Living the Gospel: Four Principles of Secular Franciscan Life

As Secular Franciscans, our commitment is to live the Gospel in the spirit of Saint Francis. But how do we truly grasp that spirit today? By anchoring our lives in four essential documents that create a cohesive and powerful framework for our vocation.

---

I. The First Principle: The Interior Source (Dilexit Nos)

Our entire vocation begins with a single, non-negotiable truth: God loved us first. Pope Francis’s Apostolic Exhortation, Dilexit Nos (“He Loved Us”), on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, is the source of our motivation.

• The Why: We are called to place our “mind and will… under the ‘political rule of the heart.” This means our decisions, thoughts, and intentions are governed by the gentleness, humility, and boundless love of Christ, who poured out everything on the Cross.
• The Demand: For us, this is the call to radical interior conversion. The external life of service only has merit if it flows from a heart shaped by the self-giving love of Christ. If our heart is not ruled by His, our actions risk becoming mere philanthropy, not Christian charity.

---

II. The Second Principle: The Exterior Mandate (Dilexi Te)

The love we contemplate in Dilexit Nos must immediately translate into concrete action, a mandate beautifully articulated in Pope Leo XIV’s Apostolic Exhortation, Dilexi Te (“I Have Loved You”). This document—a spiritual successor to the call of the Sacred Heart—focuses entirely on the preferential option for the poor.

• The What: Pope Leo XIV makes it clear: “Love for the Lord… is one with love for the poor.” The poor are not just objects of our pity; they are the “sacramental presence of the Lord.” For us, the wounded Heart of Christ is revealed in the wounds of the marginalized in our communities.
• The Demand: Our vocation is not just about charity; it is about justice. Dilexi Te calls us to address the “structural causes of poverty and inequality.” As Secular Franciscans living in the world—in our careers, families, and neighborhood like Grosse Pointe Park—we are mandated to speak out against indifference and the “throwaway culture” and work for fairness.

---

III. The Third Principle: The Authentic Spirit (The Testament of St. Francis)

The Testament of Saint Francis is the authentic, un-glossed spirit required to successfully live out the mandates of the two Popes. It provides the necessary Franciscan attitude to connect divine love with difficult service.

• The How: The Testament begins with Francis’s conversion: the moment he showed mercy to the lepers. This teaches us that true evangelical action requires physical encounter and the spiritual ability to transform the “bitter” into the “sweetness of soul.”
• The Demand: Francis demands radical humility and minority. We must be “simple and subject to all,” avoiding pride and ambition. By commanding us not to “gloss” his words, Francis insists on a literal, uncluttered commitment to evangelical poverty, which is the only way to avoid judging the poor or being corrupted by worldly values.

---

IV. The Fourth Principle: The Practical Guide (The OFS Rule of Life)

The Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order (1978) is the blueprint that structures the first three principles into our daily, secular life.

• The Where: The Rule ensures our commitment is lived in the world through a committed fraternity. It guides our actions:
  • The call to Conversion (Article 7) is powered by the love of Dilexit Nos.
  • The focus on Justice and Peace (Article 15) is directed by the demands of Dilexi Te.
  • The practice of Simplicity and Poverty (Article 11) is modeled after the spirit of the Testament.
• The Response: The Rule makes our vocation communal. As a local fraternity, we must constantly hold these four anchors in dialogue during our formation and apostolate, ensuring our prayer feeds our action, and our action validates our prayer.

By embracing this Quadruple Anchor, we live a life rooted in the heart of the Church and the essential documents of the OFS, making us true witnesses of Christ’s love in the world today.