St. Katherine Drexel Regional Fraternity
Regional Spiritual Assistant
St. Francis of Assisi Friary
1901 Prior Road
Wilmington, Delaware 19809
tel: (302) 798-1454 fax: (302) 798-3360 website: skdsfo email: pppgusa@gmail.com
January 2019
Dear Sisters and Brothers in St. Francis,
The Lord bless you and keep you!
The Lord let His face shine upon you and be gracious to you!
The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!
(May He live in you. May you always live in Him)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be … And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory of the Father’s only Son full of grace and truth. (John 1: 1-14)
Words, words, words! Everyone seems to have something to say. How often are we reminded by our interlocutors that we are all ‘entitled to their opinions’. More often than not we are expected to take their words to heart – which is fine for pondering – and then do whatever is proposed – under the guise of friendship, or fear of some unpleasant reaction, and so on. Commercials expect us to buy the product advertised. Millions of dollars are spent to ‘push’ some medical ‘breakthrough’ or pharmaceutical remedy as a miracle drug for what ails you. Even when the counter warnings that must legally be presented are disconcerting not to say frightening; these products are bought to the billions of dollars, regardless of the possible dangerous, harmful or even fatal effects. Newspapers and news broadcasts saturate us with information, often about less important, insignificant matters or even opinionated editorials, when we would rather want to be made aware of more significant events and objective comments of pressing local, national and worldwide interest that in fact may or do affect our lives. Sermons and homilies are delivered in a manner that captivates the listeners’ attention and opens their hearts to remember what was presented to them, but the words many times are knowledgeably and beautifully delivered but do not challenge the listener. In this case, no one wants to ‘make waves’. Something good, correct and ‘nice’ is spoken, but it is often a word that will not set the soul afire with enthusiasm to be a ‘living gospel message’.
There is wrong or sinful speaking with one another, having an opinion in which one believes firmly, marketing products, researching and ‘experimenting’ medicines intended to help better our human condition, informing people of current events, following one’s own conscience, speaking with people of faith matters in an encouraging and uplifting manner … or even writing monthly circular letters intended to inform, instruct and, God willing, inspire people to accept the challenge every day to improve our relationship with God and others. All these, and many other examples you are undoubtedly able to list, are intended for good…and are composed of many words. How we cooperate with the words we hear or read will determine the good or not so good, or even the bad effect we allow them to have on our lives. The word is necessary to communicate. The Incarnate Word communicates truth and seeks a response. Let us remember that even silence can be a very powerful response.
We are People of the Word. It is a fact. Whether we have heard it or not, this is what we are. The faith we share was first spoken to both the simple as well as the educated people. They listened to the message (the Good News), reflected upon it, and ultimately decided to accept or reject what was proclaimed to them. Once the words spoken were accepted, the next step was to concretize them in life. Until we read and allow the Lord Jesus to be ‘enfleshed’ in our lives by following His teachings and example, we can never truly be fully a ‘People of the Word’.
We who are ordained and/or commissioned ministers of the Word must also be very cautious we proclaim and spread God’s Word, and not our own! We cannot be honest to our ministry to God’s People when the Word we proclaim is intended to foster and promote personal issues and agendas. All of us, regardless of our place in the Mystical Body of Christ, are consecrated by Baptism to be attentive and faithful to the integrity of the Good News – the message of Jesus.
Individuals are, by human nature, more ‘intuned’ to hear what they expect or want. This happens in religious organizations, political gatherings, social groupings, churches, and even in The Church. In the Church it is the guidance of the Holy Spirit that gives the grace of infallibility in matters of faith and morals to the Holy Father, Successor to St. Peter and Vicar of Christ for the sake of Christ’s Body, the Church. Our Seraphic Father placed such trust and confidence in the presence of the Holy Spirit and His holy operation that St. Francis told the brothers that the Holy Spirit was the true Minister General of the Order (cfr. 2 Celano, chpt. CXLV).
We must be cautious how we interpret words. Much can be lost in the translation. Sacred Scripture translated in a language to be understood by people of every time and nation, risks alterations that can affect the original meaning. There are many safeguards in the Church to avoid ‘misunderstandings’. Nevertheless: What happens when we read but do not perceive? What happens when we hear but do not listen? What happens when we proclaim but do not live? What happens when we, like sounding gongs and clanging cymbals, repeat correctly all the proper words that indicate what we have been taught and have said we will accept, but then live as though we have heard nothing new, nor allowed our lives to be transformed by the power of the Word, Whose words are spirit and life?
St. Francis was an advocate of respect for the Word. Let the names and written words of the Lord, whenever they are found in inconvenient places, be also gathered up and kept in a becoming place (Letter to the Custodians, 1220). This respect for Sacred Scripture of St. Francis was rooted in his awareness that all he had become, and all he had offered thousands of others to become in response to God’s call, had its beginning in the words he read, heard and asked be explained to him by one who represented for him the official teaching of the Church (the Magisterium) … and he accepted without gloss, and gave himself wholeheartedly to a life that would change the world as it changed millions of people down through the centuries. Our Seraphic Father listened to the words of Sacred Scripture so intently that he remembered them, pondered them, and assimilated them into his life. They were the true Form of Life he accepted to follow. To follow Jesus is to follow the Gospel. To follow the Gospel is to be a living image of Jesus. Living the Word without gloss, as St. Francis expected his spiritual children to do, allows the Word to come alive in, with, and through us who believe It and believe in It.
