47. BITESIZE CATECHISM: THE PEACEBEARERS OF ST. FRANCIS

Considering the present state of our nation the Bitesize Catechism is starting a series to"light a candle rather than curse the darkness".  It is my hope that many who read it will be inspired to make a conscious daily commitment to live as Peacebearers of St. Francis in their everyday lives!

APPETIZER: Respect for and development of human life require peace. Peace is not merely the absence of war, and it is not limited to maintaining a balance of powers between adversaries. Peace cannot be attained on earth without safeguarding the goods of persons, free communication among men, respect for the dignity of persons and peoples, and the assiduous practice of fraternity. Peace is "the tranquility of order." Peace is the work of justice and the effect of charity. Earthly peace is the image and fruit of the peace of Christ, the messianic "Prince of Peace." By the blood of his Cross, "in his own person he killed the hostility," he reconciled men with God and made his Church the sacrament of the unity of the human race and of its union with God. "He is our peace." He has declared: "Blessed are the peacemakers." (CCC #2304-2305)

MAIN COURSE: Long before he was born on planet Earth, Jesus Christ was prophesied to be the Prince of Peace. To the shepherds of Bethlehem, the angels proclaimed that his birth brought peace on earth to people of good will. As Teacher and Lord, he grew up to preach the Gospel of Peace, declaring “Blessed are the peacemakers, they will be called the children of God.” Peace - along with the fruits of unity, serenity and interior joy that it brings - has long been recognized as an important characteristic of Christianity.

One thousand years after Christ, St. Francis of Assisi was born and has become one of the most well-known and universally popular saints and religious figures. Called “the most Christ-like man who ever lived”, he was also known as a Man of Peace during his lifetime. 

Upon his conversion of heart to Christ as a young man, Francis was inspired to truly live the Gospel in his daily actions. His culture was filled with "Christians" who said they believed in Jesus but acted as if they barely knew him. Francis' sincerity of faith, love of Christ and devotion to the Gospel initiated a movement of reform and renewal that spread like wildfire throughout the known world.

Because of the widespread influence of his Franciscan Movement, Europe experienced a crusade of peacemakers inspired by the Holy Man of Assisi. So, it is no surprise that the most widely circulated prayer which contains his spirit and outlook (but which was not written directly by him) ha been the Peace Prayer of St. Francis.

The religious order started by St. Francis grew by the thousands in his own lifetime. But not everyone who was drawn to him was able to join it in a formal manner as friars or nuns. Many people associated themselves with St. Francis in various other ways. One of these ways was called the Cordbearers of St. Francis. They were so named because they wore a miniature white rope (called a "cord") in imitation of the Franciscans who used a cord a belt.This was their sign of their devotion to St. Francis and reminded them to put his ideals into practice. This simple form of affiliation with the worldwide Franciscan Movement expanded the influence of St. Francis but it has become defunct in recent times. 

However, the Holy Spirit seems to always find new ways to keep the spirit and ideals of St. Francis alive. New forms of being part of the Franciscan Movement are born to meet various needs of various times and places. Based on the simple idea of the Cordbearers, I have been thinking about a new group that I like to call The Peace-Bearers of St. Francis. 

Inspired by the Peace Prayer of St. Francis they would be ordinary everyday people from every walk of life.  Instead of binding their bodies with the Cord of St. Francis as a sign of their spiritual affinity with him, they would bind their minds and their hearts with the Prayer of St. Francis and put it into practice. They are inspired to live as instruments of the Lord’s peace and make a conscious commitment to really live the Peace Prayer in all their relationships and interactions. Theirs is a simple yet concrete way of putting into practice the Beatitudes. It is also a way to contribute to making our world a better place. I think such intentional devotees of St. Francis could be a powerful contribution for peace and reconciliation, for healing and unity in our much-divided nation.

For the next few weeks, our Bitesize Catechism will be taking a a closer look at living the the Peace Prayer (love, pardon, unity, truth, faith, hope, light, joy, to console, to understand, to love, to give, to to forget self, to pardon, and to desire eternal life). It is my hope that this might be of some little help for those who feel called to live their Christianity as Peacebearers of St. Francis.

DOGGIE-BAG: A little something to take with you for spiritual snacking during the day…

THE PEACE PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS (A Simple Prayer)

This is the original and longer form of the popular Peace Prayer. It is the version used by St. Mother Teresa and her Missionaries of Charity as well as by the worldwide 12-Step Recovery movement. The lines in italics are those that are usually edited out for the shorter version which is a pity because they very much need to be lived.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me bring love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is discord, unity.

Where there is error, truth.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved as to love,

for it is in giving that we receive,

it is in forgetting self that we find self,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

HOLY QUOTES...

"Peace is always possible but we have to consciously seek it. Let us pray for peace, and let us bring it about, starting in our own homes." (Pope Francis)

"If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other." (Mother St. Teresa of Calcutta)

"The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today. Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you will find yourself doing the impossible." (St. Francis of Assisi)