FRANCISCAN SOURCES PENITENTIAL SPIRITUALITY

Penitential (elements of definition).

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The second element of this exposition on the "penitential spirituality" enters the scene at this point. As already said, in fact, it is clear that penance is the particular and characteristic aspect, the qualifying element of penitential spirituality.

The life of penance is the concrete commitment to realize a continual conversion to God-Love by means of our identification into Christ, the "way" of the pilgrim. It is a form of life which substantially enters into the nature of Christian spirituality and is particularly Franciscan. It has its own characteristic tonality which comes from the speculative attitude and from the practical fact of considering principally the precise aspect of this conversion and not others. (102) in such a concept, penance emerges as the idea-force left motif which vivifies, colors, informs and polarizes around itself the principles and means of the spiritual life in harmonious convergence. It emerges as a system whose components surround the pivot constituted by penance.

The semantic fullness of the term "penance" will be seen more clearly later.. However, it is obvious that this motto (lema), as already referred to, does not signify, at least primarily, a complex of exterior practices (such as: fasts, mortifications, etc.). Neither does it indicate a change of moral type as a passage from "works of darkness" to virtuous works,'even if this phenomenon is not excluded. The primary sense, conforming also to the biblical notion, is that of conversion or metanoia, as interior orientation, as in-depth change in the spirit, a fundamental choice, in constant growth. Concretely, the radical change is in the fact that the "converted" person sees and judges all in a different manner than before: the light that illuminates the thought and action is not an ordinary human perspective but God alone who polarize little by little the psychological interests and spiritual energies.

The "terminus ad quem" of this existential conversion is God, seen according to the Franciscan School - as Love which expresses itself creating the universe (103) and desiring the Incarnation of the Word in order to receive in turn a varied and perfect love. All creatures created in love are, in their turn, atoms of love, magnetisms of love, a return to Love.

Penitential spirituality is a method, a unique way to fulfill this journey of sanctification, converting itself always more intensely to God-Love, through conformity to Christ, who is the perfect answer of love to the Father. Penance is an interior yearning which flows from a total decision to turn toward God. It animates the way of the spiritual life and stimulates its dynamism. It awakens enthusiasm, nourishes commitment and influences every moment of existence involving the body, the psyche and the intellectual faculties. Therefore, it is a spiritual thrust toward God in a desire of love. Penance, therefore, develops not for fear of punishment or for expiation for sin (the popular sense, frequent even in the documents of the Ecumenical Council, Vatican II), and not even formally to attain the eternal beatitude, but by the attraction to God, the supreme good and the mystery of love. The means of communication in this way of the spirit is the man-God Christ. Identifying oneself with Him, the penitent has access to the Father.

(102) Some have stressed God above all in the Liturgy (Benedictine spirituality). Some stress the theological perspective (Dominican spirituality). Some give emphasis to the stripping of self to arrive at union (Carmelite spirituality). Some others ordering their spiritual lives to glorify God in his excellence (Jesuit spirituality).Others give primary importance to charity (Franciscan spirituality) in such a way that human existence can be a loving response to God as seen as love that creates the wonder of the universe and expresses perfectly in Christ.

Within the limits of the Franciscan school, the Franciscan Order of Penance is characterized by centering on the theory and practice of continual conversion to the God of love.

(103) To this end I like to recall the beautiful verse of Dante Alighieri: "New loves flower from the eternal love" (Paradise 29,18).

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Putting the accent on metanoia, the Franciscan Penitent has his own style of life, his own way of evaluating things, of responding to happy or tragic events, of harmonizing his life in a human way, of orientating himself before the eternal; of finding meaning for his hope. In other words, he has his own view of earthly realities, which he admires without attachment; he is serene and optimistic in contradictions (Franciscan humanism); commits himself with generous heart to testify to the love that God has for the world; is available with regard to his brothers who walk toward God with him; looks toward eternity with faith, knowing the God is Father and waits to embrace the pilgrim in the fullness of eternal love where he will participate in his splendor.

