In today's Minute Meditations, Richard Rohr explains the active faith of St. Francis. ✝️
October 29, 2024
Dear John,
In today's entry for Minute Meditations, Richard Rohr writes about how St. Francis of Assisi favored words like heart, love,and mercy over words like mind, truth, and intellect. It's not to say that intelligence and seeking the truth don't matter. It's just that, without our hearts in the right place, directing us to our true North in God and Gospel living, the mind is reduced to a repository of information.
We can be—and are—so much more. But, as Rohr points out, it takes action. Francis was, among many other things, a man of action. He was someone who took God's advice quite literally and began replacing individual stones of the San Damiano Chapel, which he understood he was tasked with rebuilding. As time went on, Francis' vision expanded and his mind wrapped around what God was trying to tell him. But he started with his heart oriented in the right place.
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May St. Francis’ simple, sincere example of faith inspire you today!
Blessings,
Daniel Imwalle
Managing Editor, St. Anthony Messenger/Franciscan Media
Life in second- and third-century Jerusalem couldn’t have been easy, but Saint Narcissus managed to live well beyond 100. Some even speculate he lived to 160.
Details of his life are sketchy, but there are many reports of his miracles. The miracle for which Narcissus is most remembered was turning water into oil for use in the church lamps on Holy Saturday when the deacons had forgotten to provide any.
We do know that Narcissus became bishop of Jerusalem in the late second century.
He was known for his holiness, but there are hints that many people found him harsh and rigid in his efforts to impose Church discipline. One of his many detractors accused Narcissus of a serious crime at one point. Though the charges against him did not hold up, he used the occasion to retire from his role as bishop and live in solitude. His disappearance was so sudden and convincing that many people assumed he had actually died.
Several successors were appointed during his years in isolation. Finally, Narcissus reappeared in Jerusalem and was persuaded to resume his duties. By then he had reached an advanced age, so a younger bishop was brought in to assist him until his death.
Reflection
As our life spans increase and we face the bodily problems of aging, we might keep Saint Narcissus in mind and ask him to help us face our developing issues
One of the earliest accounts of Francis, the “Legend of Perugia,” quotes Francis as telling the first friars, “You only know as much as you do.” His emphasis on action, practice, and lifestyle was foundational and revolutionary for its time. For Francis and Clare, Jesus became someone to actually imitate and not just to worship. Up to this point, most of Christian spirituality was based in desert asceticism, monastic discipline, or academic theology, which itself was often based in “correct belief” or liturgy, but not in a kind of practical Christianity that could be lived in the streets of the world. Many say Francis emphasized an imitation and love of the humanity of Jesus, and not just the worshiping of his divinity. That is a major shift.
Those who have analyzed the writings of Francis have noted that he uses the word doing rather than understanding at a ratio of 175 times to five. Heart is used 42 times to one use of mind. Love is used 23 times as opposed to 12 uses of truth. Mercy is used 26 times while intellect is used only one time. This is a very new perspective that is clearly different from (and an antidote to) the verbally argumentative Christianity of his time, and from the highly academic theology that would hold sway for the next thousand years. He took prayer on the road and into the activity of life itself.
Years ago, I had the amazing opportunity to go on a mission trip while I was in high school. Among the many takeaways from the experience, there were certain phrases that came up during the trip that were kind of like mantras for the group to keep grounded. One of those phrases was “Be here now. Be there then.” This was to remind us to not worry or think too much about returning home, though it was hard to not feel homesick over those six weeks. It was a reminder to try to embrace as fully as possible the life-changing experience that was at hand. I still go back to this phrase whenever I realize that I’m living too much in the past or the future.
Pray
God of time and beyond time, I’m stuck again. This time, I’m fixating on a past failure, But later, I’m sure I’ll find some fears about the future to worry over. In the here and now, you are. And I am. I know in my head and feel in my heart that the present is always our only access point to you. May the mindful moments when I say yes to you in the now, Help me navigate the many times I am lost in the past or the future, detached from you.
Act
How much does time play a role in your daily life? Are you rushing to and from one fire to another, constantly trying to be on time and crossing things off your list? I know I do. Without looking at a clock or screen, simply sit somewhere comfortable today and try to guess if five minutes have gone by. Pray, meditate, or daydream: It doesn’t matter! When you’re ready, check and see how much time actually passed. It was probably not exactly five minutes.
Today's Pause+Pray was written by Daniel Imwalle. Learn more here!
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