“The joy of Francis was not in having nothing, but in having nothing but God.”
The Early Companions of St Francis
Join us for 4 Days 3 Nights Franciscan Vocation Discernment Retreat.
The retreat is open to Singaporean and Malaysian single male 21-35 years old.
Limited to 8 spaces for each retreat.
Register early at ofm.vocation.mysg@gmail.com.
It may seem contradictory that receiving the gift of the stigmata would be called love. After all, receiving the stigmata would mean enduring the painful wounds that Christ Himself experienced when He suffered His passion and death. How then can it be called love and a gift?
From the moment Adam and Eve fell, God has been calling us back to Him. In Jesus Christ, the Father’s loving face was revealed to us, enabling us to be adopted as God’s beloved children.
When Christ went through His passion and death, He held nothing back from us. Christ yearned to be united with us in all ways, so He emptied Himself to be born a man and even more, to die on the Cross.
So, we believe sin, evil and death no longer have power over us. God has overcome them for us. Therefore, the mystery of the Cross and the wounds of Christ are the “Gift of Love” for our humanity and salvation.
As we undergo our trials in life, we ought to reunite with Christ. We do not need to fear the crosses in our lives because Christ carries them with us. This closeness to Jesus is His gift of love and it assures us of victory.
In Francis, God found someone who loved Him for Himself. In Francis, God found someone who knew what it meant to love truly. In Francis, we have an example of what it means to be a Christian. Therefore, it has pleased God to bestow upon Francis the “Wounds of His love”.
May we follow the example of Francis and may our hearts burn with love for Christ and His people.
In June, four student friars were sent to Sabah for Mission Exposure. Friars Timothy Fong and Sylvester Singh had a pastoral attachment with Montfort Youth Training Centre (MYTC) in the town of Kinarut, working with the staff, trainees and young adults. Friars Marvin Voo and Julian Chua were assigned to assist the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (FSIC) with their youth apostolate, migrant and parish ministries across Kota Kinabalu, Keningau, and Sandakan. They each share a little of that three-week Mission Exposure experience from 12 June to 1 July.
Let’s pray that our young people will answer God’s call to priesthood and religious life and serve His people. Join the Eucharistic Adoration led by Friar Robin Toha OFM.
LIVE, 16th September, 8.30 AM, Singapore/Malaysia Time
17th September – The Feast of the Stigmata of our Father Francis of Assisi.
In 1224, Saint Francis went up to Mount Alvernia to pray, seeking solace and peace. And he asked for two graces – to experience the sufferings of Jesus’ Passion and also to experience the burning love that brought him up on the cross. And on 17th September, 3 days after the Feast of the Holy Cross, Francis saw a vision of the Crucified One as a Seraph and after that, saw the 5 wounds of the Crucified One appearing on his own flesh.
His perennial question of “Who are you, O God, and who am I” was thus answered…
Written by Ethan Hsu
Vocals by Friar Derrick ofm
Arranged, mixed and mastered by Daniel Chai
Keyboard by Ethan Hsu
Video by Jacob Teo
===========================================================================
If you would like to support the Franciscan Friars in their ministry and mission, go to https://franciscans.sg/support-us/
Subscribe to our Youtube Channel and follow us on :
Ṫ Website 》【 https://franciscans.sg 】
Ṫ Facebook 》【 https://www.facebook.com/FranciscansMySg 】
Ṫ Instagram 》【 https://www.instagram.com/FranciscansMySg/ 】