From this system of spiritual life flows all the demands of sanctification as many corollaries which set in motion this vital idea: penance or conversion to the living god (cf. Acts 14,14). Even the exterior forms of purifying penance are but accidental expressions of the intimate conversion of the heart, which implies aspiration toward God and consequently condemns every form of evil. (104)

"Christ is the Supreme Model of Penitents," (105) in as much as He gave himself, not in expiation of his own sins but for love of the Father and of the brothers. After the example of Christ many "men of penance" have added splendor to the history of the Church. Among many ecclesial figures worthy of admiration, emerges Francis of Assisi: to him all Franciscans look - brothers, sisters, and lay SFO - who are part of the Franciscan Order of Penance (either the Third Order Regular of St. Francis or, the Secular Franciscan Order) following the renewed Rules approved by Pope John Paul II and Paul VI. All these look to Francis "Penitent of Assisi" and prolong through the centuries his prolific experience, integrating it with the support of their originality (personal as well as of a distinct congregation) and enriching it with graces that converge in such a multiplicity of followers.

The first experience of Francis, illustrated by his successive teachings, signals the birth of a particular attitude (toward God and towards the terrestrial city) and of a particular way of life, which have been left in heredity to the "brothers and sisters of penance."

The chronological influence of this penitential experience of Francis is rather restricted (1206-1210; picks up again in 1212 with the rebirth of the penitential movement), but the main idea and the style are reflected constantly in the life and the writings of the Poverello as also in the other sources.

 (104) The apostolic constitution Paenitemini (17.2.1966) illustrating the biblical sense of "metanoia" affirms correctly that penance is an action having as its end love and abandonment to God (in Etichiridion Vaticanum,ed.Dehoniane, vol. 2, Bologna, 1977,n.628)

Even before Christ, penance is presented as a way of perfection (cf. ibid.n.630 ). In Christ and the Church the word penance takes on new dimensions with implications infinitely more vast and profound (cf. ibid.n.631). In fact, it signifies the total and intimate change, as well as the continuous renewal of the whole man, in all his feeling judging and arranging: it is the change which is realized in him in the light of the holiness and love of God, which are manifested and communicated fully to him through the Son (cf. ibid. n.632).

It is exactly in following Christ that the penitent person gives up the need to live for himself; rather, he lives for God who has loved him first and also for his brothers in whom the redemption of Christ takes place. (cf. ibid. 633)

The fundamental gift of penance/conversion is received in baptism but is reinvigorated constantly during our whole life. (cf. ibid. 634).

Furthermore, we can say that penance is preeminently an interior phenomenon but this does not take account also of physical practice or exterior expressions (cf. ibid. nn. 635-636). In fact, between sincere interior conversion and the exterior act, there is always an intimate relationship and an inseparable coherence (cf. ibid. n. 638).

The apostolic exhortation Evangelii nuntiandi (8.12.1975) defines penance or metanoia as a "total interior turning around, a radical conversion, a profound change of the mind and heart"
(n.10;cf. Mt. 4,17).

(105) Constitution Paenitemini, ed. Dehoniane,cit. n.632.

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The singular experience of Francis, integrated by his followers, (in solitude, in community, in the congregation) is re-proposed as "Franciscan Penitential Spirituality" (106) : fundamental ideas and style of life which must enlighten the progression of religious (brothers and sisters) of the Third Order Regular and the laity of the Secular Franciscan Order toward the fullness of love and qualify their presence in the Church.

But at this point there is an assessment to make: many of those called by God to live in the Franciscan Order of Penance, or Third Order of St. Francis, do not know their own spiritual image, the quality of their penitential vocation, the style which must characterize them in the way of Christian perfection. In a word, they are not aware that they must not start their own spiritual life by chance, nor according to an orientation other than their specific vocation, but that the thrust of their perfection comes principally from the spirituality that responds to their choice, guided by Providence. Every single spirituality constitutes the specific contents of a determined vocation, to one and not to another Religious Institute and the reason for being of such a congregation; it is the "coming" metaphysics of life and of history of the respective foundation.

