Friday, March 22, 2013

Simply Jesus - a Franciscan Lesson: Focused Life, Part Two

I have to admit, it has been a crazy week; so crazy that, really, the only logical thing to do is to boil up some water for tea, sit in front of the space heater in the basement office and contemplate. It's interesting. The busier life gets, I find myself oddly at peace, perhaps for no other reason than desperately seeking simplicity right now. Simplicity, of course, that starts inward, but is so easily affected by the outward. I have been making decisions in our living space that is symbolic of the uncluttering that I'm doing on the inside. I'm finding that as I made space-saving and organization decisions in my living space, I'm finding it to be cathartic to my internal state. I'm sure my wife is enjoying my journey -as doing the dishes is a part of my process. I've been cleaning the kitchen as if it is some sort of Zen rock garden. I'm sure when the annoying spring snow melts, I'll take my catharsis to the back yard. Until then our home is my rock garden.

One thing I'm doing tonight is contemplating one of my favorite simple saints: Francis of Assisi. Many have used his attributed quote: "Preach always; if necessary use words." It is a wonderful sentiment; however, a sentiment used so much by some of the streams (that I've swam in) of Christians in post-Christian America that it doesn't mean much except (often): "I'm afraid of living a bold witness...afraid of speaking out...afraid of coming across too strong." Well, it would still mean something if those who say it would strive to live it (I've been no exception in my mistakes). The thing is: this generation and cultural make up truly listens with their eyes. If we are going to declare an extravagant, unconditional, love of God, we have to live it. See, Francis also said, "Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible." The truth is that great exploits of faith are often just results of simple faith -simple devotion -simple love: where we step out in obedience and the Holy Spirit moves. That's the context in which "if necessary use words" actually works. St. Francis is one of my favorite historical characters, because once we strip down the legend of the man, we get a simple man. A man willing to make it all about Jesus. A man who chose to waste himself on Jesus. Contemporaries of Francis called him - the clown of God (Manning, 2001), and "he often stood on his head to see the world upside down, reminding his neighbors and himself that life on planet earth hangs precariously on the strings of God's loving-kindness" (p. 70-71).

Francis was obsessed with Jesus. I guess that is the lesson that I (and my few readers ;-) can take from the man this Holy Week. Jesus' words of "Seeking first the Kingdom...and all these things shall be added as well," are real words, a real reality, and an enduring truth that will change us if we let it. And letting the great love and sacrifice of Christ impact us this week, is something that can greatly change us. The story is told of Francis that:
One day a gentle man found him [Francis] weeping and crying out with a loud voice. On being asked why he did so, he answered, "I weep for the sorrows and ignominies of my Lord: and what makes me weep the most is that we, for whom he suffered so much, live in forgetfulness of him." And on saying this he redoubled his tears, so that this man too began to weep. Whenever the saint heard the bleating of a lamb, or saw anything else that reawakened the memory of Jesus' Passion, he immediately fell aweeping. Another time, when he was sick, someone told him that he should have a book of devotion read to him. "My book," he replied, "is Jesus crucified." Hence he did nothing but exhort his brethren to think of the Passion of Jesus Christ at all times (Liguori, 1953, p. 11).
So, let's focus on Christ. Not just this week, but let's let this week defibrillate our heart into remembering our first love. The perfect, ethereal, unconditional love of God, became earthy, bloody, and extravagantly wasteful at the cross. Giorgio Tiepolo wrote, "Anyone who does not fall in love with God by looking at Jesus dead upon the cross will never fall in love" (p. 11). Like our friend Francis, let's let the sacrifice of Christ so move us that it fine-tunes our hearts to think on him continually.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace (Lem­mel, 1922)
References:
Liguori, A. (1997). The Practice of the Love of Jesus Christ. (P. Heinegg, trans.), Liguori, Missouri: Liguori Publications
Manning, B. (2001). Ruthless Trust. NY: HarperCollins Publishers
"Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" taken from http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/t/u/turnyour.htm

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