St Francis and the Peace the World Cannot Give

 

Blessed be God who animates our lives and raises up Saints like Francis that we might not only study the Gospel but know it in our lives AMEN

I am sorry I could not be here last week to bless the animals on the day which has traditionally been associated with St Francis and his love of creatures great and small.

I am however happy that we can move this celebration and thereby become a little more intentional and aware of St Francis in a larger context and mark his love of all creation, animate and inanimate.

It seems to me that Paul’s words in his letter to the Philippians provide a serendipitous link between the Gospel and St Francis, between all divine teaching and our common life and mission today. 

Protection of our environment has never been more critical, and by environment I mean not just the obvious climate change issues and scarcity of food for all, but also how we live and with whom and what reverence we practice in relationships.

During these pandemics in addition to fear and major life changes, we have also been met with opportunities and invitations toward hope. While faced with dis-ease of the viral  type as well as the injustice type, we have been shown ways to cross new thresholds, boldly or tentatively. We do so with the faith that we are accompanied by Christ. 

St Francis faced many dangers and disease in his life. In fact, his great conversion began when he confronted a leper. Instead of avoiding this man who had previously disgusted Francis  engaged the man offering him compassion and mercy. That one encounter became symbolic of Francis’ kindness, his different way of living in and among God’s creatures great and small, his realization of the difference between being in the world and being of the world, the latter way being the lesser, and his conversion toward a life of God’s mission. 

In his conversion Francis heard these words from God: Repair my house which is falling into ruin. Francis understood these words to mean Heal the Church. 

We too find ourselves in a similar situation to Francis; we too find ourselves at best confused and at worst persecuted by the institutions of the Church which perpetuate the same kind of exclusions as the leper felt. We are offered the opportunity to realize the kind of life of compassion, kindness, generosity and mercy which Francis and his companion saint Clare modeled. 

Francis and his namesake Pope Francis have taught us so much about that way of life. Return to simplicity. Do not engage the secular values but instead regard the fruits of the Holy Spirit as primary. Live the beatitudes finding that place in your heart of purity and poverty and meekness which is indeed blessed. This is the heart and soul of the Gospel and all the words in the world cannot capture it or define it. We are called to Live it. 

Live the Gospel...if necessary use words. It is not clear whether these words are in fact attributable to Francis but he certainly modeled them. Actually, at the risk of more words, this gospel way of living, this beatitude way of living, is exactly what Paul espouses in Philippians. 

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you. 

It feels today as though Francis and Paul, channeling Jesus, are speaking directly into my heart and offering the guidance and consolation so needed. It is all right in front of us, veiled perhaps in a grey cloth of dis-ease, but nevertheless always there...holiness of all creation. It is good.

So may we let our gentleness be known to everyone no matter the circumstances

and may we know that peace which the world cannot give by doing and being the creatures God created us to be: loving, caring, merciful and kind.

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With the Gospel in our hearts may we bless the creatures near and dear to our hearts:

Gracious God, who made in your creation all manner of creatures and endowed them with beauty, grace and the ability to amuse and amaze us. We thank you for their good spirits and their presence in our midst that so enriches our lives. We thank you for the companionship of the animals committed to our care and for the praise of birds of song and for the wonder of all wild creatures. Bless them, feed them, protect them and shield them from terror or torment. They are yours and we are thine. As all creatures, great and small, we give you honor, praise and glory, now and forever. AMEN