told them what do do - but that God himself showed them what was needful. Each attributed the path they resolved to take to divine encounter, without intermediary.
It's a startling equivalence.
Bernard of Quintavalle was a very rich man, long-standing friend of Francis. Peter Catanii we know little of - but he was to be the first Minister General, when Francis laid down leadership of the brethren (1220).
There is a strong Quaker resonance here. Both Francis & George Fox, said no-one
Another excerpt from the Legend of the Three Companions. The story relates to the calling of Francis' first brothers and dates to two years or so after his own conversion experience.
It has long been one of my favourite episodes: it speaks to simplicity, & to an urgent desire to follow the gospel.
In this respect, Friends aspire to be worthy imitators of the little poor man from Assisi.
Below - another excerpt from the Legend of the Three Companions.
Francis made this greeting his own, and it has endured.
'Peace and All Good' were his opening words wherever he went. He was a man who, because of his own irreproachable integrity and authenticity, was able to gather those at enmity together, and foster peace-making, peace-building.
I have always been drawn to the calm serenity of the Christ figure: it speaks to a complete understanding of what was being played out, and it is surrounded by figures and motifs affirming the work of salvation it depicts: Father, Spirit, apostles, family, faithful - each giving witness.
This is the cross which, as is recounted in the many of the lives of St Francis, spoke to him, saying, "Francis, go and repair my church which, as you see, is falling into ruin". So he went and begged stones to repair the fabric of Saint Damian's.
This, from David Hayward.
A shared theme in spirituality is that of subduing the ego, so that one may encounter God unresistingly. This is what Bonaventure speaks to, in the passage above.
If we were to employ the framework of mystical Islam, rather than Christianity, we would here be speaking of subduing the 'nafs'.
We would be hard-pressed to find a clearer example of the power of transformative encounter to change a life, then invest that life with deeper meaning and purpose, than Francis' encounter with the leper. The transformative power does not remain particularised: it penetrated his whole person.
As a Quaker organization, our opposition to war on Iran is grounded in a long tradition of letting our lives and actions speak for peace.
We will never give up working toward the vision of “a world free of war and the threat of war.”
Great interactions in class, lively interest, and a side excursion in to who Quakers are, and what makes them tick! Plus a brief canter into personal spiritual journeys.
Damian's been at Ightenhill Primary today, as a Faith Visitor giving some teaching in respect of Christianity. The topics for Years 3 - 6: How Christians understand discipleship; What they understand sacrifice to be; Why 'Good Friday' is good; What miracles are and what they signify to Christians.
His response was akin to that of George Fox, some 450 years later: he asked those with spiritual care of souls for help, but soon found that they did have the answers he craved. So he took himself to lonely places & spoke directly with God, and it was via these encounters that a way opened to him.
The outset of Francis' spiritual quest was marked by a feeling of dislocation: former patterns of behaviour were now unfulfilling; Francis began to be troubled by questions to which he could find no answer; he was burdened by both sudden insight, & overwhelming perplexity. He became vulnerable.
We will devote time to examining this resource, & work through it together.
We were seven at Meeting; six at the Community Hub, Margaret keeping the quiet hour at home. Afterwards we had a short break for refreshments, & then proceeded with Meeting for Worship for Church Affairs.
Damian shared a copy of the recently produced Guide to Challenging Antisemitism.
Friends do not claim to imitate Francis in his perfect (indeed abject) poverty, but we cleave to simplicity,
& derive strength from it. In peace-building, however, we aspire to be proper imitators the little poor man from Assisi, himself an imitator of the carpenter from Nazareth.
Immediately before he died, Francis called the brothers to him, blessed them saying he was going to God to intercede for them, and begged them to remain faithful to their birth right, naming poverty & peace as their inheritance.
In so doing, he named two of the testimonies central to Quaker belief
The Representation of the People Bill moves democracy forward – but more progress is needed electoral-reform.org.uk/the-represen... Electoral Reform Society – ERS
It's also moving - one Meeting each year will always be held outside London. The first one - at Mount Street, Manchester. We concluded with Meeting for Worship, in appreciation & celebration of the diligent and spirit-led work that Friends serving on Meeting for Sufferings undertook for 350 years.
Meeting for Sufferings has met for the last time.
The room was full, and nearly 30 Friends joined us online. It's a momentous change - after 350 years - but a hopeful one. The work of Sufferings will now fall to a continuing Yearly Meeting, gathering four times a year.
the values underpinning it are very familiar. Quakers go from Meeting (& prayer) to life, and from life to Meeting (& prayer): there is a symbiotic relationship which is expressed in the Testimonies, and which springs from transformational encounter experienced in both realms.
This excerpt from Bonaventure's Major Life points us towards two things: his contemplative life and his interactions with the world. Francis went from faith to life, & back again - there was a fruitful and ongoing dialogue.
Whilst Bonaventure's language might sit uneasily with Quaker spirituality,
Damian's off to London as Pendle Hill Area Meeting's representative on Meeting for Sufferings. This will be the last one of that ancient assembly.
Britain Yearly Meeting Friends have decided to lay it down, and its functions will become the responsibility of continuing Yearly Meeting.
Quakers uphold women in all areas of life, and support their leadership and callings in all faith communities.
With women's leadership back in the news, Rhiannon Grant reflects on the Biblical case for equality:
www.quaker.org.uk/blog/women-s...
#InternationalWomensDay #LeadingtheChange #IWD2026
Iftar was a gifted celebration. A few of the lads sang nashids afterwards, which I recognised from Zikr.
Lovely evening of food & fellowship.
