dream of Pope Innocent and the vision of St. Francis. Apparently, St. Dominic had a similar dream. The legendary part is the dots that Br. Giles connects. No one really knows whether Br. Giles ever connected these dots or whether they were connected over the centuries, because neither Francis or Giles every wrote this down.
However, we (the brothers) were discussing the other day our plans for this Thursday, October 3, the Transitus of St. Francis from earth and October 4, his entrance into Glory. We remembered the story. We found it kind of interesting that all of this attention is going toward a pope named Francis, precisely as the Church prepares to celebrate his solemnity. We found it interesting that the legend says that Francis would remain alive and be known as one of two supporting pillars of a Church in danger. In other words, he is not just another saint on the calendar, but his name would become a household word, for believers and non-believers. God would use him to draw people’s attention to Christ’s Church at a time when people are turning away from the Church.
The other part of our musings is the fact that the last time that the Church went through such a turbulent period it was St. Pius V who was pope. Pius was a Dominican friar. Dominic’s presence was strongly felt in the Church, so much so that to this day, popes dress in “Dominican White”. The pope’s cassock today is a redesign of the Dominican habit worn by Pope Pius V, even the shade of white is the exact shade of the Dominican habit. Dominic’s spirit of preaching, teaching and charity were key qualities of St. Pius’ papacy. God used Pius’ papacy to protect the Church from the gates of hell so that Christ words would be fulfilled. “The gates of hell shall not prevail against her.” God used Pius’ papacy to bring order to the Church. The Dominican school is well known for order and balance between liturgy and preaching.
On the other hand, the Franciscan school is well known for simple outreach to the most sinful and the poorest, but without proselytism. The Franciscans convert by our example and through fraternal dialog and it has been a policy since the time of Francis never to preach to anyone who does not want to be preached to, but to quietly leave and simply ask the person to pray for us.
I’m not saying that any of this is some extraordinary sign from heaven. I’m no mystic. But there were four of us planning this celebration for October 3 & 4 and all of us had the same thought about all of this hooplah, a pope named Francis and the creation of the Council of Cardinals.
All I can say is that God has very sneaky ways of bringing home the lost sheep. I know, because I never chose to be a Catholic. God duped me as kid hanging a candybar on a fishing stick and making me follow it. When I realized it, I was inside and the Venus Fly Trap shut and here I am, many many many years later.
Never overestimate the weakness of man. God will not be outdone in Wisdom.
