St. Francis and the Transient Beggar-Knights
St. Francis’ troop of men were all transient beggars. Transience was and is the hallmark of the Franciscans. It was also the mark of a knight, being sent in the service of his liege lord. Christ showed St. Francis that the glory of the knight, his chivalry and his steeled will in battle are not opposed to that of the humble beggar. Rather, a beggar knight detached from the world but clinging fervently to the Kingdom of Heaven is the new call to salvation for the “little brothers”, frati minori, and a renewal for the Church.
Lent as a Time of Detachment
We’ve entered into the second Lent of Pope Francis’ simple revolution. It is now a cutting time, a time to bring in the harvest, to allow ourselves to be detached from “place” and to allow this radical poverty of detachment and displacement to fill our soul. Only then can we be freely sent to fulfill Christ’s call within and without us. Pope Francis made this same call in his own 2014 Lenten Message, “He became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich”.
We gain everything when we lose ourselves in Christ’s humility, his veiled glory, his redemptive kenosis. Pray with us for vocations to this special way of humble service.
Franciscan Poverty and Availability
Franciscan evangelical poverty is more than having few possessions. It is a readiness to be sent, to receive each place and task as a gift, and to depend upon God rather than control. This freedom helps a religious brother serve where the Church needs him. For every Christian, the same spirit can be practiced through simplicity, generosity, hospitality, and a willingness to let God interrupt personal plans.