Imagine Jesus standing before Pontius Pilate. Pilate - coming out from his palace quarters with its tall stone columns, dressed in his regal robe, surrounded by his Roman officials. Jesus - alone and half naked. Pilate - the governor, and the power of Rome. A power that had expanded the empire throughout Europe, northern Africa, and into Asia through crushing victories. Rome - what would one day be a 1000 year civilization - maintained by a great legal system, the expansion of commerce, and with a concept of citizenship. Still standing today, testaments to that power - great aqueducts, roads, and monuments. Pilate - with the power to tax, with legions at his command to unleash on his enemies, able and willing to execute. (Slow) And standing before him a misunderstood, beaten up, itinerant preacher � Jesus.

In condemning Jesus to death, Pilate became quite baffled, perplexed at this different sort of person. "How can you just stand there?"
And with this came Jesus' great response �
"I come to seek the truth." (slow)
Pilate then asked the great question � "What is Truth?"

What Jesus could have answered was this � if you really want to know what's important in life, its this � love God, love your neighbor � forgive others � pray � blessed are the poor in spirit � if your neighbor is hungry, feed him � if he needs clothing, give it to him � be tough in your beliefs, even if they hate you because of these ideas � tell others about this good news � if you do these things, then you will be happier, the kingdom of God will open up to you now, today � if you do these things you will have power that endures � power more real than worldly � more real than even that of Rome.
Quite different ideas. We always think of Jesus as about love.
Quite interesting � his response in this defining moment with Pilate �
Truth.

Twelve hundred years later, a young man had a similar experience. Quite restless and unhappy with his life, some quite different ideas began to fill his head. His father was a successful cloth merchant. This young man was raised with a share of material wealth, comfort, and power. At that time, the power of Rome was a mixed sort of religious and worldy/political power � the Pope and his lieutenants were engaged in many worldly pursuits � in a way � a power that had actually lost its sense of power.

Francis Bernardone, from the small Italian town of Assisi, had his answer to Pilate's question. His answer came in a town square, his father angry and at wits end with a son who baffled and perplexed him with crazy ideas. But for Francis, the truth was in this idea - that to truly be happy, one must live as a Christian and commit to a life of poverty .. in a most literal sense. And so Francis' began to give away his clothes � to actually rely on faith in God and daily handouts for food � to help the poor, the sick � to reject every form of worldly or material possession in order to live the message of Jesus Christ. In doing this, Francis connected with a power more real than anything his father could offer.

Both Jesus and Francis experienced so much suffering and rejection for their ideas � so much joy and happiness � that they transformed the world around them � Jesus' kingdom on earth eventually conquered Rome � Francis and his followers were greeted by kings, popes, sultans � Francis became one of the great reformers of the Church, reminding us of our Gospel call and today still loved by many of many faiths.

Both Jesus and Francis knew how to live� full of life, so full of Wisdom. They knew a great deal about God, spirituality, what it means to love, how to deal with this crazy world � both knew and grasped what it means to build your life on certain truths.
In our modern age, we don't talk much about truth. We talk a lot about love. If we look at the craziness of daily life � work, neighbors, politicians, our personal decisions � there sure seems to be a need for truth. Neither Jesus nor Francis based their actions on an abstract, impersonal intellectualism � what they had was a powerful, personal sort of truth � with depth, direction, and passion � a sense of truth that rang out in their actions � for our lovable troubadour, Francis � it is the doing that sings.

What I'd like to share with you are these three things:
1. Like Jesus - a key part of our spiritual journey is our search for truth. It is part of our basic human needs. Our search for truth is something each of have been doing and does each day.
2. We can find answers to that question "What is truth?" � answers that bring tangible benefits to our daily lives � that bring a sense of depth, direction, and meaning to our daily lives.
3. And I'd like to share with you something that I love dearly � our beloved St. Francis. One reason Francis appeals so much to me is that he is different than me. A lot more action. And I also believe he was a spiritual traveler who's actions reveal very much he was a seeker of truth.

