Transcript Understanding Franciscan Spirituality

Understanding Franciscan
Spirituality
Part 2
The God who reveals Himself
Kenosis
• Self-emptying
• From Bonaventure – self-giving,
totally, completely, unconditionally
for the good of the other
Good
• Francis speaks of God as good, the
most high good, the supreme good.
• The highest form of good is Love
See Jn 13, 15, Mt 5, 44 & Lk 6, 27, 35
• give life for friends
• Give life to Francis is to give
everything
• To hold nothing back
See St Paul Rom 35 & Phil 2
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Phil 2 the great hymn of servant-hood
Emptied himself
Form of a slave
Accepting even death on the cross
• Showing the depth of God’s love for us
Poverty of God
5
“
Have this mind among yourselves,
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which is yours in Christ Jesus, 
who,
though he was in the form of God, did not
count equality with God a thing to be
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grasped, 
but emptied himself, taking the
form of a servant, being born in the
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likeness of men. 
And being found in
human form he humbled himself and
became obedient unto death, even death
on a cross”. Philippians 2:5-8
The Revised Standard Version. 1971 (Php 2:5). Oak Harbor, WA:
Logos Research Systems, Inc.
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God
• All that Jesus says and does, reveals who God is. That
which exists visibly in Jesus, exists invisibly,
mysteriously, in God.
• The Incarnation is an act of humility, this is because
God is a Being of humility.
• Jesus is poor because God is poor.
• the Father, God himself, in the garments of the
eternal Servant
• The Cross, Passion and death of Jesus = the fullness
and depth of the Father’s love, and His willingness to
sacrifice all to show that Love.
• Jesus came so that the Father could show
himself
• (may your name be glorified: it reveals who
you are, Your "glory - kabod").
• And the Father confirms it for us!
• God is a Love.
• Now, to love is to die to oneself, not only
preferring others to oneself,
• but refusing to exist for oneself,
• with the purpose of existing only for others.
• God is a Trinity.
The Existence of God is eternally in the act of
giving himself to others.
Who is your God
• After reading the Scriptures, the
thoughts of Francis, the words of
Pope Benedict XVI
• Who, what is your image of God?
• Who is the God you believe in?