While in Italy, Kenny some other Franciscan Friars take
Chase on a spiritual pilgrimage in which they retrace the steps of Saint
Francis of Assisi. Though dead for over 800 years, Chase soon learns that the
Middle Ages of Saint Francis was not that dissimilar to his own in that both
were an age of transition and people were fed up with the old way of following
Jesus. Francis lived in the gap between the Middle Ages and the
pre-Renaissance, which was the early days of modernity; Chase lived in the gap
between modernity and post-modernity. People from both eras felt anxiety from
living in a rapidly changing society in which the church was progressively seen
as having become irrelevant. Both were looking for fresh new and relevant ways
to follow Jesus.
When I received this book as a Christmas present in 2013, I
couldn’t put it down. Before I knew it, I had read it through twice; the second
time with pen in hand, as I so often do, underlining and jotting notes in the
margin. The book circulated to a few others to read and then found its way back
to me for a recent third reading.
Why such an interest? I’m not Roman Catholic; while I once
did, I no longer even call myself Evangelical; nor am I liberal in my theology.
What spoke to me the loudest was that in many ways, the story of Chase Falson
is also my story. No, I didn’t go on a spiritual pilgrimage to Italy, although
as a youngster travelling with my family, I have been to that fascinating
country. What spoke to me was that I too was once a senior pastor, albeit of a
smaller church, who became disillusioned with the church and asked many similar
questions. I too wondered if this was all there is, as evidenced by such early
blog posts as If the Horse Dies, Has Hollywood Invaded the Church Service?, and Tithing: Is It Christian?. I think that what makes this book
so important is that in today’s world, many are asking the same questions and
leaving the church. The irony, though, is that in leaving the church most are
not leaving Jesus. I remember reading of one person who suggested that people
were “leaving to preserve their faith,”
and in the process rediscovered it in a fresh and new way. That’s the story of
Chase Falson, and that’s my story. Perhaps it’s yours too.
Regardless what church tradition we come from, there’s a
part of Francis that we probably all can relate to. The author says, “Francis was a Catholic, an evangelical
street preacher, a radical social activist, a contemplative who devoted hours
to prayer, a mystic who had direct encounters with God, and someone who
worshiped with all the enthusiasm and spontaneity of a Pentecostal.” In
another place the author says, “In fact,
Francis has been called the ‘first Protestant’ because of his reform from
within the body of the church.”
Another wonderful aspect of this book is the church history
lessons woven between pilgrimage wanderings of Chase, Kenny, and the others. In
some ways, parts of the book could be used as a tourist travel guide of the
Italian countryside that once was home to Saint Francis. We read of chapels and
famous churches, of picturesque landscapes and narrow cobblestone streets that
haven’t changed much since Francis’ day. We read of gourmet foods, and that
wonderful Italian coffee by which all others pale in comparison: espresso; but
also of compassionate people feeding the poor in soup kitchens and delivering
food into the back dirty alleys to those barely alive.
However, the one part of the story that probably had the
greatest impact on me, and actually brought tears to my eyes, was a scene in a
hospice for men dying of AIDS. Chase and Maggie (another character in the book)
were being given a tour of the facility on what turned out to be “bath day.”
While Maggie was visiting others, one of the volunteers enlisted Chase’s help
with bathing what was left of a man by the name of Amadeo. After they lowered the
skeletal Amadeo into the tub, and much to Chase’s shock, the volunteer handed
Chase a rag and said, “Would you mind
washing his genitals.” Recounting the event afterwards, Chase said to
Maggie, “I think I became a Christian.”
In the margin of my book, all I could write was, “WOW!” The concern for the
dignity of the less fortunate and the sick and dying is a theme that runs
throughout the book. It was the concern of Saint Francis of Assisi, and it
remains the concern of the Franciscans who follow his ways today.
What does it mean to be a Christian? Whatever other baggage
we attach to our particular slant of Christianity, is not being a Christian first
and foremost caring for others with the love and compassion of Jesus? How often
don’t the Gospels record Jesus as saying, “I
have compassion for these people” (for example: Matthew 15:32)? Jesus also
said, “Whatever you did for one of the
least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. … Whatever you did not do for
one of the least of these, you did not do for me” (Matthew 25: 40,45; NIV).
Has the modern church downplayed that part of Jesus’ message? I wonder
sometimes. What does it mean to be a Christian? By the time Chase Falson
returned home from his Italian pilgrimage to face the church he founded, he had
a different answer to that question than he did before his crisis began.
Thomas Merton once said, “If the you of five years ago doesn’t consider the you of today a
heretic, you are not growing spiritually.” I’ve seen that in my own life
already; the “Me” of today I would definitely have called a heretic back in my
seminary days. Having said that, I cannot help but think that God is once again
preparing to move me in yet another direction in my own spiritual pilgrimage.
What will that look like? I haven’t a clue, but I do believe that God’s word
will always accomplish that for which He sent it (Isaiah 55:11). Who knows,
maybe I too will adopt a few more Franciscan ways. As for Chase Falson, in the
end, things didn’t turn out at the church as he hoped it would, but we’re left
feeling that Chase had peace as he ventured out on the next chapter of his
spiritual journey.
“Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim’s Tale” by Ian Morgan Cron. I enjoyed it immensely and highly recommend it. Peace and Blessings. “Grazie, Signore.”
“Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim’s Tale” by Ian Morgan Cron. I enjoyed it immensely and highly recommend it. Peace and Blessings. “Grazie, Signore.”
No comments:
Post a comment