(Pause) My favorite story of St. Francis is about that last big step in his transformation � how he went up into a cave in the hills overlooking Assisi and came out a very different person. In this great spiritual moment, Francis finally turned away from the chaos of daily life, went into the cave with many questions, and came out with many answers � he came out seeing the beauty of God in all creation.

Like many of us, Francis spiritual journey began in the restlessness and frustration of everyday life. More and more he began to just go through the motions � with his brother and friends, he would run around the streets and parties of Assisi � but that wasn't enough fun anymore � having fought in the army and having been a prisoner in Perugia, he thought he wanted to continue in the army � and another battle loomed in Apulia �

It was from this that Francis began to feel a sense of resignation �. A need to he pause from everyday life. The pushing and shoving of daily life caught up to him. I suspect, that much like us � he didn't know what spiritual joy was ahead � he just knew that there was a feeling � no words, just a hunger ... a voice calling in the wilderness.

Often Francis would go for walks, enjoying the rolling countryside of Umbria and Tuscany with its rich forests and gentle streams. Leaving behind his family and friends offered Francis a sense of freedom � to really be alone � detached from the pressures and conflicts of his daily life. In this freedom, I believe Francis experienced that special moment when we feel the touch of God � an awareness of God's Presence, a state of Grace. Pope John Paul, in his 1993 Encyclical on Truth (VERITATIS SPLENDOR) speaks of this experience. It is only in our freedom that we can experience God. In actual freedom, we connect with our natural goodness, our desire to love and help others, our thirst for knowledge and truth. It is in our freedom that we want to experience God. It is in-borne � a hunger � with freedom - we feel the spark.

Many events and coincidences were happening � a spiritual life was forming � the Holy Spirit was grabbing our beloved Francis. A fellow knight looked a bit ill-clad � so Francis gave him his expensive armor � a dream of being in a palace awaiting a beautiful bride (not realizing that one day to God he would be wed) � a trip to Rome, outraged at the vendors at St. Peter's tomb, while pilgrims made such small offerings � he instinctively flung out his gold coins �

Like Francis, many of us desire to climb new heights in our spiritual journey. It is rather ironic that Francis chose a cave outside of town. In stepping outside of his day to day life, Francis first big step was inward � in seeking freedom, he also needed a refuge � though one day the cave would be a rock, a foundation to accomplish great things, but for now it was a shelter as Francis withdrew inward � inward to explore the darkness of his own life � to deal with the emptiness within.
A cave can be a very dark, lonely, and creepy place. With hidden passages - strange and scary noises. Our look inward can also be a bit scary � seeing only darkness. I see St. Francis looking down into a puddle and seeing a face. A face as ugly as any leper he had hurriedly past. One with the scars and scowls of daily life. Francis' upbringing was not that great � he was spoiled. His parents provided him with very nice clothes � he was going to banquets and parties with friends � took on the bad habits of adults, treating others with bad words and talking back � provided a horse and armor by indulging parents � through all this he didn't really know what he wanted � do I really want to be a cloth merchant like my father? Am I really cut out to be a knight? Who am I? What was that feeling I had, a call to do more? What do I really think about God? Why do I treat people the way I do? How could I walk pass a leper and feel so bad that I run away? Why do I treat others the way I do, so rudely at times? How can I ignore the hungry � when I gorge myself at these parties?

As Francis looked outward from the cave, he saw no better � he saw great social turmoil � Europe at that time was going through City State wars � gone was the old Roman Empire, with its strong central government and culture and learning � in were the Dark Ages � little City States, each with its own leader, each fighting each other � this wasn't the romanticism of the Renaissance nor the Crusades � these were bloody civil wars � very cruel and violent times � Assisi and its neighbor Perugia were in bitter battles. Rich families financing these wars, murder, political intrigue, plots. Trade with other parts of world � such as his father in France was just opening up � giving merchants more power � more money. The Church was at its height of the Crusades � financing them through indulgences � corrupt. Science and learning had long taken a back seat to these bitter battles. Around Europe, people were suffering from plagues and leprosy � often hungry and uneducated � serfs were held down to work all day with little hope of escape. Looking out, Francis must have had a sense of chaos. How could a youth like Francis rely on this society for values?

