Dear Reader,
Peace and all good to you! Here is a personal reflection from Mary, one of our Inquirers in the Secular Franciscan Order.
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What do a Buddhist monk from Texas, Saint Francis of Assisi, and
Christ Jesus feeding the thousands have in common? And how does this
relate to you and me? At first glance it might be ‘each did what was
theirs to do.’ But more is just below the surface.
Let me explain.
The Franciscan commitment to justice and peace seeks to spread
the Peace of Christ. When I watched an interview with Venerable
Bhikkhu Pannakara, the Buddhist monk who led the 15-week Walk for
Peace from Tennessee to Washington, DC., he reminded me of a saying
attributed to Francis, Now I begin. Why? The monk’s face radiated peace
when asked why the walk mattered. Exuding equanimity, he said peace
begins within each of us. He went on to describe how he starts each day
by writing and saying, “Today will be my day of peace.” Then he
mindfully remembers this peace throughout his day, beginning again,
again, again.
And look at what happened! The peace he cultivates each day from
within spread to thousands who lined the monks’ path – and beyond to
thousands more (maybe millions?) across the globe who learned about
this Walk for Peace.
Within the Christian faith tradition, peace is considered a fruit of
the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). The way the small number of monks
multiplied their peace reminds me of when Jesus and his disciples fed
the multitudes (Matt 14:13-21; Mark 6:34-44). Jesus tells his disciples to
feed the hungry crowd, but the disciples respond with incredulity based
on what they are seeing…not enough food on hand or enough wages to
buy the amount of food needed to feed the overwhelming crowd.
Jesus says simply, Bring me what you have (Matt 14:18). And all
were fed.
We often forget God will multiply the little we have. Even the
disciples, who forgot to bring bread on their boat once, needed Jesus to
remind them of the miracles of the fishes and loaves they had witnessed
(Mark 8:14-21). And this wasn’t even hidden below the surface.
Like the disciples, the Buddhist monks, and Francis, when we
forget, we can begin again. What small amount of peace did each monk
have? What small amount of peace – and Love – do you and I have that
God will multiply?
This Lent, Pope Leo invites us to listen to the cry of the poor, to
fast from any unkind words, and to help create a civilization of Love.
Nunc Coepi. Now I begin.
Dear God,
This moment we begin, again, to bring You the little we have.
This moment we begin, again, to cultivate the Loving Peace of
Christ in our hearts.
This moment we begin, again, to let You multiply our peace in this
ordinary day (and when we forget or fail, help us begin again.)
For I can do all things with Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13).)
Now we begin..
Amen.
From my heart to yours,
Mary
Mary Elise Polce, OFS Inquirer
Mr. La Verna Fraternity
Charlottesville, VA
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