The Edge is Embedded in the Core

I've always known that Franciscans sprout in all the nooks and crannies of the known world so it's good to find kindred spirits any and everywhere. Of course St. Francis is so widely admired that his followers exist passionately in both Catholic and Anglican communities. So when MikeF dropped in here at Perfect Joy, I was obligated to return the call over at The Mercy Blog; and in doing so discover a treasure trove of inspiration. Reflecting on his Franciscan vocation in a recent post he made this remark:

"I think this sense of living "on the margins", this sense that God's new word will be found out on the edges of things, is deeply embedded in the core of what it means to be a Franciscan."

I just love it when fellow bloggers drop inspirational crumbs off their table. I responded of course but this topic is so juicy that it needs an entirely new post. My comment (and this post's title) involved a charitable twisting of his remark to accommodate my insight and yet it concluded this way:

"But you're right, when [Francis] drives down into the mystical core of faith he emerges always at the margins. This is not so much being 'countercultural' or 'on the edge of things' as being freed from entanglements which he knew from experience would fasten chains around him."

There are at least two meanings contained in these remarks. The more obvious is that Franciscans look to those who are marginalized to discover God's 'new word'; that is, to hear what Our Lord is saying for our times. We're apt to find 'the wisdom from above' lacking among the comfortable, the proud, or the powerful: for them the gospel message is so often 'inaudible'. They are more likely to dispense 'conventional wisdom'; the 'wisdom of the world' spoken of in the Letter of St. James [cf. Jas 3:13-18]. This is why the followers of Francis cultivate 'the spirit of detachment' primarily through the use of penance (mortification); and also foster 'ongoing conversion' through Scripture and Sacrament.

The second meaning and the one taken up in my response is that Francis doesn't aim for the margins per se. For St. Francis the center of all of life is the Person of Jesus Christ, so to 'drive down into the mystical core of faith' is to engage Jesus. And in doing so he always emerges somehow on the 'edge of things'; more commonly called 'the margins'. He and his 'lesser brethren' have purposefully taken up the gospel in its most undiluted form; living the Beatitudes, fully and intensely; trusting in the Providence of God, wholeheartedly and without reserve. This form of life and commitment leads them away from the worn barren pathways where God's seeds are continually trodden underfoot.

For Francis the 'new word' is always fresh and inspiring. No matter what the cost of implementing some new insight, there is no concern, for he has set himself free to love and serve the Lord. The further along and the more often Francis discerns God's inspiration the greater is his delight. Whatever resistance he faces in the objection of others is quickly cast aside, because he has completely abandoned his attachments to his former way of life. He has purified his heart; a heart which now is burning intensely in love of Our Lord's Incarnation. Just as the Book of Revelation promises a New Heavens and a New Earth [cf. Rev 21], Francis can glimpse the reality of this new world even now, where all are invited through conversion into the Temple of God.

Those worldly souls who reside in the 'center of things': who have each other to rely on along with their material wealth, are in great need of conversion. Here is where the power of 'preaching by example' rises to the fore, as his life becomes an unmistakable beacon of God's love. His compassionate words, whether consolation, admonition or rebuke; along with his tender witness of love, are like divine tenderizer that softens and transforms even the most hardened heart.

To say that 'the edge is embedded in the core' is of course, a play on words--a twist and almost nonsensical. In the worldly way of seeing things 'the edge' is farthest away from 'the core'. But the gospel is full of seeming contradictions and St. Francis like no other is able to embrace them fully. So too, any followers of his spiritual path must come to embrace the hallmark virtues of minority, poverty and humility that free them from the grasp of the worldly majority. These are the spiritual ways that speak of finding Jesus on the outside of the mainstream-- 'the edge'; while simultaneously embracing Him in the core of one's life.