Notes and
Reflections for a talk on Franciscan Mysticism by Maury Smith
9 Conclusion mjs.doc
Practical Concluding Remarks of a
Spiritual Therapist.
Please note that this is not a typical
conclusion which gives a summary or stresses some points or attempts to
indicate a vision.
As named in the title above this is the
concluding remarks of a spiritual therapist attempting to express what are some
of the learnings garnered from studying Franciscan Mysticism that enable us to
grow in our everyday spiritual life and that hopefully inspire us to continue
the faith journey of deepening our relationship with God to a more intimate relationship.
1. I set as one goal for this talk that knowledge
is for growth in holiness; not for knowledge for knowledge itself. You the
participant are the judge of how well I accomplished that or not.
2. Pursuing the gift or the GIVER.
The problem with receiving special gifts
or consolations from the Lord is that the next time you go to pray you are in the
dilemma of returning to seek the gift or are you there to pursue the Giver of
the gifts?
In a similar vain it is important to keep
hidden the consolations and gifts of the Lord except for your spiritual
director. This is a theme from the
Desert Fathers and Mothers who knew that bragging about one’s gifts leads to
self-importance and pride. And certainly Francis is an example in this regard
as he is one whom we know little of his interior life except what his
companions prevailed upon him to share. And then that is third party reporting
which does not have the power that Francis witnessing to his interior life
would have.
3. Interpret dryness as being called to a
closer relationship with God.
Dryness is an indication that you have out
grown your previous way of relating to God. For example, at first meditating will be very
exciting but then it will become dry. See this as God calling you to a closer
relationship in dialogical praying. But
then that will be exciting at first but it too will become dry and it is time to enter into a more intimate
prayer of quiet.
4. My conviction is that
although there are certain generic elements we all share in our relationship
with God; at the same time we all have a unique relationship with God. Yes there are generic elements in our
relationship to God but there is also the uniqueness.
Each person must be true to their special relationship with God.
And perhaps that is especially true of the mystics who bravely search out their
unique relationship with God with a devotion and passion unequal to most in
spite of the poor reception they often received from even spiritual directors.
Francis said as he was dieing: “I have done with is mine may
Christ teach you what is yours.” (FAED II 2C 214 p. 386; FAED LMj 14, p. 642)
We may be inspired by Francis to discover
our unique relationship.
We cannot live the relationship someone
else has to God.
Be true to yourself and your unique
relationship to God. In the Franciscan
Tradition, we propose haecceitas, haecceity. Although there are
generic things that mystics or saints have in common, at the same time all of
them are different, sometimes in may ways.
So certainly there are things we can learn from the mystics and saints. But most of all we must search out our unique
relationship to God. It is in the
silence that God reveals ourselves to ourselves. This demands a proper love of self that has
overcome feelings of infreriority. This means that we have reached sufficient
maturity of acquireed contemplation that we are somewhat comfortable in the
silence
5. The Letter to St. Anthony; teaches as
long as you do not extinguish the spirit of prayer you may do as God’s talents
call you to do.
This is a spiritual norm for all of us
whatever project we are involved with.
The bottom line is that we must make a
commitment to spend quality time with the Lord.
6. Another issue that may be present for
some is that we read a lot about praying and keep reading a lot about praying
but do not take the time to enter into the silence ourselves. In a similar
vein, we go to workshops or retreats on prayer but then do not discipline
ourselves to spend quality time with the Lord. This happens for many reasons
and because of many personal dispositions.
Remind yourself to commit yourself to spend quality time with the Lord.
7. Continuous conversion, developing our
vocation and seeking the will of God.
Francis is quoted
as saying at the end of his life:
“I have done what is mine, may Christ teach you what is
yours.” (FAED
II pp. 386 & 642)
Everyone of us
has a unique relationship to God.
Yes there are
generic elements in our relationship to God but there is also the uniqueness.
We may be inspired
by Francis to discover our unique
relationship.
We cannot live
the relationship someone else has to God.
Finally here is some
classical recommendations on praying.
8. Bonaventure's
format for prayer:
a.
Repenting failures: examine yourself and have sorrow for sins,
b.
Gratitude for the gifts from God: thank God for his gifts to you,
c.
Assiduity: concern your mind with nothing but what you are praying for.
9.
The externals that are needed for contemplation: (Osuna)
a.
A quiet environment,
b.
A comfortable position (sitting) in which you can hold still. Relax yourself.
c.
A short prayer, God's name, Deus Meus et Omnia, gaze at the Crucifix.
d. A receptive
attitude: focus on your inner self, your spiritual self. Pay attention to the
visitations of the Lord.
10. The fullness
of this relationship calls us to relate to God in many ways.
Meditating,
dialogical conversation and listening in the silence.
Liturgical
community praying and spiritual reading.
Living out our
discipleship in ministry to others.
All of these and
others are part of a full relationship with God.
11.
Francis was constantly striving to know and to live the will of God.
“Let us being, brothers, to serve the Lord
God, for up to now we have done little or nothing.”
(FAED I 1C, 103, p. 273)
“Let us being, brothers, to serve the Lord
our God, for up to now we have done little.”
(FAED II LMj Chap. 14, p.
640.)
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