JUBILEE YEAR OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI

 

 

 

Friar Benjamin NWOSU, OFMCap.

The spirituality of the Franciscan tradition, rooted in the life and witness of St. Francis of Assisi, is fundamentally characterized by simplicity, poverty, joy, and most importantly, fraternity. At the beginning of his conversion, St. Francis, drawn to the Gospel life, which he so much loved and embraced, lived almost like a hermit in solitude. Moved by his radical embrace of poverty and the Gospel, several others, men and women alike, followed him.

The early Franciscan community became known as the Order of Friars Minor (“lesser brothers” or “Lesser Friars”). The term itself expresses Francis’ desire to create a family-like community marked by equality rather than hierarchy. He rejected titles of power, insisting instead on the language of fraternity. This ideal was expressed through the Franciscan principle of minority (minoritas). Francis desired that his friars should always consider themselves the least among others, seeking neither power nor privilege but becoming humble servants of all. In Franciscan spirituality, fraternity and minority are inseparable because true fraternity flourishes only where no one seeks domination over another.

When Francis began his conversion, it was a personal reformation of the heart. He did not originally intend to found a religious Order but was followed by a multitude who were inspired by his life. In his Testament, Francis acknowledged that fraternity was not his own achievement but God’s gift when he wrote, “After the Lord gave me brothers….” He believed that every one of his brothers was a gift from God. This idea of fraternity he shared with every living creature on earth, as all come from the same Creator. This is called “universal brotherhood” in Franciscan theology and spirituality, and we see this clearly expressed in his Canticles of Creatures.

Francis’ conversion experience led him to see every person, and indeed every creature, as a brother or sister. His Canticle of the Creatures identifies Brother Sun, Sister Moon, and even Sister Death, illustrating that fraternity extends beyond human relationships to embrace all creation. Franciscan fraternity arises from the belief that God is the Father of all, and therefore every being possesses inherent dignity. Since God created all things, we relate to one another not as competitors or strangers but as members of one divine family. The model of fraternity in Franciscan spirituality is the Holy Trinity. Franciscan fraternity is not merely a feeling of friendship but a concrete way of life. The brothers live together through common prayer, shared meals, common work, common possessions, and a common mission. In this daily sharing of life, each brother learns to put the needs of others before his own.

This universal brotherhood is one of the key tenets of Franciscan spirituality, which has been greatly emphasized, especially today, as the world grapples with fragmentation, inequality, ethnic conflicts, political divisions, racism, tribalism, religious intolerance, family breakdown, social media hostility, and environmental degradation. In a society marked by ethnic conflicts, political divisions, racism, tribalism, religious intolerance, family breakdown, social media hostility, and environmental degradation, the Franciscan vision of fraternity offers a prophetic reminder that true peace begins with recognizing the dignity of every person and the interconnectedness of all creation.

As brothers and sisters, we have the duty to care not only for each other but also for all of creation because they are also part of this fraternity. Pope Francis, who was inspired by St. Francis, not only took his name at the beginning of his pontificate but also shared in his vision by writing an Encyclical, Laudato Si, taking its title from the opening words of Francis' Canticle of the Creatures. He made it clear in this letter that our world is in need of fraternal love and concern for all, most importantly the poor and vulnerable, which includes our “Sister Earth.” Pope Francis further developed this vision in his encyclical Fratelli Tutti, where he presents St. Francis as the model of universal fraternity and social friendship. He reminds the world that authentic fraternity transcends every barrier of race, nationality, religion, and culture, inviting all people to recognize one another as brothers and sisters.

In this jubilee year of St. Francis, the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, calls us to reflect on the life of this holy man, Francis. Eight hundred years after his death, we still remember how he was surrounded by his brothers at his passing and the extraordinary charity which he had toward his brothers and sisters and all of God’s creatures. His life reminds us that the renewal of the Church and the healing of the world begin with communities where people live as true brothers and sisters, serving one another in humility, forgiveness, and love after the example of Christ.