The Rule, Constitutions, Regulations and even simple organizational suggestions offered by the legitimate leadership of any jurisdiction of our Franciscan Fraternity are all based on the life and teachings of the one Great Word Who is Jesus, and His words in Scripture, and how our Seraphic Father accepted them in his life. Franciscans, true to their Seraphic Father, have always considered Sacred Scripture their first and basic rule of life and guide. In a letter to the whole Order, Our Seraphic Father wrote: Because whoever belongs to God hears the words of God, we who are more especially charged with divine responsibilities must not only listen to and do what the Lord says but also care for the vessels and other liturgical objects that contain His holy words in order to impress on ourselves the sublimity of our Creator and our subjection to Him. I, therefore, admonish my brothers and encourage them in Christ to venerate, as best they can, the divine written words wherever they find them … For many things are made holy by the words of God and the sacrament of the altar is celebrated in the power of the words of Christ (Letter to the Entire Order).
As spiritual children of St. Francis of Assisi we have accepted the call to live the Gospel, according to our state in life, following Jesus Christ after the example of St. Francis of Assisi. As People of the Word, if we have not already done so, we must let the Word of God written for us to read and meditate, and the Word of God, Jesus the Christ, enfleshed in human nature in all things but sin for us to follow, be the guiding force of our lives. The Rule and Constitutions studied and approved by Holy Mother Church are Spirit and Life for us all, for they are rooted in the Word of God, our Seraphic Father, and the Magisterium of the Church. To disregard them for convenience or human respect, is to betray our Franciscan vocation. The pondered and promoted decisions of the leadership of our regional and even the single fraternities in union with our national and international councils are expected to be reflected upon and then followed with fraternal trust in those elected to leadership. Often our ‘human nature gets in the way’, and can keep the person and even the fraternity from moving forward.
What makes us Franciscans is our ability to be sisters and brothers not intimidated nor intimidating, ready and trusting enough to be able to express our feelings – happy, sad, annoyed, contrary, and the like. However, a true Franciscan is also expected to live the essence of Franciscan Poverty, manifested in true Obedience. Self-centered negative criticism of others, refusal to accept in humility what is asked of us in the spirit of Sacred Scripture, the Magisterium, the Rule and Constitutions, devious behavior, antagonistic ‘feelings’ towards another, and much more are not only contrary to our Franciscan charism but also contrary to our Catholic Christian calling. Baptized Catholics seek always to be faithful to Sacred Scripture, Tradition, the Magisterium. They willingly strive to be an affirming presence in the world, wherever and however God has made known directly or indirectly.
We have begun the New Year. The Christ of history walked among us two thousand years ago. The Christ of glory will come in the Father’s time and eternal Will. The Christ of mystery is with us always in His Word revealed to us and transmitted by the sacred writers and in His Divine Presence in the Eucharist. What lies ahead of us is in the hands of God. May we take on the commitment because of our faith-filled conviction and Franciscan profession to read Scripture more often and intently. To do so daily is not an exaggerated expectation for People of the Word. This is who we Franciscans are. St. John tells us His own did not receive Him. There are still sisters and brothers among us have difficulty accepting the challenge of their profession to live the Franciscan-Gospel life with joy and surrender to the Word of God and heart of St. Francis of Assisi. The Word was made flesh and must be enfleshed in each one of us. He came and dwelled among us, that others might be able to see Him through us. Those who come to believe in Him through the example of our Franciscan Gospel Life, are offered the opportunity and privilege to receive from Christ the power to become the children of God. These children of God will see His glory, the glory of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth, alive in their hearts and transforming the lives of others.
As you can see, there is power in a word, a power that not even hell can destroy or shake. There is infinite might and transforming power in the Word. May that Word, who entered time with us that we might enter eternity with Him, be our guiding force each day. And may the Eucharist, great gift of the Word through the Spirit, allow the Mystery of the Incarnation we celebrate and receive to fill us with the graces of the Holy Spirit and always give us peace in the Father’s love, mercy and providence.
My prayers are with all of you and your loved ones for a most blessed and peace-filled New Year 2019. May God bless you; Our Lady guide, guard, and protect you; and our Seraphic Father St. Francis of Assisi and our holy Mother St. Clare of Assisi watch over each one of you, his Spiritual Children, with loving care.
Remembering the words of St. Jerome: Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ, we can take that further saying, as can be seen on some Church signs: No Christ, No Peace! KNOW CHRIST, KNOW PEACE! May we make this a Year of the Word for us to get to Know Christ that we may Know His Peace in our hearts, homes, and the world around us. JESUS, OUR PEACE, DOES NOT DISAPPOINT ANYONE WHO PLACES THEIR TRUST IN HIM. LORD, THIS YEAR AND ALWAYS WE PLACE OUR TRUST IN YOU! May the Peace, Joy, Blessings … and Love fill your hearts and those of your loved ones. Happy New Year to all!
Peace and Blessings
Fr. Francis A. Sariego, O.F.M. Cap.
Regional Spiritual Assistant
