There was a time in the history of the Franciscans where we were a raucous, contentious, squabbling bunch – each group claimed to know St. Francis’ real intention about the way to follow Christ. The minister general of the day, St. Bonaventure, gathered the friars together- and like Moses, gave a sermon that was not too mysterious or too arcane. In a way, he simply told them that to truly follow the intention of St. Francis they had to choose. Choose what each friar would become as a result of their choices and, just as important, consider what the world becomes because of their choices. They were becoming a religious order noted for internal to fighting.  And because of it, the world was become darker because of their example of following Christ.

Sister Ilia Delia, a preeminent Bonaventure scholar, puts it this way when she said “by imitating Christ one becomes an expressed likeness of Christ through a transformation in Grace.”  In other words, to make the personal choice to be like Jesus, we will receive the grace needed to become what we choose.  It is as St. Paul says in Galatians: “Christ is living in me.” It goes like this: to continually choose to try and imitate Christ, one becomes more like Christ. To become more like Christ, is to be more and more graced.  To be more and more graced, is to reach a tipping point where you become a source of Christ’s grace for the world.  What does that imply?  It is not too mysterious.

The old Baltimore Catechism asked “what is a sacrament?”  Simple answer: An outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace.  But doesn’t that sound like a description of the person who continually chooses to try and imitate Jesus.  In other words, the human person becomes a sacrament of God.  …and in that moment you become a sacrament of God for the world. Your feed the world with the light, love, and grace of Christ.  And the world has a much better chance, through that grace to become the kingdom of God.  Individual becoming, community becoming and the world becoming – something – and all tied up in your choice.

Kinda’ straight forward.  It is as Moses told the people of God three millennia ago: “For this command that I enjoin on you today is not too mysterious and remote for you. It is not up in the sky, that you should say, ‘Who will go up in the sky to get it for us and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?’ Nor is it across the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea to get it for us and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?’ The commandment of the Lord is very near to us, already in our hearts and in our mouths.”

We only have to carry it out.  Not too mysterious, pretty clear… and yet….it seems to get less clear in the moment. In today’s Gospel in the story of the Good Samaritan we see folks make choices. And in each choice we can ask “what did they choose to be in that instance” and “as a consequence what did the world begin to become?” I will give one example from the Gospel: The priest who passed by, likely a hopeful and holy person, probably thought – “oh man…. If I help this person I will ritually defile myself and for the next seven days I will be unable to serve the people of God by my Temple duties.”  What did he choose?  What was he becoming?  What is the world becoming?

You can read about this every day in the newspapers and on-line. Here locally, the Commissioner of Tampa Port Authority made some choices that came to light in this week’s paper. Seems he chose to be a slum lord. What did he choose? What is he becoming?  What about his neighborhood?  This morning the headlines were that George Zimmerman was found not guilty of the death of Trayvon Martin. The case is full of choices made, of becoming, and the consequences rippling out in Sanford, FL and throughout the country.

But it is not just the headline, it is in the small, everyday things of our life that we find the testing grounds of our choices

A Franciscan priest in downtown Tampa on a weekday morning, hopefully a good person. A person on the street says, “Hey padre, I haven’t eaten in a while, can you help me out?”  The person is kinda’ sketchy looking. The priest is going to celebrate Mass in a few minutes.  The priest has no money with him. Parishioners arriving for Mass are watching. What will the Franciscan choose?  What will he become?  What will the world become?

(1) Your little brother or sister wants to play with you when you have one of your friends over. (2) The notice for jury duty comes. “Oh my gosh… this couldn’t come at a worse time.” (3) You promised the kids that this weekend was family time, when you remembered you promised your brother-in-law (with whom you want to have a better relationship) you would go with him to Florida-Tennessee game in Gainesville. (4) You are with friends when the gossip starts. (5) You spouse has upset you and you are so mad you could just spit.  (6) Your teenager came home Saturday night, way later than promised and a looking a little glassy eyed.  (7) A high-school student looking at their friend from back in the day in 6^th grade.  But they haven’t talked much lately and the friend has gotten kinda’ weird. Other kids talk about them.  This randomness that life throws upon us comes in a variety of ways – and we are called to make choices

In that less–than-clear, what-is-my-next-step-moment, what will you choose? What will you become?  What will the world become because of your choice? There are some out there thinking, “Oh Father, why do you think this is difficult? Just do what Jesus would do.”   Let’s see (A) Jesus never had teenager, (B) never got called for Jury duty, (C) doesn’t care about college football (…of course except for your team and Notre Dame) … and all of the above have many avenues to travel … and the clock is ticking.

My point is this… it can be really mysterious and distant in those moment that are random and catch us by surprise. The Word of God is indeed written on our hearts, but do we take the time away from the random moment – take the time after we have already made a choice – and reflect on whether we made the faithful choice. (1) A Franciscan on the streets of downtown Tampa.  (2) A parent looking at their teenager and pretty sure that underage drinking has occurred. (3) Navigating the changing landscape of friendship, family, and obligations.

This is what I know.  We are called to become a sacrament of God – an outward sign of the grace of God in the world. The choices we make are rooted in the moments of prayer, reflection, and reconciliation. Sometimes the choices are as simple as the first 7-10 words you say and the tone used to convey them.  Do they reveal or hide the grace of God in the world.

It’s God’s plan… it’s your choice.  Your choices can be random.  Or your choices can become the fruit of taking the moments of prayer, reflection, and reconciliation to be close to the Word that is already close to you.  It’s your choice to become the sacrament of God in the world.

Amen.

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