Dear Brothers and Sisters in St. Francis and Clare,
May the Risen Saviour give you peace! During this Easter Season we embrace the Lord of Life, who having been raised up by the Father, will, in His turn, raise us up by His power. Through our Baptism into Christ’s death we are buried with him, so that, just as the Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live a new life (Romans 6:4). Jesus, the beginning and end of our faith, endured the cross, heedless of the shame, for the sake of the joy that would follow it.
Vatican II states there are three threads that are woven together to characterize our mission and calling in the midst of a changing secular world. First of all, we are to develop a viable spirituality that entails a life of prayer involving a sense of loving relationship with God in the activities of daily life. We should strive to carry on a running conversation with the Lord along our journey of faith by making time: for Mass and the sacraments, for quiet meditative prayer, for prayerful dialogue with others at home and in the community, and for appreciation of nature. Coupled with prayer is a life of enrichment and study so that our horizons and quality of life prepare us for more generous service and witness for all people. Whether we use books or periodicals, CDs or TV sessions, we are led to an awareness of what is going on in the Church community and in the world community so that we can respond in a Franciscan manner to all these realities about us. Secondly, we are to serve the Body of Christ, the Church, and make the word charity come alive. Thirdly, we are to infiltrate the world as leaven with gospel values and spirit, and thus share our faith values with all we meet.
As Secular Franciscans we bring Christ and His message to the marketplace in order to transform this world from within. In his Letter to the Faithful and the Admonitions, Francis outlines a form of life and guide for all those who come to him. By reading and studying his words of life and salvation, we can draw strength to put them into daily practice.
Fraternally,
Friar Louis Geelan, O.F.M.