Fr. Lester: You need to have impact (Day 2)

When it comes to serving others – such as in a soup kitchen – “it’s not so much what you do, but how you do it.”

In other words, it’s about building relationships, noted Capuchin Friar Lester Bach, a featured presenter on Day 2 of the Quinquennial Congress.

It starts with Secular Franciscan fraternities, with a spirituality steeped in the love of the Trinity, and a call to love one another.

“The more you can relate to the people you serve, the better.”

Lester Bach, OFM Cap

Indeed, he said, “there should be a change in you when you are helping others.”

Father Lester said he wasn’t going to heap praise on Secular Franciscans, as other presenters had. Instead, he wanted to remind Seculars to recognize the need for conversion, and to prod fraternities to move beyond a devotional mindset to one of expressing God’s love in action, in relationships.

“Fraternities should have some sort of impact.”

Remember, he said, “the Franciscan vocation leaves no one out of your concern and compassion.”