Propositum VitaeLife Project

the primitive inspiration

Where it all begins

Summer seminar June 2009

How you journey =How you arrive

Why after you?

Bob Fitzsimmons SFO2009 SFO Summer SeminarSecular Franciscan Order - USA

Propositum Vitae1209 – approval of a new way of LifeThe “ oral rule” basically a few lines of Scripture: Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what

you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” (Mt 19:21)

  Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (Mt 16:24)

  And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. (Lk 9:3)

This is what I want!

• A major shift in the model of Church– Church based on Acts, “The Apostolic Life”

Monastic [communal] -- vs Canons Regular [communal & pastoral]

– Church based on Jesus - Gospel AdventureEvangelical, poverty, humility, vernacularLife based on an Image of God, relationship, and

a way of life

• A way of life based on Francis’ understanding of the Divine Economy.

Divine Economy to Human Economy Michael Crosby OFM Cap

1. All are equal, created in the divine image (Jesus) - The Blueprint

2. God has entered into mutual relationship with each one (as well as all creation) - God’s Poverty (Incarnation) & Humility (mutuality – desiring us)

3. Resources are to meet the needs of all so that all realize their dignity and have the fullest potential mutuality, & participation

Fraternity – Order ?• Francis vision -- classless structure, a fraternity

(brotherhood) of equals centered on Gospel/Christ , charged to meet the needs of each other without exercising authority over anyone.

• Poverty = doorway to peace and freedom (living w/o grasping –”sine proprio”)

• Gospel to Life , Life to Gospel “sine glossa” (without gloss)

• Reality --Order (clericalization - governance),

Brothers and Sisters of Penance• Letter to the Faithful 1209-1216 inspirational

form (prologue or proto-rule) – 2nd version 1220 (RnB)

• Memoriale Propositi 1221 juridical form (RnB)

• Surpa Montem August 1289 (RB) two Secular Franciscans: a judge Ugolino de’Medici di Ferrara and his brother Elias.

Supra MontemThe Approbation of the Third Rule of the Brothers and

Sisters of the Third Order instituted by Bl. Francis, for seculars living in their own homes, called Tertiaries,

Pope Nicholas IV, Rieti, August 17, 1289 A.D.

• . . . This is that, which prepares the path of salvation, and which promises the rewards and joys of eternal felicity. And for that reason the glorious confessor of Christ, Bl. Francis, the institutor of this order . . . .

11

Francis of Assisivernacular theologian

Humility & Poverty of God

God as Trinity predominates his writings

God organically connected to all creation, Francis expresses this in the Canticle of the

CreaturesMost high & supreme Good, You alone are good

aside – God alone is worthy, we are not, but are by pure giftedness. Reason not to get caught up

in the worthiness/performance game

• Francis approach to God is fully Trinitarian“You, Holy Father are King of heaven and earth. You are

Three and One, Lord God, all Good”

– God is the Most Holy Father and Supreme Good – the Father is source and goal

– Beloved Son is the expression of the totality of God’s goodness, humility and poverty – is God and points us to the Father

– Spirit is the foundation of Christian Life, “to have the Spirit of the Lord and his holy way of working” it is the Spirit who enables us to live the Gospel with great JOY – imitate Jesus

13

Poverty of God – Perfect love requires the lover to hold nothing back from the beloved! God freely, by choice empties Himself for the good of the other (self-communication -- kenosis)• 3- fold kenotic expression – I-P-E

Humility of God – God turns toward Jesus completely (God's full self-expression in one other then Himself) and through Jesus The Father turns toward us (finite self-expression of Jesus) and all creation.

