Praise be Jesus and Mary, now and forever. 
We're continuing our reflections on Franciscan spirituality, speaking about the last fruit of this spirituality, which is the fruit of the apostolate. That which strikes and astonishes those who consider the diffusion of the Franciscan movement is the profound influence it's had on society, be it right at the beginning of its birth as well as throughout the centuries of its life. It's truly been a leaven that's entered the mass, and it's revealed itself to possess an unexpected force, given its very humble beginnings.
Father Ciccarelli, in his book on Franciscan spirituality, says in a poetic way that the Franciscan movement is swollen with divine fluid, that each one of its members is a herald, or a knight, or a column in the Church of Christ. So from its beginnings, the Franciscan spirit immediately presented itself as essentially apostolic. The apostolate is the integral element of the seraphic vocation.
Franciscanism was born in the most absolute poverty, with an explicit program of renunciation of every human power and force, and this was manifested in the name of the group. They were called minores, or minors, which means little brothers, essentially. Nothing is more foreign to the spirit of littleness than the proud pretense to reform, to teach, or to exercise any spiritually predominant action in society or in the Church. And yet we can say that no movement in Christianity was more profound and more lasting than the one started by St. Francis.
Christ, who, as St. Paul says, makes some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ, he says in Ephesians 4, verses 11 and 12, that same Jesus formed the soul of the Franciscan apostolate. And this vocation can't subtract itself from the apostolate without betraying the mission willed by God and without betraying its own nature. The Franciscan that abandons the apostolate is like a soldier who goes AWOL, or it's like a plant that's been rooted up and hasn't been allowed to fully develop. Like St. Paul recognized, there's a terrible consequence to face if we abandon the apostolate. As St. Paul said, woe to me if I don't preach the gospel, 1 Corinthians 9: 16.
We can think about the origins of the Franciscan apostolic vocation, which revealed itself in stages, and with a clarity that became more evident as time passed. The young St. Francis, after his generous renunciation of the world, he prayed in front of the cross of San Damiano, looking only to know the will of God, desiring only to conform himself to Christ. And he prayed, O high and glorious God, enlighten my heart. Give me a right faith, a sure hope, a perfect charity, a profound humility, the will and intelligence to know and to fulfill your holy will. Amen. It's one of those prayers that we often pray at the end of Mass as Franciscans.
And after the prolonged, fervent, profound prayer, the crucifix spoke to him, said, “Francis, go and rebuild my church, which you can see is falling into ruins.” That was the first announcement of a vast and very high apostolic mission, an announcement and an order that was very clear, but also obscure at the same time. Francis, in his humility, understood it in the literal sense and immediately began rebuilding churches physically. But then came his first companions and also St. Clare with the poor ladies, as well. Along came a life of prayer and absolute poverty in the huts of the woods, which is where the first places that the friars actually lived.
Their life of prayer and penance was similar to the life of monks, the life of the hermits, for its renunciation of everything and dedication to God. But it was, in comparison, actually much more in contact with the world. In a certain sense, it was inserted into the world, not separated from it. The friars would work and beg and fraternize with the humblest people. They preached to the people at the crossroads and the public squares, the towns and the cities, things that most monks and hermits didn't do.
But at a certain point, a doubt crept into the soul of St. Francis. The question was, should he give himself completely to contemplation, to prayer, or should he decisively go and send his friars out into the streets and byways of the world and preach the gospel, which one should he do? This time, the problem was clearly before the saint's eyes, so he asked Friar Sylvester and St. Clare to pray about it. Their joint response came to him at the Portiuncola, which was the place of the Mother of All Goodness, as St. Francis called Our Lady and the House of Our Lady.
And the response was welcomed with joyful readiness, the readiness and joy of one who receives a divine message. He understood that the will of God was this, that he was to be a man totally apostolic, that he was a man to be dedicated to the apostolate. 
And in our next and last reflection on Franciscan spirituality, we'll continue to look at the fruit of the apostolate in the life of a truly Franciscan soul. Let's ask Our Lady for the grace to be truly apostolic in whatever sphere of life we live in, as our Holy Father St. Francis was. 
Praise be Jesus and Mary, now and forever.