Many Secular Franciscans are familiar with Revelation 3:16 from the Douay Rheims bible: "But because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth." This verse refers to the intensity of our faith and how we express it. It might also be God's blunt way of letting us know that talk, without the sacrifice of service is lukewarm. It could also be said that comfort is always fearful. Fearing that things might become uncomfortable if we try to do what should be done even in our own fraternities. Fear that we are not up to the job, fear that we too old, and ultimately fear of just being uncomfortable. The fact of the matter is service to our fraternities is hot, cold, and sacrificial, but never lukewarm! Our reason for being Secular Franciscans is to give flesh to the Gospel individually and
in fraternity. The minimum commitment is comfortable and lukewarm. So pick up your cross and remember, good people live in fear just like everyone else, they just don't give in. G.K. Chesterton's famous quote: "Anything worth doing is worth doing badly" may help us face the fearfulness of comfort even in Franciscan fraternities.
JMJ.
Mick, SFO