For the brothers and sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis the charism of penance is the particular way of freeing oneself toward Love. One presumes, reasonably, that this and not another, is the Will of God, expressed according to the vocation of so many brothers and sisters in the Franciscan Order of Penance. (107)

The post-conciliar climate demands a continuous return to the sources of the Christian life and to the pristine spirit of one's spirituality (cf. PC,2). The decree on the renewal of religious life        (108) reminds all the brothers and sisters: "It is to the advantage of the Church itself that each Institute have a proper identity and a proper function. For this reason one must observe and interpret faithfully the spirit and aim intended by the founders, as also wholesome traditions: all this constitutes the patrimony of each institute" (PC,2b). Recommendations of this kind had been repeatedly made in the past by various Sovereign Pontiffs; the spiritual masters hold the same thing as "indispensable."

(106) Franciscan Penitential Spirituality does not constitute a school of spirituality, but properly a facet or original nuance within the Franciscan school that hinges on charity as a response of love to Love.

(107) For many centuries, Franciscan History has fallen to a large extent victim of a phenomenon which hopefully will not continue to happen: whole monasteries of nuns of the Third Order Regular were not aware of their particular charism, and, badly guided, they have abandoned the rule of penance to adopt the Rule of the Poor Clares under the illusion of choosing a more perfect life. On the contrary, they committed an unpardonable naivete and disowned their own penitential vocation as Providence had planned and put into effect. In this deplorable way, there have disappeared many original flowers from the Lord's Garden!

Even in our own times, there is an attempt to repeat a similar gross mistake: without understanding the ideals and without respect for other people's choice some would want that many congregations of sisters who follow the Third Order Rule (reformed by Pius XI renewed by John Paul II) form a second order under the rule and the spirituality of St. Clare. In such a way many "sisters of penance" are tempted ( not to say are cheated) to ignore and betray the originality of their penitential vocation, their very own by God's Will - if it is true that a vocation is a gift from God. Because of this, it is rather urgent that all sisters of the Third Order Regular whether living a contemplative life in their cloistered monasteries or an active life in hundreds of religious communities become conscious of their spiritual make up and take root according to the directives of their own penitential spirituality. Indeed, to become holy and to communicate holiness in a penitential style is the particular charism that characterizes them within the Franciscan movement and justifies their "raison d'etre" in the Church of today which demands a return to the sources, the rediscovery of their own identity, a specific and qualified mission for every religious institute. In this sense, there are continuous admonitions in the papal documents. (cf. A. MATANIC, Le scuole di spiritualita nel magistero pontificio, Brescia, 1964,pp. 37-40). To ignore them would indicate not being docile to the plan of Providence.

Above all, there would spring from this a spiritual leveling, a development contrary to Franciscan history, a quenching of so much vitality that was alive in so many monasteries and congregations (both male and female). In such a misguided leveling so much spiritual richness would be dissipated from the splendor of Franciscanism.

(108) Perfectae Caritatis, October 28,1965

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One's own, penitential spirituality appears of prime necessity. Therefore, for the "brothers and sisters of penance" a moral obligation is in force! I believe a providential time has come for all the "Penitents of St. Francis" (the friars, sisters, the laity of the SFO) to rediscover their proper specific vocation, the particular characteristics of their own spirituality, the precise outline of their proper mission in the world, in the Church, and within the sphere of Franciscanism.

It is an absurd fact that people belonging to a determined religious order to which Providence has called them, do not know the principles and the style of their own spirituality, which is the theoretical-practical method to respond totally with mind and heart to God. It is as if a driver did not know the "rules of the road," as if a pilot ignored the course of the route or as if a traveler set forth with closed eyes! To let this moment of grace pass fruitlessly, this providential occasion of renewal and authenticity, this conscious awareness that all the "Penitents of St. Francis" are by identity of vocation, associated in a rich penitential fraternity, would really be like closing one's eyes to the light of the Lord which passes through our midst and knocks at the door of every congregation of the Franciscan Order of Penance!

Brothers and sisters, let us therefore rediscover our countenance, let us become conscious of our identity and let us follow our vocation!

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