Third Order Of The Society of St. Francis

I give you a new commandment that you love one another.
Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.”

Jesus lived this new commandment to the very end of his life. We see in the person of Jesus this love fully worked out. Love is the distinguishing feature of all true of Christian disciples who wish to dedicate themselves in his service.

Our Father Francis heard this call and knew a special kind of love and inspired others down the ages to grow in this gift of love. He also knew the challenges and demands of this kind of love.

You and I know that fraternity and genuine love lies at the heart of our calling as Franciscans. Love is one of the three notes of our order, as the Principles of the Third Order remind us.
One of the many challenges and demands of our Franciscan calling is that we will seek to love all to whom we are bound by family or by friends. We are called to love them not less but more. As our love for Jesus grows deeper and stronger so our love for those near and dear to us increases. In our tertiary fraternity we are called to have a special love and affection for each other, not only to pray for them every day, but also grow in that love.

We are called to be aware of anything that might injure this love and must seek to be reconciled to those whom we might have hurt or those who have hurt us. We are to seek the same love for those whom we have little affinity. This kind of love is not a welling-up of emotion, but is rooted  in our common union with Christ.

Ours is an Order that is a Community rooted in the values of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, irrespective of race, education, or character, where this love must be evident through the love that we share in Christ.
If this unity is present in our community of love, then we will become what our Lord and Saviour intended. We will then become the conduits of his love, his peace and his joy.

May we, in all our struggles in this life, become those whom God has made us to be.