Time: 2 pm to 4:30 pm BST
No. of Attendees: 10
Venue: Greyfriars, 182 Iffley Road, Oxford OX4 1SB
Discussion: Reflection 45 ‘The Apostolate: All may be One’ from ‘Live Like Francis’ (L. Foley, J Weigel O.F.M.)
Summary:
Some extracts from the Reflection:
Most Catholics recognize those things that unite all Christians rather than the things that divide them. While it does not reflect perfect unity, it is to be treasured and reinforced. This is a much better focus than emphasizing our differences.
Many Catholics feel that they do not know enough to talk about religion. Others may think they know a great deal about their Church when, in fact, they have not learned about the faith since their school days. In either case, those who appreciate their faith will want to share it with others. People never tire of enthusiastically inviting others to a cause they deeply believe in.
Furthermore, we should be as much up-to-date as possible on the modern needs that call for principles for their solution. We should be aware of discussions and movements within the Church, the statements of the pope and the bishops. We should be conscious of the problems of the society in which we live. Principles do not change, but there are shifting sets of circumstances to which principles are to be applied.
Christianity is spread by the Holy Spirit. St. Paul said, “My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1 Corinthians 2:4). We do the faith more harm than good if we seem intent only on crushing opponents in arguments. Besides, arguments are useless when emotion is aroused.
We can do many things to spread the faith. Listen respectfully to others who ask about our faith. Explain beliefs and practices of the faith to those who ask. If you are full of the faith, you will unconsciously and automatically apply it lovingly to all situations. You will thus be preaching the Gospel without being preachy.
At the heart of it all, Franciscan prayer is about Gospel living. It is not really concerned with knowledge or intellectual contemplation. It is concerned with the human person and the transformation of the human person in God. It is about living Christ and making the Good News of the Incarnation alive. How desperately this path of prayer is needed in our world today! We seek healing of division, hate and violence. We desire wholeness, unity and peace.
Some points discussed:
We discussed ecumenism reflecting on the 1889 dockers strike in which William Booth (Salvation Army) and Cardinal Manning (Catholic Church) came together in support of the dockers, an example of churches coming together. From our common belief and heritage, we need to be open to other churches and Christian bodies, overcoming the problems of history. We need to move away from the previous confrontational ways of polemics to kindness and charity in our interactions. Adopting a common Christian openness to the poor and homeless in simple ways (e.g. smiling and relating in conversation) is a way of evangelising by action (a Franciscan theme).
We concluded the meeting with a closing prayer.
“Someone I know needs you in their life, Lord. Give me the faith and courage to speak up for you and invite them into your love”.
OFS Oxford 