Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; for it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Prayer of St. Francis
September 11, 2001 was a day in which peace was the furthest from anyone's mind. It was a day of horror and tragedy, a day of unforgettable grief and terror. Yet, as the flames were still lighting the New York skyline and chaos filled the streets of our nation's Capital, there was a new flame lit in the heart and soul of the International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church.On the very day Americans fell under tragic attack by terrorists, asmall group of CEC congregants gathered in Fairfax, Virginia, just miles from the Pentagon and the chaotic scene in Washington, DC, to launch Franciscan Fire, a new order whose mission and ministry is to study and practice the life of St. Francis of Assissi. This order, under the direction and instruction of Canon Harold Hammond, the rector of Shepherd's Heart Church and with the blessing of Archbishop Randolph Sly, was officially established as eight people made commitments to a Franciscan lifestyle. This lifestyle reflects Christ's obedience, purity, and poverty. Franciscans are called to a life of prayer, penance (daily conversion) and humble service; of simplicity. These are the qualities characterizing the life of Jesus and the early church. But, according to Canon Hammond, Franciscans are also called to much more. "The Francis I know is not a mild-mannered man with birds on his sleeve, but a red-haired firebrand who went to the Holy Land alone to convert the Muslims to Christianity," says Cn. Hammond. Like today, Francis of Assisi, (1182-1226) who lived during the time of the Crusades, had to address the conflict between Christians and Muslims. In the year 1219, Francis journeyed to Damietta, Egypt determined to have a meeting with the Sultan of Egypt, even as Christian crusaders were engaged in bloody conflict with the Muslim forces nearby.
Francis succeeded in getting an audience with Sultan Malek-el-Kamel and challenged him and his priests to a baptism of fire. He and the Muslim priests would walk into a huge fire, and the one who walked out unhurt served the true God. The Muslim clergy would not take up his offer. Then Francis said he'd go in alone if the Sultan would convert to Christianity.
The Sultan declined, but was impressed with Francis, gave him gifts and sent him back to his own lines. Years later, the Sultan died and, beneath his clothes was found a gold cross around his neck.
"This type of boldness is why we called our little band Franciscan Fire," said Canon Hammond. "I was not so much interested in 'becoming Franciscans' as in finding a way to turn out bold disciples, and Francis found that way. His mission from God was, 'Go, Francis, and repair my church, which, as you can see, is fallen into ruins.' In 1966, while a student at the Episcopal Seminary in Alexandria, VA, Cn. Hammond became a member of the Franciscan Third Order, which consists of those, married and single, who live in the world, not in a monastery. Over the years he became quite a follower of Francis of Assisi, who he says trained a small ragtag bunch of men and women into a fighting force that spread through the world and through the centuries. "I have known Canon Harold for many years when we both served as priests in the Episcopal Church USA before the start of the ICCEC," said Bishop Phil Zampino. "It has been in Harold's heart for years to start a ministry that would meet the temporal as well as the spiritual needs of the poor and the needy in our world." As rector of Life in Jesus Community in Maryland, Bishop Zampino has followed the Benedictine model of spirituality which emphasizes moving away from the world and living in community to pursue a life of holiness and service. The Franciscan model focuses on training disciples in community in order to send them out into the world. "Just as there are three streams in the CEC and all are necessary, there should be different expressions of spirituality in our denomination expressed through both the Franciscan and Benedictine models," says Bishop Zampino. "Francis, himself followed the Benedictine model and had a tremendous impact on the world during his ministry as through Franciscans like Harold who have been devoted to teachings and lifestyle." "Bp. Zampino and his Life in Jesus Community show us the best of the Benedictine model and we in Franciscan Fire, are hungering to become the best of the Franciscan model," says Cn. Hammond. "While the CEC is still in its formative years, we need to put in place a Franciscan order that can function without buildings or resources and can train its own, send them out to minister to the poor, the sick, the lonely, anywhere, anytime."
Through the centuries, Franciscans have gone everywhere to minister, to plant churches, to start schools and colleges and do whatever needs doing to "repair my church which, as you can see, is fallen into ruin."
