In this moving reflection, Brother Julius Milton, OFM Cap, invites us to look beyond simple charity and toward a true Franciscan conversion of the heart. Drawing from the Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi Te by Pope Leo XIV, Brother Julius explores the profound connection between the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and our call to serve the marginalized.
Through the lens of St. Francis’s life-changing encounter with the leper, he challenges us to recognize Christ’s “preferential option for the poor”—not as a form of discrimination against the healthy or wealthy, but as the deep, compassionate love of a parent for a suffering child. By bridging the gap between our world and the “world of the valley,” we find that what once seemed bitter can truly become sweet.
Key Themes of the Reflection
The Origin of Love: Our service to the poor must be rooted in the divine love of the Sacred Heart, not merely human effort.
The Lesson of St. Francis: The shift from the “hilltop of riches” to the “valley of the suffering” as a model for modern spiritual growth.
Christ in the “Other”: Recognizing that God is present in those the world often seeks to exclude or forget.
Building Bridges: Our role as Catholics and Franciscans to act as ambassadors, bringing divided worlds together.
“When we go and beg, we beg on behalf of Christ and for Christ who is present in the poor and the suffering of our world.” — Br. Julius Milton, OFM Cap.
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