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Copyright © Society of Saint Francis, European Province |
| Centred on Christ | ||
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Francis and Clare centred their entire lives around Jesus Christ. When Francis wrote a Rule for his brothers he began, ‘This is the life of the Gospel of Jesus Christ’, and described the purpose of this life as being ‘to follow the teaching and footprints of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ Clare too, in the Rule she wrote for her sisters describes the
purpose of their life as being ‘to observe the holy Gospel of our
Lord Jesus Christ.’
So they wanted their followers to shape their lives by the
pattern of the gospel, and were inspired by the gospel stories of
Jesus’ own disciples.
In their prayer too they were intensely
Christ-centred. Thomas of Celano, an early biographer of Francis,
wrote:
And Clare’s writings are intoxicated with the love of Christ.
She wrote to Agnes, a princess who had founded a Franciscan
community in Prague:
‘... love Him totally Who gave Himself totally for Your love.
His beauty the sun and moon admire; and of his gifts there is no
limit in abundance, preciousness and magnitude.’ (Third letter to
Agnes of Prague, 15b – 16)
So Franciscan spirituality is marked by a strong focus on Jesus
Christ, and in particular on four aspects of his life and work -
creation, incarnation, passion, and eucharist.
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