On Sunday, February 10, we met again in our Museum and Archives reflecting upon the fourth chapter of the Memoirs of the Congregation.

The fourth chapter is entitled: The Vocation of Saint Francis.

Although we met in a small group, sharing in the community was very enriching. We have all seen the basis of our call to repair the Church of God through faithful living in accordance with our vocation and, above all, by giving witness to life.

In the Memoirs of the Congregation, we read:

[St. Francis], eventually, inspired by the Holy Spirit understood the symbolic meaning of the Divine command and began the spiritual repair of the Church of Christ which was then falling into ruin. He carried out the mandate by establishing the Three Orders, prefigured by the three churches he had renovated, and to each of these Orders he assigned a specific way of cooperating in this important venture. The friars of the First Order were to accomplish this mission through their apostolate; the Sisters of the Second Order (Poor Clares) through prayer; the brothers and sisters of the Third Order of Penance through good example.

This perfect follower of Christ employed the same means to bring about the spiritual renewal of the Church as Jesus did in establishing it. Christ achieved His purpose not so much by preaching and teaching as by living out the evangelical tenets.

Each and every one of us can minister to others wherever one lives and works, being close to God and giving with one?s life a good example.