Born This Way, Baptised This Way.
Today is the feast of the Baptism of Our Lord by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. I was always fascinated by the part where a great disembodied voice calls out those consoling words, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well-pleased.”
As a young man, I always sought the approval of my father, Robert. He is a good man and great dad. I was able to spend some time with him over Christmas and I really loved it. My father is a gentleman and he encourged us to value education, our faith and the rules of courtesy. Even though two of his children became schoolteachers, he used to exclaim, “Bloody lawyers, teachers and uni students!” This was back when we were at university. Robert said that we must have taken a course in how to drive a car from Ballarat to St Arnaud so that there was absolutely no petrol or water or oil in the engine when it arrived so that he could pay for the lot. This is not to speak of the garbage bag filled with dirty laundry for my mother. What a nice welcome home that would have been.
However we mistreated our parents who still surreptitiously slip us $50 every now and then, I think all three of us heard those words of the Father through our parents: “You are our beloved, with you we are well-pleased.”
Being loved for who you are by your parents is crucial to the development of the individual. If we believe that Baptism is a confirmation of God’s loving and creative power, then there can be no defect in that creation. In the Courier today there was a courageous article written by Brian Burke in the sports section about the AFL’s policy about gay members of their playing group. This seems to be an issue for the AFL, says Brian (married for 33 years), for quite an unknown reason.
The days of homophobia should be long past. The Catholic Church in its absolute obsession with homosexuality still cannot make that link between sacramental theology and the nature of the human person. Jesus’ challenge to us is to love unconditionally. This is part of being baptised – to accept wholly a child and then whatever happens, the community accepts this creation of God’s love and the love of the parents. Why, then, do Catholic people have this tendency towards heterosexualism?
Brian Burke’s wife is quoted in the article, “It’s not their [league players] sexuality that is the issue. It’s the fact we still live a world where we largely have to hide it.”
Mrs Burke is right. But, in the light of the gospel, why can’t we be more evolved and say …
“You are my beloved. With you I am well-pleased.”
FRANCISCAN READINGS FOR THIS WEEK!!
Sunday, 13 January
A reading from ‘The Legend of the Three Companions’ of Saint Francis.
About this time, there were two of the brothers in Florence, unable to find lodging as they were begging throughout the city When they came upon a house having a portico and, in the portico, a bread-oven, they told each other, ‘We can stay here.’ Therefore, asking the lady of the house to accept them into her home and having her make an excuse, they humbly said that she at least might let them spend that night near the oven. She allowed them to do this. When her husband came and found them in the portico, he called his wife and told her, ‘Why did you offer lodging to those two scoundrels in our portico?’ She answered that she did not want them inside the house, but she did let them stay outside in the portico where they could steal nothing but firewood. Considering them scoundrels and thieves, he was opposed to giving them any kind of shelter, although the weather was bitterly cold. That night, they rested near the oven in a sound sleep, warmed only by the glow of divine love and covered with the blanket of Lady Poverty. In the morning they went to the nearest church to hear the office of matins. When morning came, the woman went to the same church and, seeing those brothers devoutly steadfast in prayer, she said to herself, ‘If these men were scoundrels and thieves, as my husband claimed, they would not be persevering in prayer so reverently.’ So she approached them and told them that she would gladly receive them into her home if they wanted lodging there. The brothers answered humbly, ‘May the Lord reward you for your good will.’
Lord, in the coldness of life, let us beg for the oven of your warmth. When we are received as scoundrels, let us show the love within us in charity. Amen.
Monday, 14 January
A reading from ‘The Legend of the Three Companions’ of Saint Francis.
A man named Guido was distributing alms to the poor who were in the church. When he came to the brothers and wanted to give money to each one of them, as he had done to the others, they refused the money and did not want to accept it. But he said to them, ‘Since you are poor, why do you not accept the coins like the others?’ Brother Bernard- answered, ‘While it is true that we are poor, poverty is not burdensome for us is it is for other poor people. For, by the grace of God, we have willingly made ourselves poor. It is his counsel we fulfilled.’ Astonished at these things and asking if they had ever possessed anything, he heard from them that they had indeed possessed much. For the love of God, though, they had given everything to the poor. The one who answered in this way was Brother Bernard, the first disciple of blessed Francis, whom today we truly believe to be a most holy father. He was the first to run after the holy one of God, embracing the delegation of peace and penance. Selling everything he possessed and giving to the poor, according to the counsel of gospel perfection, he persevered to the end in most holy poverty.
Lord, we are so much the recipients of good fortune. Help us to return good for good in our daily living. Amen.
Tuesday, 15 January
A reading from ‘The Legend of the Three Companions’ of Saint Francis
Although the brothers were treated kindly by some, they were often considered good-for-nothings, so that many, the small and the great, abused and harmed them, at times taking away from them even the cheapest clothing they had. Whenever the servants of God remained naked, because they wore only one tunic, according to the pattern of the gospel, they did not demand back what had been taken from them. If some, moved by piety, did want to return what was taken from them, they willingly accepted.
They did these and similar things to them, regarding them as so worthless that they brazenly afflicted them as they chose. In addition, they endured immense hardship and suffering from hunger and thirst, from cold and nakedness. Suffering all these things steadfastly and patiently, as blessed Francis had admonished them, they did not become dejected or disturbed, nor did they curse those who brought evil upon them. On the contrary, as perfectly evangelical men, placed at a great advantage, they greatly exulted in the Lord, considering it pure joy when they fell into temptations and trials of this sort. According to the word of the gospel, they prayed carefully and enthusiastically for their persecutors.
