– Br. Michael, ofm

Lent begins with a series of readings which are motivation after motivation. On Ash Wednesday we are reminded that “we are ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5.20). The following day we are told to “choose life so that you and your descendants may live” (Deuteronomy 30.19). Followed by the charge to “Shout out, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet!” (Isaiah 58.1). Then on the Saturday after Ash Wednesday we read, “The Lord will guide your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden” (Isaiah 58.11). If we are not motivated by these acclamations from scripture, I’m not sure what will ever motivate us.

St. Francis of Assisi was one hundred percent motivated by Christ and the gospel. Story after story, teaching after teaching, encounter after encounter paved the way for Francis to see how his life was to be lived embracing the gospel and living it as a vowed life. Not all of us can be Franciscans but all of us can live the gospel. Christ was rooted in the wisdom of the Hebrew Scriptures and this helped shaped his stories and knowledge, which in turn shaped the gospel. How about us? What is shaping us? Are we being ambassadors for Christ? Are we choosing life? Lifting our voice (for good)? Are we a watered garden?

Lent challenges us with these questions. The same way that St. Francis was challenged to examine his life and choose a new path so he could live and not simply be another parched place. St. Francis continually brought his attention to Christ. In his struggles he threw himself before his Savior. In his joys in danced in delight before his Messiah. In his doubts he wrestled with Christ. In his freedoms he rejoiced with his Brother Jesus.

St. Francis reminds us that our lives are of value. Whether we give everything away like he did or we simply see how close God is in creation, Francis’ prayer “My God and My All” must also be ours. Lent is a time to realign our hearts with “My God and My All” especially if our all is becoming all too consuming of things and situations which are not life-giving, like a well watered garden. As we continue to face the reality of a pandemic world, St. Francis is a companion this Lent. Not only is his simple prayer of “My God and My All” a summary of the motivations we have heard in these first days of Lent, it challenges us to pay attention to our living and whose we are.

We are nearing the one-year mark of this pandemic and that is a tough anniversary to acknowledge. This Lent and St. Francis can provide us with a renewed focus of where are hearts are situated and how we can step forward.

Saint Francis says remember: “Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear no ignorance.” (Admonition 28.1). In others words attune our hearts to God, for God is love and we belong to this love.

Saint Francis says return to your inner light, remain focused on Christ. His prayer before the crucifix at San Damiano prays: “Enlighten the darkness of my heart and give me true faith, certain hope and perfect charity.” These are the gifts which enlivened the heart of St. Francis, which also must enliven our heart and fan the flame which it holds.

St. Francis says recall God’s love. Brother Thomas of Celano the biographer of St. Francis reflects that Francis thoroughly focused on the Incarnation and Passion of Christ so much that he only wanted these to be his focus. If we turn our attention to Christ present among us, for us and in us we too embrace the way of being an ambassador of Christ, choosing life, raising our voices and being strengthened in the way we preach the gospel. This will draw others into the well-watered garden of life.

As we move into the First Week of Lent 2021, still amid a pandemic, let us ask St. Francis to be our companion. Let us take to heart his words, “Your deeds may be the only sermon some people hear today.” Our world continues to need actions of hope, may we be motivated to be people of hope. The saints, the gospel, the love of Christ compels us (2 Corinthians 4.14) to do so.

Blessings on the Lenten journey.

St. Francis walk with us and pray for us.

Icon: St. Francis of Assisi

by C. Ziprick – Soul Sibling Studios ©

– Br. Michael, ofm

You know those movies which have that perfect line at the perfect time and it either launches the movie forward, breaks open the message or sends us into a montage of the moments that make up this moment?

In the gospel of Mark, the story of the man with leprosy (Mark 1.40-45) would be one of those perfect moments. It would build to the moment when the man says to Jesus, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” Then when Jesus responds with “I do choose. Be made clean” cue the music, the intense gaze and montage. It really is a beautiful and powerful moment which is not a Hollywood moment rather an invitation for us.

“If you choose…”   “I do choose…”

These two short sentences are powerful ones and although only part of a larger scripture story they are also words of our story.

“If you choose”

I say to Christ time and again,

as if it’s a wish and as if my way is the right way.

“If you choose”

I say to Christ

not focusing on what I’m choosing and not focusing what is out of alignment.