Two Key beliefs as foundation of Franciscan Life

14

“ 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross”. Philippians 2:5-8The Revised Standard Version. 1971 (Php 2:5). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Poverty and humility of God

15

Poverty and humility of God

Is expressed in God’s Chosen actions:

I P E• Incarnation – not because of sin, but because of

Love. The Incarnation is the unrepeatable, unique and single defining act of God’s love

•Passion/crucifixion – not for the death or horror, but to show the depth of love’s sacrifice and what The Father was willing to hold back just for Himself

•Eucharist – abiding physical presence in the most insignificant form

• The Divine MigrationGOD

Us – Creation – Material world, sin

Our movement toward God

Ascending to spiritual union

By fleeing the world

Us - Creation

God’s movement toward all creation, esp us -- Descent

The IncarnationTransforms and unites material &

Spiritual

All is good

All is holy

Francis’ Spirituality• Spirituality is relational, a belief and the active or lived

expression of that belief – a spirituality that follows God’s action of descent

• God is experienced as Trinitarian communion entered through relationship and imitation of Jesus through the power of the Spirit. (Dance of Life/Trinity)

• Jesus reveals to us God’s name = ABBA• Francis’ movement

1. Hear the Gospel (finite words of the Eternal Word)

2. Do it – embrace it – live it

Admonition VII: Let good action follow knowledge

The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life [2 Cor 3:6]. To imitate Christ we have to know Christ and we learn of Christ from the Gospels. . .

For example, we can read the Gospels out of curiosity, out of a sense of duty, or simply to be able to tell others what the following of Jesus entails.

This gives us knowledge but knowledge of itself is of little value. Knowledge must flow over into what we do.

• Good – Only God is Good– Sin then:

• Appropriating for ourselves our own goodness• Gratitude – Love is not loved! – remember IPE

• How you journey = how you arrive!

• Joy is taken seriously [ADM 22, RnB C7, AsC 120]Spirituality is based in Joy, & joy is the source of the

Spirit’s energy to practice the Gospel Life!• Experience {sensory} not a purely intellectual exercise

– Fragrant, Delectable, Desirable Sweet

• The spirituality of Francis emphasizes

– Emptiness and receptivity – becoming little and free so to have room for the in-dwelling of the Trinity.

– Primacy of the Father – generatively – in his writings Francis speaks of the Father almost exclusively, or Trinity & Unity

– Imitation of the Beloved Son who Francis sees as our elder brother – God in human-being-ness

– Guided by the Holy Spirit as was Mary [hospitality], spouses, brothers/sisters, mothers

3 P’s of Francis1. Preaching – Penitential movement stresses

observing/doing the Gospel - transformation

2. Prayer – As a lay community this was more charismatic – Spirit filled spontaneous prayer

– Paramount is the Eucharist [ADM 1]

3. Poverty – to place one self on an equal footing with the little people of the world – to go and preach/live the Gospel where the Church cannot -- live without grasping

22

St. AugustineOriginal Sin

St. AnselmDoctrine of Atonement – Cur Deus Homo

1. If Adam & Eve had not sinned [original sin] would Jesus still have become human?

Why or why not?

2. What is our most important Holy-day/feast day?

Quiz

23

St. Augustine -- Original Sin

St. Anselm -- Doctrine of Atonement – Cur Deus Homo

Dominican TraditionDominic

Thomas AquinasEssence

IntellectSin & atonement centered

KnowledgeJesus as expiation for sin

work at worthinessEarn salvation – rules & laws

Flee the world

Jesus – noPope Leo XIII

1879 Aterni PatrisPrimary view – Juridical

Path of ascent

24

St. AugustineOriginal Sin

St. AnselmDoctrine of Atonement

Dominican TraditionDominic

Thomas AquinasEssence

IntellectSin & atonement centered

knowledgeJesus as expiation for sin

work at worthinessEarn salvation – rules & laws

Flee the world

Jesus – noEaster

Pope Leo XIII 1879 “Aterni Patris”Primary view –Juridical

Path of ascent

Franciscan TraditionFrancis & Clare

Bonaventure & ScotusPerson

Volition - WILLLove-centered - sensoryAffective - relationships

Jesus - blueprint of creationOnly God is Good

Incarnation unites and transformsLove the world – vestige

Jesus – YesChristmas

Eph 1:3-14 & Col 1:15-20Alternate view – relational

Path of Descent

The CappodociansAthanasius & Basil the Great

Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory Nazianzus

pseudo-DionysisVictorines