As Francis gazed over Italian country side at the turn of the 13th century � it was much the same as our modern American landscape at the turn of the 21st century. Scandals, wars � our need for the Almighty dollar � the great social changes of the Sixties � status and positioning, both at work and with others � changes in family structure � a church in the midst of reform. Politicians we can't trust � turmoil, the chaos of daily life �
It is from our cave that we feel a need for Light instead of darkness, beauty instead of ugliness � we see a need for order instead of chaos � a need to connect with the depth, meaning, power, and direction needed in life � our need for Truth � which is a path to God.

Something happened in that cave � by the Grace of God � Francis came out of the cave, seeing the joy and light, seeing God in all creation. He came out with a passion. He came out with a firm grasp of these Truths � that God needed to be the central purpose in his life � that to Love God and others was what he was called to do � and to do it right he must do it in a literal, pure way � in poverty �

But like Jesus before Pilate � Francis found that what God was calling him to do was not just about Love. In rebuilding the church at St. Damiano, Francis sold his fathers' cloth for some needed funds. For his father, the eccentric son had finally gone to far. His father was enraged. Francis was dragged to the steps of the Bishop's residence. Francis, like Jesus, was on trial. His father demanded in front of the Bishop that his son return what was his and that Francis denounce his crazy ways. Francis could have said � I come for truth. But instead, he took off his clothes, and stood naked � (pause, slow) � cast out � in honesty � choosing poverty � choosing God.

So once again that we see the need for both love and truth. Francis had ideas about right and wrong that conflicted with others � his good efforts brought condemnation from those closest to him. Francis was always very loyal to the Church and its ideas. But for most of us � we need to examine more closely what ideas we really build our life on � are they really Christian ideals � do we really agree with them, what do we believe? What is Truth?

Later, when his order had grown � Francis had a follower who became quite the spiritual giant in his own right � Anthony of Padua. Anthony was the first teacher of the Franciscan order, is credited with 53 miracles, and eventually was recognized as a saint and a Doctor of the Church. Francis knew that Anthony was destined for greatness with his keen intellect � but he cautioned Anthony � too much study and intellectualism was not what Francis, nor the Gospel message, was about. When his Order had grown and acquired a house of study in Bologna, Francis climbed up on the roof and began tearing it apart, one shingle at a time. He felt it was too grand � too much study and not enough Franciscan.
But lets look, simply, at some definitions, and hopefully not violate St. Francis' sound advice. (Pause) Truth is about ideas. (Slow) Certain ideas add power to life � (slow) offering a sense of right and wrong � (slow) explaining, matching, connecting to reality. We all search for truth and express what we believe to be the answer �much of what our spiritual journey about this search for truth.

Jesus knew what the answer was to Pilate's question. So did Francis in his poverty. Isaac Newton did when sitting under the apple tree coming to terms with great laws of physics. Mahatma Gandhi did when spinning his cotton and contemplating the changes required for a free India. The Franciscan St. Maximillian Kolbe did when sacrificing his food and his life for others against the tyranny of the Nazis in a WW2 concentration camp. Michaelangelo did when painting the hand of God touching Adam on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Day to day, ordinary people like us are dealing with truth � parents committed to the idea that their kids should go to college, even if it means sacrificing and working a second job � people with new ideas about how to improve their workplace or community, people in ministries such as the Secular Franciscans - committed to ideas, creative people expressing themselves through writing and painting �

Everyday people � (slow) with simple ideas that add power to their lives, (slow) giving them a sense of right and wrong � (slow) explaining, matching, connecting to reality.