Lord, although we have nothing, may we always give to those in need everything that we possess. Amen.
Wednesday, 16 January
A reading from ‘The Legend of the Three Companions’ of Saint Francis
People saw that the brothers rejoiced in their tribulations, persisted in prayer with eagerness and devotion, neither accepted nor carried money and possessed a great love for one another; and through this they were known really to be the Lord’s disciples. Many came to them with heartfelt sorrow, asking pardon for the offences they had committed against them. They forgave them from their hearts, saying, ‘May the Lord forgive you,’ and encouraged them soundly about their eternal salvation.
Some asked those brothers to receive them into their company. And because of the small number of the brothers – all six of them possessed authority from blessd Francis to receive others into the Order – they accepted some of them into their company. ,After they were received, they all returned at a predetermined time to Saint Mary of the Portiuncula. When they saw one another again, however, they were filled with such delight and joy, as if they did not remember anything of what they had endured at the hands of the wicked. Each day they were conscientious in prayer and working with their hands to avoid all idleness, the enemy of the soul. They rose conscientiously in the middle of the night, and prayed most devoutly with copious. tears and sighs. They loved each other deeply, served one another, and took care of each other as a mother for an only and beloved child. Charity burned so ardently in them that it seemed easy for them to give their bodies to death, not only for the love of Christ, but also for the salvation of the soul or the body of their confreres.
Lord, may we always greet one another as brothers and be generous with our time with every person. May our houses be ones where our visitors are greeted with tears of joy and gladness. Amen.
Thursday, 17 January
A reading from ‘The Legend of the Three Companions’ of Saint Francis
One day, when two of the brothers were walking along, they came across a simpleton who began to throw rocks at them. One of them, noticing that stones were being thrown at the other, ran directly in front of him, preferring that the stones strike him rather than his brother. Because of the mutual charity with which they burned, they were prepared to lay down their life in this way, one for the other. They were so rooted and grounded in humility and love, that one respected the other as father and master, while those who excelled by way of the office of prelate or some grace, seemed humble and more self- effacing than the others. They all dedicated themselves wholeheartedly to obedience, ever prepared for the will of the one giving orders. They did not distinguish between a just and an unjust command because they considered whatever they were ordered to be the Lord’s will. Fulfilling commands, therefore, was pleasant and easy for them. They abstained from carnal desires, judging themselves carefully and taking care that in no way would one offend the other. If it ever happened that one uttered an annoying word to another, his conscience troubled him, so much so that he could not rest until he admitted his fault. In this way, with the grace of Jesus Christ anticipating and helping them, they strove to banish all ill will and malice from their midst, to preserve among them always perfect love, and, to combat, as far as possible, each vice by practicing a corresponding virtue.
Lord, a joyful obedience is a grace that is beyond compare. Always hold us in mind as we face challenging decisions and life-changing events. Amen.
Friday, 18 January
A reading from ‘The Legend of the Three Companions’ of Saint Francis.
The brothers did not appropriate anything as their own, but used books or other items in common according to the pattern handed down and observed by the apostles. Although there was real poverty in and among them, they were generous and openhanded with everything given them for God’s sake. The alms freely given to them out of his love, they gave to all those who begged from them, especially to the poor. In fact, if they were travelling along the road and found the poor begging from them for the love of God, when they had nothing to offer them, they would give them some of their clothing even though it was shabby. Sometimes they gave their capuce, tearing it from the tunic; at other times they gave a sleeve, or tore off a part of their habit, that they might fulfil that gospel passage: ‘Give to all who beg from you.’ One day, however, a poor man begging alms came to the church of Saint Mary of the Portiuncula, near where the brothers sometimes stayed. There was a cloak there that a brother wore while in the world. When blessed Francis told him to give it to that poor man, he gave it to him freely and quickly. And immediately, because of the reverence and devotion which that brother had in giving the cloak to the poor man, it seemed to him that the alms rose up into heaven and he felt himself inundated by a new happiness.
Lord, may our offerings to those around us be an example of “magnificent generosity”. May we never spare ourselves in that which we can do for another. Amen
Saturday, 19 January
A reading from ‘The Legend of the Three Companions’ of Saint Francis.
Seeing that the Lord would increase his brothers in number and merit, since there were already twelve most perfect men expressing the same belief, blessed Francis said to the eleven, he being the twelfth, their leader and father, ‘Brothers, I see that the Lord mercifully wants to increase our congregation. Then, going to our mother, the holy Roman Church, let us inform the Supreme Pontiff what the Lord has begun to do through us, that, with his will and command, we may continue doing what we have undertaken.’ And since the proposal of their father pleased the other brothers, and they had embarked together with him on the journey to the Curia, he said to them, ‘Let us make one of us our leader and consider that man a kind of vicar of Jesus Christ, so that wherever he wants to go, we will go, and whenever he wants to rest, we will rest.’ And they chose Brother Bernard, the first after blessed Francis, and, as the father said, they served him. They, then, made their way rejoicing and spoke about the words of the Lord, not daring to say anything except for the praise and glory of God and the benefit of the soul, and they frequently spent time in prayer. The Lord, on the other hand, prepared lodging for them, doing what was necessary to minister to them.
Lord, our greatest prayer is to make us want the things that you want, and to go where you wish us to go. Make us free to follow your divine will. Amen.
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Benvenuti amici italiani! Si prega di condividere questo con gli altri! Sequici!
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