 St Alban’s Episcopal Church Bolivar, Missouri Tuesday, October 4, 2022 Why do we care about St Francis?  Francis is indisputably the most beloved of all the saints. In contemporary secular America, he is mostly mis-remembered for his love for animals, especially birds, and has become a sort of patron of nature. Well, indeed he loved all of God’s creation. But he loved all things and all persons because he recognized that they, too, were beloved creatures of the good God who loved him. And as for the birds – they loved him first, and were hanging around while he was trying to preach. And so he asked them to be quiet until he was finished praising God with human words! He loved the wolf of Gubbio, too, but he didn’t make a pet of him; he helped the hungry wolf who was threatening the town to make peace with humans – by getting the people to feed him. Peace – That’s at the core of his very self. He lived in a tumultuous time, not very different from our own. The church was in chaos, the politics were no better than ours. And yet Francis didn’t find any of that distressing. He had a more realistic view of humanity than we do. He knew how cherished and beloved we are by God; and he knew how miserably we insist on our own way instead of God’s, and how unhappy that makes us. Sin is real, but it doesn’t hurt God; it hurts us and each other. And so Francis was forever making peace, singing peace with God to the fearful, to the dangerous, to the lost and lonely – the leper and the bishop! And he recklessly tried to reconcile enemies, too. There were no strangers to Francis, because there are none to the Lord. And people flocked to him – men, and eventually women, too – people who wanted to dare that great dream of holy poverty: allowing God to be everything and to give us what God desires, instead of an add-on to our ordinary lives.Franciscans are still the best-loved and freest, most joyous of people. And he wasn’t afraid of suffering sickness, or hunger or cold or loneliness or dark nights when prayer seemed empty. He learned that God will provide then too – and God does. And so he could be joyful even in, especially in, the hardest of days. I am deeply glad for the companionship of the Franciscans who taught me, and for our friend Jos Tharakan, Franciscan and Episcopal bishop of Idaho, But anyone who cares to dare the dream can live like Francis.. Like Jesus. Lord, make us instruments of your peace.  Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.  Canticle of Brother Sun and Sister Moon St. Francis of Assisi Most High, all-powerful, all-good Lord, All praise is Yours, all glory, all honour and all blessings. To you alone, Most High, do they belong, and no mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your Name. Praised be You my Lord with all Your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun, Who is the day through whom You give us light. And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendour, Of You Most High, he bears the likeness. Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars, In the heavens you have made them bright, precious and fair. Praised be You, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air, And fair and stormy, all weather’s moods, by which You cherish all that You have made. Praised be You my Lord through Sister Water, So useful, humble, precious and pure. Praised be You my Lord through Brother Fire, through whom You light the night and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong. Praised be You my Lord through our Sister, Mother Earth who sustains and governs us, producing varied fruits with colored flowers and herbs. Praise be You my Lord through those who grant pardon for love of You and bear sickness and trial. Blessed are those who endure in peace, By You Most High, they will be crowned. Praised be You, my Lord through Sister Death, from whom no-one living can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Blessed are they she finds doing Your will. No second death can do them harm. Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks, And serve Him with great humility. |
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