In our spiritual growth � what we are really seeking is a closer relationship to God and his Wisdom. Look at those around us who we see to be full of "Wisdom". They are the ones who have ideas and knowledge � and know how to apply it with good judgement and a sense of compassion. Wisdom requires both ideas � and compassion. One might say that in seeking our destination of God and Wisdom � we come to see two overlapping paths � we need powerful ideas � the Path of Truth � and we need a sense of judgement and compassion, the path of love.
Remember the Sixties mentality (pause) � peace, love � divorce, the generation gap � it was a time when relationships were undergoing a great deal of social stress. From that, in the Seventies, the author Leo Buscaglia wrote a series of books about � Love. Even though it was a bit of pop psychology, it was easy to connect with Leo � being Christians, we read about love all the time. Jesus taught us about it by using parables. Leo also took an indirect approach and wrote "about" love. His best sellers responded to the need for help in relationships.

The Nineties found people with a great need to pause from their hectic lifestyles. The craziness of careers, raising a family, and the social changes found people � wanting for more � for spirituality � looking for ideas on how to live a happier life. We see that truth is once again the question.

Staying away from intellectualism � look at what can be said "about" truth � for Francis was in the day to day, the literal � his truth of poverty was down to earth. For our beloved troubadour Francis it was always the doing that sings � What I'd like to share with you is a few stories about Francis and his following the Path of Truth. The Path of Truth is about our shared experiences � the joy of discovering new ideas, how we go about incorporating them into our lives � how they can change our lives for the better � how we are called to share these ideas with others � and the rejection and progress that comes with sharing ideas with others.

I'm not sure how many people think of St. Francis as a contemplative. We usually think of him in terms of feelings, compassion, charity. We certainly don't think of him as a seeker of truth. But he was a real contemplative and a seeker of truth � in the fullest sense. He spent so much time thinking about God and his life � the Gospel was so embedded in his life � such solid ideas guiding him � taking ideas and applying them � powerfully! to life � a real contemplative � a real seeker of truth � not just an irrelevant thinker, not just a do-gooder.
For Francis, his spiritual destination was a union with God. Francis reached his destination, so full of Wisdom � as a master traveler � experiencing the often overlapping paths of love and of truth. In doing so, he lived a life with depth, direction, and meaning. Francis came to understand what poets, prophets, discoverers, and other pilgrims have found � that to know truth and to live truth � one proceeds toward a destination of Wisdom � and is provided a glimpse of the Divine workings of God.

(Pause) Some great moments in history have come from people's pause from the chaos of daily life. Newton sitting under the apple tree. Gandhi spinning cotton. Michelangelo observing people. Buddha sitting under a bodhi tree. Jesus in the desert, the hills, the garden.

The first of eight steps on the Path of Truth is Discovery.

Very few of us have a major transformation like St. Paul, where we are knocked off our horse in a sudden revelation. Most of us are more like Francis � we experience a gradual transformation � in our transformation, we often feel what discoverers feel � those moments of "Aha!" � when we stumble on to the Path of Truth �

When we think of Francis we usually think of his social action or his love of nature. But more than anything else, Francis was a man of prayer. My image of St. Francis - all those days and nights spent in the countryside. Going out for strolls, spending time thinking, reflecting, praying. In these pauses, we see a person placing a correct value on detachment � not an escape � but rather very involved and in tune with the world and people � a detachment that allowed Francis to look and see more � and thus become more involved in mankind.

A young boy was visiting Francis and his followers. The young boy wanted to hear Francis pray. One night the boy tied a string to Francis' garment. In the very early morning, Francis, wanting privacy, detached the string � to pray � he wanted to be truly alone with God. Francis went off in the woods to get quiet � then, in spiritual ecstasy � Francis received one of his visions � Jesus, Mary, St. John the Baptist, St. John the Evangelist, and angels appeared to him.
There is a lot to be gained when we untie the strings of our daily lives to be alone to experience the miracle of God.

