Laying of the 4th pillar of the Franciscan house – Conversion

After having contemplated Christ in the mystery of his Incarnation and chosen the example of Saint Francis to follow on the way of poverty to the point of his self-abasement by kneeling down at the feet of his disciples on Holy Thursday: we lay the fourth pillar of the Franciscan house: conversion.

Meaning of the word conversion: transformation, change of direction, implies the idea of a return.
In the Bible, the words penance, conversion, metanoia are synonyms, they signify: turning towards, to return, to come back, to take another direction, “God make us come back.” (Ps. 79) “Convert yourselves and believe in the good news.” (Mk. 1,14)

After the example of St. Paul, conversion can be sudden, a total change of life: from the persecution of the Christians to the proclamation of the death and Resurrection of Christ.

But, very often, conversion requires several stages. The conversion of St. Francis: the poor spurned the meeting of the leper, the stripping of self before the Bishop…

The reading, the meditation of “sending away a beggar” which was an important step of his conversion can be a light on the manner in which the Lord proceeds also in our own conversion. (The Anonymous of Perugia Chapter 1, N° 4)

Through the events of every day life. “One day while Francis was busy in the shop where he was selling cloth, a poor man entered and asked him an alms fot love of God. Retained by greed and the rush of business, he refused him alms.”
Touched by divine grace. “But hardly had the beggar gone out, Francis was touched by divine grace.” It is the Spirit of God who takes always the initiative. In his testament Francis notes several times this intervention of God: “The Lord led me… the Lord gave me… After the Lord had given me brothers…”
Recognizing one’s mistake. “He reproached himself severely his gesture.” Recognizing oneself as weak, sinner, we do it regularly at the Eucharist and while praying the Psalms: Ps. 50; but to recognize it in the concreteness of our days it is more difficult.
A decision: “He took the resolution not to refuse thereafter what would be asked him in the name of such a great Lord.”
He acts, poses a concrete act: “And calling back the poor man whom he had sent off, he gives him an generous alms.” It is a choice, Francis poses an act: he decides that thereafter, he will not turn away his face from a poor person. (2 Cel.5) This event has marked his life, he understood that to pose acts transforms us more than all our pious ideas and taking of resolutions often short-lived. He will make of it a line of conduct, for himself and for his brothers, in his continual conversion to the Gospel.

“One day, a brother used hurting words against a poor man who asked him for alms. Francis severely rebuked the brother and then ordered him to strip himself of his clothes before the poor man and kissing his feet beg him pardon.” (1 Cel. 76)

“And if by any chance a brother had let fall some word which could perturb another, his conscience would reproach him so sharply that he could not sleep until, prostrate on the ground, he had confessed his fault, asking that his brother’s foot should be placed on his mouth… “ (3 Companions N° 43)

Today, these practices may sound excessive and yet our Rule and Life on which we have made Profession, demands us the same evangelical radicalism: “If it happens that between them one word or one gesture becomes the occasion of irritation or trouble, they should ask forgiveness of one another at once with humility, before offering their gift of prayer to God.” (Ch. 7, N° 24 of fraternal life)

The other: forms part of my spiritual journey. For St. Francis it is in the refusal to welcome the poor man that his eyes were opened. It is in the recognition of my failures that the Spirit of God challenges me. For each one of us, the person whom I meet, the sisters of my community, can open my eyes and invite me to my conversion. On the day of our Profession, we have decided, chosen publicly to “live the gospel in fraternity.” This decision requires a continual conversion of attachment to Christ.
“So under theLord’s guidance, let them set out on a life of penance, knowing that we are all obliged to constant conversion of heart. With an undivided heart, they can thus grow in all-embracing love, as they turn without ceasing towards God and their neighbour.(Rule and Life Ch. 2 N° 6 and 8) This text of our Rule is found in the chapter on Formation “Those who wish to share this life.” But this call to conversion is for all, when growing in age, it is good not to think as already arrived; each one, whatever be the phase of her life, only begins, we have all to start our journey each morning.

Take seriously the simplicity of the Gospel: Never let go anything of what is to live the gospel, never put back our conversion for tomorrow, “Come on! A little bit of ardour and repent! (Rev. Ch. 7) “But arm for the spiritual warfare” (Eph. Ch.6) and be determined, passionate about it and have this tenacious will after the example of our Foundress to let ourselves be transformed by the Spirit of the Lord: “Francis would never have missed by negligence a visit of the Spirit, when an occasion presented itself he welcomed it faithfully.” (LM. Ch. 10, N° 2)
Let us ask for one another this grace of conversion. By our own strength is is impossible, “Lord, of ourselves we are but poverty, but you, because of yourself, help us to do what we know you want to.” (Letter to the entire Order, N° 50)

The pastoral theme for the pilgrimages to Lourdes for the year 2014: The joy of conversion.With all those who, this year, will have the grace to participate in this pilgrimage, may we be given this joy, this enthousiasm to be converted. Then what is “bitter in my daily life will be changed into sweetness.” (Testament of St. Francis) This is God’s work.

“Let us begin, my brothers, to serve the Lord, for up to now we have hardly made any progress!” He was indeed far from believing to have arrived, but tenacious in his will to perpetual renewal in holiness. He always kept the hope to begin.” (1 Cel. 103)

Pillars that supported the first convent of friars at the portioncula, mother and head of the Order of Friars Minor.