Monthly Spiritual Message, June 2005
By Br Patrick Colbourne OFM Cap,
In our last Monthly Spiritual Message we explored the matter of being active readers of Scripture. While doing so we acknowledged that as we delve into a passage seeking to find what God is saying to us personally we will discover different interpretations which, although they are all within the limits of orthodoxy, will still enable us to find different meanings in the text to suit our spiritual life at the time.
In The Later Rule (1223) for the brothers of the First Order St. Francis commands the ministers and custodes to provide clothing for the brothers “according to places, seasons and cold climates, as they judge necessary”. (LR chapter IV, The Saint p. 102). Something the same might be said about Franciscan reading of scripture and Franciscan prayer. In both of these the approach selected must be tailored to fit mood, circumstances and tastes. This is one consequence of an active approach to scripture.
A good example of such an approach is provided by words attributed to St Francis which were spoken during his terminal illness. Because he knew that St Francis derived much joy from hearing scripture, a companion suggested to him that he ask a brother to read from the prophets or other passages of scripture. The Saint replied: “Brother, every day I find so much sweetness and consolation in my memory from meditating on the humility of the footprints of the Son of God that, if I were to live to the end of the world, I’d have no great need to hear or meditate on other passages of Scripture.” (The Assisi Compilation79, The Founder p. 181.)
No doubt this was fine for the Saint during his suffering and there is nothing to suggest that for others in other circumstances it could mean that they have not explored the beauty of the whole of scripture or that they might need more assistance to stimulate a response. The allegories proposed in some scripture commentaries written by monastic authors may appear too far fetched for out liking. Some commentaries written by Franciscans under the influence of the University of Paris may appear too clogged up with points of logic or language. The enrapturing journey towards union with God as portrayed by St Bonaventure might appear to be a far cry from the psychology of stages in prayer which concentrate on the person’s inner moods progress into deeper prayer as set out in the manuals of Capuchin mystics. However there is enough gold to be mined by all of us in this rich Franciscan tradition of love of God and personal experience of prayer. Even when we feel cheated that Bernardine of Balvano, steeped as he is in the tradition of the Imitation of Christ, has only mentioned three kind of prayer, offering of self, petition and thanksgiving and apparently neglected adoration, we are stimulated by our attempt at disagreement to examine our own habits of prayer. St Francis sings the praises of the whole Trinity and of all creatures. Another Franciscan author explores thirty three incidents in the life of Christ (to equal his age) as sufficient matter for contemplating the mystery of our Redemption.
There is no accounting for tastes. If we wish to feast at the spiritual banquet of our Franciscan spiritual tradition there is no doubt that we will not eat everything on the table, but there is certainty that we will leave the table nourished and with an appetite for more.
But is it necessary to make things so complicated? What is to be gained from putting myself through so much effort when a simple prayer or reading the life of a contemporary Saint with its miracles and ecstasies appear to be so much more readily accessible?
The first reply to this objection is that scripture is the word of God and, perhaps more to the point, God’s personal communication with me. As such it ought to be the primary source of inspiration and direction for my life. Our Lord says in the Gospel: “My sheep hear my voice and I give them good pasture” (John 10:27).
St Paul identifies these “sheep” and their various needs. In his Letter to the Ephesians he speaks of what the wife owes the husband and the husband his wife, what the father owes the son and the son his father, what the brother owes to his brother and the slave his master. The Song of Songs asks: “Where do you pasture your sheep? Where do you take your rest at noontide?” (Song 1:5-8) identifying what brings us into the full blaze of enlightenment as to who we are and what we should do. When Paul arrives at those who have committed themselves totally to God he calls them “Virgins’ and says: “But regarding virgins, I have no command from the Lord.” (! Cor 7:25) implying that deep love goes beyond the categories of commandments and spares no effort to extend its response to the beloved. As St Paul says: “Those who are Christ’s have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires’ (Gal. 5:24: cf. Col 2:20). To a lover nothing seems too much trouble or too much fuss in their thirst for closer union. When commenting on these verses Apponius (5th century Italian monk) wrote: “Christ our Lord, then, has souls that have been joined to him by intense love, and these he ever keeps in the clear noontide of his wisdom and love.” The Shepherd does not only control such souls with his staff but gathers them together and carries the lambs on his shoulder (Isa 10:40a, 11).
You have been called as children of the house. Go into the storeroom, bring out what is new and what is old, indulge your taste and you shall find food containing in itself all sweetness. Do not be put off by the effort. Sell all you have and buy the field.
Patrick Colbourne O.F.M.Cap.
S.F. O. National Spiritual Assistant