Even before he moved to the Washington, DC, area, Archbishop Sly believed Shepherd's Heart was a 'staging area' for God's attack on the dark forces over Washington, DC and the capital area, equipping an army and organizing for going into battle.
"That's why we felt it so important to go ahead with the establishment of this order on September 11," says Archbishop Sly. "In light of the tragic attacks on our country we knew we had to combat the forces of darkness and light that fire within the CEC and the world." As we met at church throughout the day to intercede for our nation, our hearts were filled with a sense of urgency that we needed more than ever to go ahead as planned said Marge Witkop, one of the eight members installed on September 11. "Now, more than ever, it is important to have a ministry like Franciscan Fire," Mrs. Witkop continued. "Francis believed the church had strayed far from its original foundation of gospel living, total surrender to the will of the Father, and service to the community" "Centuries later, we receive the see the same dynamic. In a world where commitment, submission and self-sacrifice are feared; we dedicate our lives fully to daily prayer, careful study of the Gospels, to going the extra mile in helping others and to a radical commitment and accountability to one another within the Franciscan family, and to a life of continual sanctification through penance." It was during mass in the year 1208 that Francis heard a call telling him to go out into the world and, according to Matthew 10:5-14, to possess nothing, but to do good everywhere. Francis began preaching and gathered round him the 12 disciples who became the original brothers of his order, later called the First Order; they elected Francis superior. In 1212 he received a young, well-born nun of Assisi, Clare, into Franciscan fellowship; through her was established the Order of the Poor Ladies (the Poor Clares), later the Second Order of Franciscans The Shepherd's Heart group started meeting three years ago on Sunday mornings before church and centered its meetings on the reading of, "the little flowers of saint francis," an ancient collection of stories about St. Francis and the men and women who followed him. Brother Juniper, one of the Franciscan friars, was totally committed to the humility he saw in Jesus' life. The stories of his constant seeking after humility are, on the surface, highly entertaining, sometimes even offensive to us. Brother Juniper is an example of a humility birthed in obedience and submission that would cause demons to flee not only his presence but also the area around him. There are many stories of Saint Francis and his friars, about their struggles and their victories in becoming more like Jesus. In particular, the stories deal with how they chose to follow Jesus' example of total obedience and submission to the Father's will. How that played out in their daily living and how it plays out in our daily living is our present quest.How does a Franciscan lifestyle differ from the call to all Christians? It is a specific call, a call to St. Francis and his followers says Peter Hansen, another founding member of Franciscan Fire. There is an inward transformation and surrender to God through our daily conversion.
"There was a transformation in our hearts to really believe the promises in the Gospel and to live out our lives in penance and in service to the Church and others," said Brenda Brinson, another founding member of Franciscan Fire. "Walking with Francis as he walked with Jesus, is not just something we study; it becomes a way of life. What was available to St. Francis is still available to us here today! The change in our group seemed to occur about the time we were reading one of the "little stories" of how Francis made a deal with a ravaging wolf. In a remarkable conversation with the animal, Francis proposed that, in return for the hungry wolf not eating the villagers, the villagers would regularly feed the wolf! The deal was accepted by the wolf. After studying these stories, the group moved to daily prayers and the reading of the Gospels, especially Matthew. Last year, they held a ceremony to bless the animals and pets of fellow congregants. On the morning of September 14, in the year 1224, as he was praying, an angel appeared to Francis with the figure of Christ crucified between its wings. His prayers for forgiveness and to share in Christ's sufferings came into being at that moment as Francis' hands feet and sides bore five wounds, the marks of the stigmata. "While Francis lived long ago, his life and the methods he taught his friends to live by the Gospel is timeless," said Cn. Hammond. "He built Christian community in a way which is badly needed today. He taught his disciples to go from 'the Gospel to life; and from life to the Gospel.'
"In my small corner of the world, it has been clear to me for some years that we needed some way to train small groups of Christians who could minister to anybody, anywhere, any time," said Cn. Hammond. "And this type of intensive training cannot be taught at the congregational level simply because there are too many people and not enough time."
"The Franciscan way of living the Gospel Life is a hard way, a tough way, and it is not for the faint-of-heart and the luke-warm. Sounds like the perfect fit for the Charismatic Episcopal Church."
Send this page to a friend. Invite a friend to see this page.