Going from Gospel to Life and Life to the Gospel

This is my first post, a test one might say, as I am in the process of learning about blogging and setting up this one. So if you should chance upon my blog any time soon, please consider it a work in progress. I hope to improve it as days go by and hope that you visit again.

I am a Secular Franciscan, and much of the focus of this blog will be Saint Francis and Secular Franciscans. Recently I taught the ongoing formation lesson for my fraternity, Our Lady of the Pearl, Pearlington, Mississippi. It was on Article 4 of our rule, shown below.

What does it mean to be a Secular Franciscan? Article 4 is the essence of whom we are, the goal of the SFO, which is to observe the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by following in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi, to make Jesus' pattern of life and his teachings our own as much as possible, to have a personal relationship of intimacy with him, and to have, as our own, his values and commands for living. Peace and All Good, Little Scribe

THE RULE OF THE SECULAR FRANCISCAN ORDER

ARTICLE 4

The rule and life of the Secular Franciscans is this: to observe the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by following the example of Saint Francis of Assisi, who made Christ the inspiration and the center of his life with God and people.Christ, the gift of the Father's love, is the way to him, the truth into which the Holy Spirit leads us, and the life which he has come to give abundantly.
Secular Franciscans should devote themselves especially to careful reading of the gospel, going from gospel to life and life to the gospel.

Peace and All Good,

Little Scribe