"Who Am I?"

Remembering My Profession on the Feast of Saint Francis 2009

I wrote this short meditation in my Secular Franciscan Fraternity's news letter before my profession into the order on October 4th 2009. It just so happens that I was writing this for Franciscans but you can replace the words Franciscans or SFO with Christens, Catholics or the name of any living person.

We often wonder who we are or what our purpose is in this world. Maybe we think everything will change once our name has Dr. or Judge or even Fr. In the prefix. You may even like SFO in the suffix of your name. Perhaps a better question is, dose this really make any difference to God or more earthbound to me? Saint Francis striped off his clothes and disowned his earthly father. He used words like poor and fool to describe himself. Not too flashy or faltering is it? This world can tease us with riches, power and status but its nothing compared to the love of Our Father, who is everything for us. Become quiet now, Listen...Ask Him...Who am I? “YOU ARE MINE” says the Lord. See, it is the love of the Lord that we are to be. We who believe this truth will grow in Him. We have only the power that He gives us. His Word is our road map and our compass. He has written it in the stars and has timed it in the tides of the sea. He calls us by name, sees us naked before him, and he has a place for us with him in his Kingdom. He can only evaluate us in love because he is love. He is our lover in the quietness of us and he is teacher in the noisiness of the world. As a Secular Franciscans we gain nothing from this world because it is in giving that we receive. If we have pride we should quickly correct our hearts because it prevent us from becoming Our Fathers little ones. And when we grow we do this with him and in him, he becomes our new skin a uniform tailored just for us. I am reminded of the story of how Saint Francis after getting rashes from his habit the brothers sowed patches of less chafing material on the in side of his habit. Francis had the brothers sow those same patches on the outside of the habit so that it wouldn't be deceiving. I find in this story the message that we must live confidently in the truth of who we are whatever that may be, but knowing that we are loved and called by our Creator to love one another as He loves us. Remember what Francis said to one of his friars, "preach the Gospel at all times using words only when necessary." In other words they will know we are Franciscans by our love, the love that comes to us and through us in Christ. As I am about to make my profession in to the Secular Franciscan Order I can be confident in knowing that I am His. His words echo between the walls of my soul “ You are mine.” These simple yet profound words have carried me for the last year and a half. Each time the evil one would try to confuse me, when I have lack of success, when things go wrong, or in times of sickness I beery my head in the bosom of my redeemer and hear those words in His breath “YOU ARE MINE”

Freedom

We are placed in this body in a world and civilization built on laws. We have Gods law, which is written, in stone and in the Word. Then there is man's law, which is written on paper and in air, one is infallible, the other is dispensable. Christ is the Word and the law, which is eternal love and eternal mercy. Our Freedom is bought for us through His dyeing at the hands of men and their law. By believing in His promise of mercy we are set free from all thing on earth. On my trip to the cities of our country independence, I learned that "laying down our your life" or dyeing to self in a spirit of love is a price for freedom. The Eucharist is a constant reminder of the humility of God, the great witness of love, and the grace of receiving that love by the mercy of God, surrendering and gaining the gift of freedom from our sins. In our last century we have see that love conquers all evil and oppression. The Gospel came alive with the witnesses of love that marches under the banner of freedom. Gandhi, King, and Bl. John Paul II, and countless men and women in death camps, just to name a few, it was their perseverance motivated by love of God and neighbor that we can be reminded of the truth that love is the ransom of freedom. No oppressor can defeat Gospel Love. The Debt has been paid by the Blood of Christ Jesus. From His thrown of Glory He calls us to lift up our crosses in faith the we have already won against the forces of darkness because "His love endures forever."