In the Third Order tradition, we acknowledge, as our shared charism this lifelong process, “conversion”, or being deeply and forever concerned with letting the Lord turn us around to shape our lives according to his Word in us. All in the Church, all in the world, are called to conversion, but as a special gift to be lived by us, we view it as a call to develop and grow in an ever more free, fresh, creative, and imaginative Christian life style, so that we too may be branded with that same foolishness which typified a Paul and a Francis. (Always Accepting Conversion—Roberta Cusak, OSF)

Francis, then, totally absorbed by the goodness of God and by his own desire to lead a life of penance, of self-emptying love, wanted to himself become the Lord’s dwelling place.   This was Francis, the contemplative. And what is the objective of prayer for the Franciscan? “…[we] should desire nothing else but our Savior who offered himself in his own Blood as a sacrifice on the altar of the Cross for our sins, giving us example so we too might follow in his footsteps.”

We are called to be God’s poor people who leave all for the one supreme good, God, by following Jesus after the example of Francis. Jesus tells us that we must give up our claim to material possessions and earthly security. We are called to become like him on our way to the Father. Our poorness is rooted in our incompleteness without Him. Like Jesus we are to be gentle and generous of heart. And he warns us against the riches and the ease with which we can feel prosperous, gain power to control our lives, others, situations, and yes, even God. He tells us that fulfillment is in God, in our emptying self and serving others. By emptying ourselves as Jesus did, God can enter our lives and fill all emptiness and purposelessness. We are called to witness to God’s goodness in life.

Minority (Humility) means to conform oneself, through a life of penance, to Christ who is the servant of God sent into the world, the “place where” of our redemption. An aspect of Francis’ insight into the gospel is an absolute requirement for the Kingdom. Francis proposed a simple way of life, one to put us deeply in touch with God and all creation. He gave instructions that we be simple, subject to all, to have humility as a necessary attitude for the kingdom. Our simple lifestyle is not only to be a sign of service, but also a witness to the world as a call to peace.