Following the Gospel in the Spirit of St. Francis

Sometimes I think to be a very good Secular Franciscan all I have to do is go to mass on Sunday, say I like St. Francis, have a statue of him in my backyard, and love nature.

Thirteenth century Franciscans like Brother Thomas of Celano, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Bonaventure, and Blessed John Duns Scotus were very well-educated. They even took courses in logic. Imagine that! After reading the SFO Rule, I am pretty sure they would say that I need to do more. They would agree with this reasoning.

If Bob is a very good Secular Franciscan, then Bob is trying to live his life in accord with, i.e., follow, the Gospels and is familiar with the writings St. Francis, St. Clare, and other early Franciscans. Bob is trying to follow the Gospels. However, Bob is not familiar with the writings of St. Francis, St. Clare, and other early Franciscans. Unfortunately, Bob is not a very good Secular Franciscan. (He might be a good Catholic, however.)

As stated above, if Bob is a very good Secular Franciscan, then Bob is trying to follow the Gospels and is familiar with the writings St. Francis, St. Clare, and other early Franciscans. However, Bob is not trying to live his life in accord with the Gospels. Actually, he doesn't know much about them at all. He seldom reads them. Still, Bob is familiar with the writings of St. Francis, St. Clare, and other early Franciscans. Unfortunately, Bob is not a very good Secular Franciscan.

To be a very good Secular Franciscan you have to do both, i.e., read and try to live the Gospels and be familiar with the writing of the early Franciscans. Then you can live the Gospels in a Franciscan way.