Here is my image of St. Francis and what he became � a man of prayer �

I picture Francis literally awakening under the stars � just before dawn, with the sun rising � as his eyes open � he hears his own breathing, his own huge heart beating � his eyes remain closed as he begins the day with prayer in communion with God. Francis, ever the obedient one, in constant prayer. The older I get, the more I appreciate what has been called "morning knowledge" � that time when new ideas come, new ways of looking at things, new solutions to my problems� awakening with the awe of creation � the radiant Sun bursting from behind the clouds, birds flying care-free � and Francis � who's legend includes commanding the birds to listen, the fish to come to him and a wolf to be tame � in touch with nature � in touch with his inner self and the world around him. In touch with the power of God. Nowadays, modern spirituality finds appeal in such novel ways as New Age, or Eastern methods of prayer and awareness. But Francis had the awareness of any Buddhist monk � long before it was cool with any hippies. And it was based on traditional prayer.

St. Francis was a man of constant prayer. He heeded Paul's words to the Thessalonians � pray constantly. Francis was ever going to mass, morning prayer, each time he passed by a church he would go in and pray. Through the different stages of his life � prayer was constant.

So many "truths" came to Francis in prayer � ideas that he would build his life on � ideas that added power to his life � his call to be a Christian, his call to Lady Poverty, his call to embrace lepers, his call to preach � and so much more. One day, walking just outside of Assisi, Francis ran across an old broken down and nearly abandoned church - St. Damiano. It no longer had regular mass nor any members. There was a poor old priest there who relied on handouts to survive. Francis, as was his habit, went inside to pray � the run down, broken alter had a Byzantine cross. With Francis before it in prayer � the figure of Jesus parted its painted lips and spoke to Francis � "Francis, go repair my house, which is falling in ruins." For Francis, this was quite the inspirational moment � he could hardly control his enthusiasm � Aha!
In this moment I see three things:
1. Francis � ever the literal one, ever the obedient one looked around for real stones and mortar
2, And personally � Francis had to get his house in order first, because God had great plans for Francis � and they required a solid foundation.
3. The symbolic � Christianity at that time was in great need of great reform, to re-commit to the Gospel of Jesus Christ

When we use the term "spiritual journey", I think of certain qualities for success in reaching our destination � among these is a good compass - God � a map - the Good News � and a good set of glasses to see accurately and far - our attitude �

At the end of his life � Francis left some guidelines as to what he felt were the qualities of a leader of his order � I believe this gives insight into how he felt he was being "rebuilt" into the master traveler he became �(slowly) prayerful � a dislike for worldly/money � pious � simple � patient � humble � merciful � strong � a seeker of truth � reflective � diligent � just � respectful � honest.

In these qualities, I see a spiritual traveler, very intent on avoiding the ruts that often untrack us and blur reality � ego, self-deceit, deceit, exaggeration.

But Francis didn't start out with these qualities being quite so apparent. We have already seen that his father could be rather strict and demanding. His father had definite ideas about what his son should do with is life � wanting him to advance up the social ladder, maybe becoming royalty. His father was into his job of selling fabric and into making money, such that when Francis was born, his father was "out of town" on a business trip. His father, quite the strict one � of course changed his son's name to Francis upon his return,
From these glimpses, one can understand Francis' desire for a greatness, the strict approach to his calling, his obedience, and his desire to step away from a life dictated by his father. His father, in dealing with the French merchants, developed a love of the French culture. To this, Francis is indebted to his father � for having created the troubadour � a son who would constantly sing praise to God. Growing up, Francis learned French � and heard stories of chivalry that brought out the romantic idealist in Francis � and would one day demand such gallant efforts as total renunciation. The educational approach was a very literal one � not a lot of philosophy or psychology � more simple � more black and white � good guys and bad guys. Not only was chivalry a part of the times � but a corrupt Church existed � a gap existed between the literal interpretation of the Gospel and the actions of Church and society. A gap that was too big for Francis to ignore.

And like Francis � we too are a creation of our family, our environment, and our times.

