Rule 11

Trusting in the Father, Christ chose for himself and his mother a poor and humble life, even though he valued created things attentively and lovingly. Let the Secular Franciscans seek a proper spirit of detachment from temporal goods by simplifying their own material needs. Let them be mindful that according to the gospel they are stewards of the goods received for the benefit of God's children.

Thus, in the spirit of the Beatitudes, and as pilgrims and strangers on their way to the home of the Father, they should strive to purify their hearts from every tendency and yearning for possession and power.

Detachment from material things is very important to a soul seeking a deeper life in Christ. Materialism takes our attention away from what needs to be done. First of all, for those chasing materialism, it is probably impossible to live from Gospel to life, and to give a good example. People whose minds are forever filled with better and bigger things (emphasis on things), they will not have time for God as that person who puts God first in their lives. Indeed, as was evidenced by the Egyptians in the Desert, the Golden Calf (an early form of materialism), because God himself. Detachment from gold and glitter, from this greedy and possessive need for new things, and things we barely have room for, in our dwellings, brings us back to basics. Unclutter, and when you're all done, begin again. Give it all away. It is junk, as Fr. Groeschel will tell you. We must be stewards of the goods received, that is, we may use them, but let's not covet them.

The second paragraph of Rule 11 says it much clearer than I can explain. Purify your hearts from every tendency and yearning for possession and power. Many people in this day and age will try to walk all over us when we tell them that power and possession means nothing to us - and yet, they will find that when Our Lord is on our side, we will be strong, resilient and effective in spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ. With Jesus we are 100%. Without him, we're nothing.

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5-10-2008