“If you choose”

I say to Christ

almost in the sense of “prove it – show me” like a defiant stance.

Christ always responds, even if I don’t see how or where.

“I do choose”

Christ says time and again

with deep love, compassion and with endless mercy.

“I do choose”

Christ says focusing us as a beloved child of God

and being created in the image of God.

“I do choose”

Christ says with assurance of his lasting presence

and peace beyond the surface (and yet we often latch onto the fading surface).

When the man with leprosy came to Jesus and said, “If you choose, you can make me clean,” he came not with a wish rather with faith. I would like to think a faith that regardless of how Christ responded his life would be changed. He had to come surrendering his all, looking at what was trapping him and trusting in transformation. We struggle with this. I know I do. “How will Christ respond? What if I don’t want to surrender it all? What if my trappings are keeping me comfortable – and I like comfortable? What if transformation feels too big or freeing or beyond my limits?” These are the questions I ask. Then I start to change my question.

“If you choose, can you change me just a little bit, but not too much there? Make me clean as in like a quick shower so I can come back again and ask for another cleaning? Or how about just choosing for today?” It’s funny how we play tricks with our self when it comes to surrender, freedom and transformation. I know how I rework these gifts in my mind and settle for less rather than allow the fullness of Christ to penetrate my all. Regardless, Christ says, “I do choose” because he is for us. He Is not an obstacle or a hoop and loop to jump through and he is not a prize to be earned. He is for us, he is constantly saying, “I do choose. I do choose. I do choose.” His choosing also may be translated as:

“I am with you always until the end of the ages.”

Matthew 28.20

“As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you.”

John 15.9

“Your faith has made you well.”

Mark 5.34

Christ chooses us time and again, it is his mission, his heart’s desire to continually have humanity and creation before him, to gaze on us with love. In choosing us he chooses to free us from all which binds us, to set captives free, to proclaim justice, to bring good news, to recovery our sight and affirm God’s favour with us (Luke 4.16-17).

Christ does choose and yet so often we choose not to hear or see. May our eyes be opened to the transforming power of the love of Christ. He chooses us time and again. May our hearts be softened and our fears surrendered. We are transformed and life is abounding when we see our new self made clean and set free.

I say to Christ “If you choose” and before I can finish the sentence Christ responds, “I do choose.”  Let us remember this generosity in how we respond to our sisters and brothers and creation this week.

Photo Credit: Claudio Schwarz Purzlbaum

– Br. Michael, ofm

“Do not, abandon that confidence of yours; it brings a great reward. For you need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.” Hebrews 10.35-36

These two verses from scripture caught my attention. I see them as speaking to each of us in our call to live out our vocation. Regardless if we are married, single, a religious sister or brother or a priest we need a confidence to endure the journey of a life and stay in tune with God’s will. All of us are consecrated at our baptism. This gift is embedded with confidence and endurance to “run and not grow weary” (Isaiah 40.31), to “shine our light” (Matthew 5.16) and “bear much fruit” (John 15.5). Each of us are called forth in baptism to be heralds of the good news and the way we live our lives is the greatest witness of this. I am mindful of my baptism as I reflect on my life as a religious brother. It is in this being incorporated into Christ at baptism that then calls me to live my vows and vocation in this specific way.

February 2 is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord and also celebrates World Day for Consecrated Life. This year being the 25^th Anniversary of this designation. A day marked in the Catholic Church to pray for and be mindful of women and men religious – sisters, brothers, priests and hermits along with those who belong to secular institutes and those who make private vows. It is in professing the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience that we live out the promise of our baptismal call in these specific ways.

In living as a religious brother, I am constantly called back to not abandoning the confidence which is mine. This is not about being prideful and boasting, it is rather an anchoring in Christ. My confidence is found in Him whom I pattern my life after by living the gospel. It is this same confidence in which St. Francis trusted when he heard his call to go and rebuild the church. He didn’t set out to become a founder of a religious order rather he was expressing this confidence and living with an endurance the will of God the best he could. St. Francis is quoted as saying near the end of his life, “I have done what is mine to do, may you now do what is yours.” This conviction is established in a confidence that Christ was at work in him, that he was a vessel of the Holy Spirit for his time and place and that the promise of life eternal was at the heart of how he strived to live his consecrated life.