The next step is that of Learning.

When we look back at Francis' life, we easily see the success of the Order over the years � but imagine those first nights � Francis was so cold, so hungry � he spent a long time without the success we envision today � he had to endure a lot of suffering for his initial enthusiasm. I believe Francis experienced what many of us are reluctant to understand � that to progress, we must "unlearned" many things, it will involve suffering, we must experiment and try different ways. For Francis there was a great deal to unlearn � his need for fine clothes, for recognition, his expectation that friends would help him, his own ego and bad habits. Francis spent a lifetime struggling with himself � "Brother Donkey" � putting himself through mental and physical tests � like a hammer, forging, being molded into a new creation.

Another important part of our learning is that of experimentation � we can't learn without trying new things, different ways of looking at matters � getting out of our ruts � sometimes we must be like a scientist. Thomas Edison, another seeker of truth � tried over three hundred different materials before finding tungsten to light up the world.
Looking back at my own spiritual journey � I remember one "truth" that was especially hard for me to incorporate into my life � listening. At one point in my journey I realized that it was hard for me to be patient and compassionate to others when I would do all the talking and not really listen to others � almost like a lack of respect for others. Like Francis, my new revelation led to both enthusiasm and struggling � the first rule of listening was the hardest � stop talking � now that is suffering � constantly wanting to interrupt people � always thinking of what I was going to say next � not listening in a deep way, not acknowledging others� not really interested in what others were trying to say � it was long hard work to make progress �

Brother Juniper knew what it was like to listen � he went six months without talking � imagine the power he had � listening to others, listening to God �

In Jesus, Francis, their followers, the early Church � suffering was a real part of their spiritual progress � as Francis said, "so great is the good I expect, that all pain is my delight".

The third step is that of Consistency. It is when our words, our deeds, and beliefs align � in consistency � that we benefit from the awesome power of truth.

The church at St. Damiano was nearing completion � Francis had enlisted benefactors, laborers, masons � to re-build that church � Also, Francis had undergone some personal change, having strengthened his own foundation � a strength that began to appeal to others � followers were being drawn to him �

I believe that what Francis was experiencing was what Jesus experienced � in modern psychological terms � he was a man of integrity� he became self-actualized � in Biblical terms � I AM � Francis realized his calling and had the moral and spiritual strength to accomplish it.

Consistency was on Francis' mind � once when treating a particularly repulsive patient, he was rude � realizing his own mis-deed, Francis served the patient a meal at a table, while Francis ate and drank from the patient's infected cup and bowl on the floor nearby � once when treating a follower harshly and sending him off to town half-naked � Francis ran to catch up to him � making himself half- naked, asking forgiveness, and joining his friend in the assigned task �
And so it was, Francis, a man of prayer, in touch with God's presence all around him , having looked deep within himself, having experienced the grace of God � being a seeker of truth, a master traveler along the Path � with an inner strength from his trials and suffering, having unlearned many of his former habits, now molded into the obedient and humble servant � having achieved some success � becoming an example, a man if integrity � with a personal power that was beginning to draw followers � received another great command from God �

On February 24, 1208 � on the Feast of St. Matthias � after St. Damiano's had been re-built and regular mass was restored � after Francis had had some success in rebuilding his own house � Francis received his next great Truth from God � the last veil was removed � the final illumination of his mission here on earth was revealed to Francis � the priest read the Gospel � "Go and preach this message � the kingdom of God is at hand � do not keep your money or possessions � the laborer gets what he needs wherever he goes �" Francis, ever comfortable with poverty � with a firm foundation � was called to share what he had learned with others � to share the good news � to share the message of Jesus Christ.


any interest in part 2?

Hey Everyone! You've got to read Truth part one!!!!!! perfect interweaving of truth and love, prophecy and poetry, power and humility---

Beautiful - and yes, MORE!

Thanks,
KiKi

Yes!! I would love to read part two. Thank you!

do you see truth as being a very relevant issue today? how? (I do!)