The first session of the General Chapter began at 9:15 a.m. in the auditorium of the Seraphicum College in Rome, with the singing of the invocation of the Holy Spirit. The proceedings were guided by the Minister General, Friar Carlos TROVARELLI. After going through some initial formalities, Friar Carlos introduced his Capuchin Franciscan confrere, Friar Štefan KOŽUH. Friar Štefan originates from Slovenia but now belongs to the Le Celle friary and hermitage in Cortona, Italy.
Friar Štefan gave three talks during this day, which is dedicated to listening to the Lord. The first presentation, at 11:00 a.m., was a meditation on Pentecost (Acts 2), because the Chapter must first turn to the Father to ask his will, and after, tackle the various tasks the Order must face. Pentecost is not the recollection of a past event but the life-giving presence of the Holy Spirit, who is at work in us at this very moment. Like the Apostles, we immerse ourselves in His power and, if we wish, we become enthusiastic bearers of the message of salvation. The gift of the Holy Spirit is also an offering of the new law, the new precepts, no longer written on stone tablets but in our hearts. As Franciscans, we are called to live the freedom of the Holy Spirit without imposing anything, but proclaiming the presence of new life in the risen Christ.
Friar Štefan’s second talk began at 4:00 p.m. It was focused on the wedding at Cana (John 2). Here, although Jesus is certainly the main character, his Mother providentially intervenes. First, we must believe in the presence of the Lord, who is always at work within us—if we are willing to be shaped by Him. Then there is the maternal attentiveness of Mary, who sees the true meaning in the difficult or challenging situations we face. Today, God still asks us, Where are you?― just as He asked Adam at the beginning of days. Our times are marked by individualism, hedonism, and minimalism. In obedience to the Son, we are called to live fraternity concretely, to freely give of ourselves, and to imitate the unshakeable faith of Mary, Mother of the Church, who still today points us toward the way: Do whatever He tells you.
Friar Štefan’s third talk took place as his homily during Mass, which he presided over. He reminded all the friars that the Lord is always present in our lives, even though we often live as if He were far removed from our problems. Quoting from Pope Francis’ encyclical Evangelii Gaudium, chapter 3, he emphasized that as baptized Christians—and even more so as Franciscans—we are called to encounter the Lord personally every day. Each day of our lives must be permeated by the presence of the Risen One, no matter what tasks or needs we face. This is the secret at the heart of our charism: keeping the presence of the Lord at the center of our lives and decisions.
Let us thank the Lord for this day and for this timely opportunity He has given us. May the decisions we make during the Chapter always be guided by the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life.
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