Russell Becker, OFM
FRANCIS OF ASSISI CALLS US TO BUILD THE KINGDOM—RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW.
This year we commemorate the 800th anniversary of Francis’ death. When he was dying, Francis wanted his followers to continue bringing their spirituality into the world. Each year, as we gather to commemorate the death of our founder, we pray for the inspiration and grace to do just that.
Francis was born into a wealthy family. Dreaming of knighthood, he fought in one of the local wars that took place between city-states in Italy. While he was taken ill, he discerned a call from God to live simply. He renounced the life his family provided him, and began a journey that would lead him to an intense relationship with Christ.
LESSONS FROM ST. FRANCIS
People began to take notice. Simplicity of life and a world where there is peace at every level was attractive. Francis helped to make that world more visible.
What is it about this saint that continues to inspire us today?
SELF–EMPTYING
Francis was attracted to Jesus, who humbled himself for our sake. This is why the Incarnation and the mystery of the cross are integral to him. He could see a baby lying in a manger so that we might be drawn to it.
The Lord offers a witness to the depth of God’s love. When others might be tempted to question that love, Francis needed only to recall these two great mysteries. Then he would rejoice.
DISCIPLESHIP
Francis gave a new urgency to the call to discipleship. He believed this call was for us to mirror the disciples of Jesus by going into the world and making disciples of all nations. Confident of Christ’s presence, Francis encouraged the proclamation of the Good News in word and deed. His brothers did just that—and they continue to this day!
ALL OF CREATION
God created the whole world, and all creation is related in the Creator. Francis seemed to understand this at the deepest levels. His “Canticle of the Creatures” praised God for his sisters and brothers: the sun, the moon, wind, fire, mother earth, and sister death. He took seriously the charge that God gave to nurture all of creation.
That sensitivity to the presence of God in creation included the presence of God in people. Francis discerned goodness where no one else could. His most memorable conversion experience was when he embraced the leper: In discovering the goodness of one condemned to hide from others, he not only restored the leper, but himself as well.
‘REBUILD MY CHURCH’
There is a prayer that Franciscans used to pray every day before the Liturgy of the Hours: It thanked God for giving us St. Francis. This prayer reminded us that every age has difficulties in trying to succeed in being the Church of Jesus Christ.
At San Damiano, Francis heard the voice of God telling him to “rebuild my Church.”
At first he thought that God meant that building itself, but later he realized that the voice was calling him to something far greater. Rather than walk away from the Church, Francis was able to become part of its renewal.
MOTHERS OF CHRIST
One of the most intriguing concepts that flows from Francis is the idea that we are not only brothers and sisters to Jesus, but we are also called to be mothers to him. Mary gave birth to Jesus at the first Christmas, but all of us must follow her example and give birth to Jesus in our time and place.
In his Letter to all the Faithful, Francis writes:
It is not for us to be wise and calculating in the world’s fashion;
we should be guileless, lowly and pure. On all who do this and endure to
the end, the Spirit of God will rest; he will make his dwelling in them
and there he will stay, and they will be children of the Father whose work they do.
It is they who are the brides, the brothers and sisters, and the mothers of our Lord Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit; we are his brothers and sisters when we do the will of his Father who is in heaven.
POOR MAN, RICH IN SPIRIT
This simple man, poor and lowly, speaks to us 800 years after his death. To our complex world, he offers inspiration, love, and peace. He helped to capture the imagination of his time and our own centuries later.
Francis invites us to help him to make the world that we all long for to come to be so that we might join him as citizens of the world to come.