As I continue on in this consecrated religious life, I like St. Francis, continue to adjust my focus to see and profess more clearly “My God and My All” in my daily living. If I make my vows and not live them out well, they become empty promises. If I squander the confidence I have in self-sustaining ways, then I am forgetting that my vows call me into relationship with others. If I trust in my will forgetting that God is at work in me, I am out of step with my heart. These are the challenges I face as a religious in making my living authentic, honest and true. The reward is not earthly treasures – although tempting. The reward is not even in trying to live like St. Francis. The reward is in listening and being present to God who dwells in me. It is in doing this that I can live my vows well, walk forward in confidence with endurance knowing that God’s will is at work in me and the promises God makes to me are always kept.

How do you see yourself as consecrated?

Who calls forth this gift in your life?

“The life of the body is the soul; the life of the soul is God.” – St. Anthony of Padua

Photo Credit: Marina Raspopova

– Br. Michael, ofm

Nine months ago, I became part of an ecumenical prayer group. Our group of four meets online several times a week to pray together. Each gathering is a unique experience and expression of faith. The four of us come from four different Christian denominations and vary in age. This has enhanced our gatherings and the diversity of what it means to be Christian and Church. I think the four of us would each identify as seekers building on ancient traditions, practices and relying upon mystics both near and far, current and of history. We each bring a healthy curiosity to our prayer and dialogue. We also bring favorite authors and theologians who inspire the situations from which we come to prayer. One member is inquisitive, another reminds us of gratitude, and another helps us to linger in the sacred moments of silence. It is indeed rich and bearing fruit.

Nine months in we may not be birthing an ecumenical document or a guide to prayer, but we are birthing a common home for Christians from four walks of life. Together we tune into the Divine Love of our Creator God, the anchoring of our savior Jesus Christ and the continual promptings and nudges of the Holy Spirit.

I have been thinking about this gift of prayer in this group as we begin Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This year the theme is “Abide in my love and you shall bear much fruit” (John 15.5-9).

This theme for Christian Unity is manifested in our prayer group. We abide in the love of Jesus Christ by trusting each other with our stories and inviting him as our common anchor. We abide in love as we voice prayers and concerns not just for each other but for our families, our communities, and our countries. We abide in love as the words of the prayers become balm for our weary hearts and inspiration for the work which is ours to do. When we abide in love, we then indeed bear fruit in the communities in which we live. We bear the fruit of open hearts for those we encounter. We bear the fruit of welcome and hospitality because we have offered it to each other. We bear the fruit of mystical hearts being transformed because the Spirit is binding us together as we bear witness to the divine love of our God at work and present in our lives.

These simple weekly gatherings of prayer are indeed a witness of God’s abiding love, bearing fruit for the kingdom. It also brings to mind the words of Jesus, “that all may be one” (John 17.21). Here we are four people from four different Christian heritages and we our bound together as one. Our common anchor of Jesus Christ makes us one. We don’t see the division of denominations as a hinderance. In fact, our differences have been one of the riches and is where the seed is being planted for more fruit bearing. I can’t help but wonder if this would not be the way to move forward with Christian Unity.

These prayer gatherings have also reminded me of my small rural town where I grew up. Ninety-eight percent of the community was Christian while I was growing up. In my hometown there are three Christian Churches and yes, we all went (and still do) into our own buildings to pray in certain ways on Sundays but yet were able to come together as a community to support each other. During feasts and festivals, burying the dead, supporting the needy, encouraging the youth and value the contributions of each towards the community and coming together at times to pray, mourn and celebrate. Is this not abiding in love? Is this not bearing fruit? If this not being one?

Too often we use Jesus as the dividing factor instead of the common anchor. Jesus isn’t just for me or just for you or just for them. When we do this, we divide Christ instead of building up his body. When we fail to acknowledge this and push our own agenda we fail to abide in love and bear fruit. It is time for us as Christians to appreciate our diverse heritages, to accept what we offer to the encompassing title of Christianity and to build the kingdom together as one with Christ Jesus as our cornerstone (Ephesians 2.20-21). This is the work of abiding in love and the benefits are fruit which will last, will be shared, and will be sustained. It is time… let us be united in the abiding love of Christ Jesus as our world continues to struggle, so together we all “shall bear much fruit.”

Photo credits:

Jose Alfonso Sierra

Maja Petric

Ben White

Mateus Campos Felipe