Understanding Franciscan Spirituality

Part 1A Relationship with God

Opening Prayer

To the Blessed Trinity

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In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Side 1 -- O infinite Trinity,We sing of your glory in this prayerBecause of Jesus, your beloved Son, you

have raised us to be your own daughters and sons, And in our hearts, you have made your dwelling

All: Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen

Side 2 -- Eternal beyond time,The fountain of life that never dies,All creation comes form you and also

returnsIn a never-ending stream of love.

All: Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen

All -- We give our praise to you,O most sweet and blessed TrinityWho always flows forth and always flows

backIn the calm sea of your own overflowing

and dynamic love.

ALL: Through Christ in the unity of the Holy Spirit all glory and honor are yours, Almighty Father. Amen

Wisdom 13:1-3For all men who were ignorant of God were foolish by

nature; and they were unable from the good things that are seen to know him who exists, nor did they recognize the craftsman while paying heed to his works;

2 but they supposed that either fire or wind or swift air, or the circle of the stars, or turbulent water, or the luminaries of heaven were the gods that rule the world.

3 If through delight in the beauty of these things men assumed them to be gods, let them know how much better than these is their Lord, for the author of beauty created them.

The Revised Standard Version. 1971 (Wis 13:1-3). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Trinitarian prayer Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to

the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever.

Through Christ in the unity of the Holy Spirit all glory and honor are yours, Almighty Father

Starting discussion questions

1. Why did Jesus become human (Incarnate)

2. Would Jesus have come if there were no original sin?

A Relationship with God

• Spirituality– based on one’s unique experience of

God– my particular way of picturing God– fed by intimate and personal contact

with God

Francis – theologian of God’s experience

• Not a trained theologian• Vernacular theologian (in the

common peoples language and range of experience)• A theology based on lived experience

Francis – Trinitarian Man

• Francis yearns for relationship with the Father• Wants to be loved by the Father as

Jesus is loved• Sees Jesus as elder brother who

leads us to the father

• The Father is his goal• Francis understanding of his own

unworthiness causes him to desire the loving Father even more

• Sees God as Trinity and Unity

Theology of Francis

• Trinitarian communion – which will become the model for Francis’ Order - structured as Fraternity – to mirror the love within the Trinity

• Also based on the Primacy of the Father

The Father–supreme goodness –Unbegotten source–Total giving-ness –

generativity/fecundity

–2 modes of emanation• Intellect – Beloved Son•Will – Spirit = freedom’s choice

to Love

• Central place within the Trinity is the Father

• Francis calls himself brother & refuses to be called father

• Place of Father is reserved for God

Christology of Francis

• Based in the mystery of trinity• Jesus is beloved Son• Descends from the bosom of the

Father• Reveals to us the Father and reality

that God is Love

Intellect Beloved SonEternal Word Begotten Perfect

receiver and reflector of God

All God is expressed in the Son

Both receives and produces [spiration]

Exemplar - makes visible the ideas, thoughts, actions [mind] of the Father

“. . if you see me, you see the Father”

our elder brother

• Imitation of the Son comes from the desire to be loved by the Father as Jesus was loved• Jesus becomes our elder brother• Shows us a God of humility and

poverty• A servant God

Names• Jesus reveals to us God’s name

ABBA

• The Father reveals Jesus name

BELOVED SON

Holy Spirit

• Only being filled with the Holy Spirit of God, can we:• Imitate Jesus• And become one with the Father

Will of God – Holy Spirit– Spirated from both Father & Son– Total receptivity–Receptive not productive–Mutual bond between Father

& Son– The expression of God’s will

– LOVE • choice made in absolute freedom