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The Francis Effect

His Theology of Mission. The Francis Effect. The Joy of the Gospel. I. A joyful, positive message II. A warm & beautiful Church III. A missionary Church IV. A merciful Church V. A poor Church serving the poor VI. A discerning, pilgrim Church.

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The Francis Effect

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  1. His Theology of Mission The Francis Effect

  2. The Joy of the Gospel • I. A joyful, positive message • II. A warm & beautiful Church • III. A missionary Church • IV. A merciful Church • V. A poor Church serving the poor • VI. A discerning, pilgrim Church

  3. I. A joyful, positive, & beautiful message • An inspiring vision rather than a critique of the world • A joy ever new, a joy ever shared. #1 • “A sinner” who has experienced the healing love of Christ • And wants to share this • Mission is not about winning an argument. “Only the beauty of God can attract.”

  4. II. A warm Church that can dialogue [converse] • We need a church unafraid of going forth into their night. We need a church capable of meeting them on their way. We need a church capable of entering into their conversation. • "Unless we train ministers capable of warming people's hearts, of walking with them in the night, of dialoguing with their hopes and disappointments, of mending their brokenness, what hope can we have for our present and future journey?" • We need to know and show joy

  5. III. A missionary Church • Whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interests and concerns, there is no longer room for others, no place for the poor. God’s voice is no longer heard, the quiet joy of his love is no longer felt, and the desire to do good fades. #2 • “Life grows by being given away, and it weakens in isolation and comfort.”. #10 • I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security. #49

  6. IV. A merciful church • What “the church needs most today is the ability to heal wounds and to warm the hearts of the faithful; it needs nearness, proximity. I see the church as a field hospital after battle.” • The church must be a place of mercy freely given where everyone can feel welcome, loved, forgiven, and encouraged to live the Gospel. #114 • The Church is called to be the house of the Father, with doors always wide open. One concrete sign of such openness is that our church doors should always be open, so that if someone, moved by the Spirit, comes there looking for God, he or she will not find a closed door. …. This is especially true of the sacrament which is itself “the door”: baptism. The Eucharist, although it is the fullness of sacramental life, is not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak. #47

  7. For Jesus mercy takes precedence over holiness • Jesus doesn’t demand formal rites of repentance • Often he just dines with “sinners”, and scandalously touches or is touched by them • He understands that those who lack everything are also condemned to live in shame without honour and dignity • This does not mean that he believes that the commandments are unimportant, but spiritual progress takes time and right now they need acceptance, love and confidence • Grace comes before judgement in the reign of God

  8. V. A poor Church that serves the poor • Reading the Scriptures also makes it clear that the Gospel is not merely about our personal relationship with God. #180 • To evangelize is to make the kingdom of God present in our world. #176 • It is essential to draw near to new forms of poverty and vulnerability, in which we are called to recognize the suffering Christ….. I think of the homeless, the addicted, refugees, indigenous peoples, the elderly who are increasingly isolated and abandoned, and many others. #210 • Special place for the poor …it means working to eliminate the structural causes of poverty and to promote the integral development of the poor. #188

  9. VI. A discerning, pilgrim Church • Deus semper major • Pilgrim church always searching, crossing frontiers & journeying to the outskirts to find God in all things • Respecting others & befriending the world • We will need developed skills at discernment to recognise God in he world • and to be both just and merciful • Discernment done in consolation and not out of fear

  10. Francis’ ”missionary option” • I dream of a “missionary option”, that is, a missionary impulse capable of transforming everything, so that the Church’s customs, ways of doing things, times and schedules, language and structures can be suitably channelled for the evangelization of today’s world rather than for her self-preservation. #27

  11. The Joy of the Gospel • I. A joyful, positive message • II. A warm & beautiful Church • III. A missionary Church • IV. A merciful Church • V. A poor Church serving the poor • VI. A discerning, pilgrim Church

  12. Questions for Reflection • Are we still personally and as a community capable of warming hearts? • How can we better welcome the poor, the sinners and marginalised, those who are condemned to live in shame, without honour and dignity?

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