Spreading the spirit of love and harmony
A few years ago a fellow Franciscan, Richard Easton TSSF, offered to write some thoughts around the daily readings from The Principles of our Order. The Principle for Day Eight reads:
The Second Aim (Cont’d)
To spread the spirit of love and harmony
Christ, in whom there can be neither Jew, nor Greek, slave, nor free, male,
nor female; for in him all are one. Our chief object is to reflect that
openness to all which was characteristic of Jesus . This can only be
achieved in a spirit of chastity, which sees others as belonging to God and
not as a means of self-fulfilment.
Richard wrote:
The Second Aim (Cont’d)
To spread the spirit of love and harmony
We as members of the Third Order fight against all injustice in the name of
Christ, in whom there can be neither Jew, nor Greek, slave, nor free, male,
nor female; for in him all are one. Our chief object is to reflect that
openness to all which was characteristic of Jesus . This can only be
achieved in a spirit of chastity, which sees others as belonging to God and
not as a means of self-fulfilment.
Richard wrote:
Keep us humble when we help another person,I offer this as we prepare to reflect on the Gospel reading for this Sunday, Luke 18: 9-14.
When they leave us with comfort and hope,
When what was said was right for them
And what they needed to hear.
Protect us from glorying in what we did,
From seeking ears to hear what we achieved.
O God, this is when we need you.
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