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St Francis Day By Rev. Charmaine Braatvedt Sunday 2nd October, 2011 St Francis of Assisi (1181 – 1226) is the patron saint · of Italy, Animals and birds, ecologists and merchants. He is probably one of the most well-known saints and is certainly one who is greatly loved and admired. Probably on account of his life of extreme poverty and his affection for people and animals, he fired not only the imagination of the ordinary people, but also inspired the work of many artists over the years. Giotto is a case in point. Francis was born the son of a wealthy cloth merchant in Assisi in Umbria. When he was a young man he gave up his rich inheritance, choosing instead to lead a simple monastic life. He and his brown-robed friars now known as the Franciscans, travelled from town to town begging for money which they used to nurse lepers and the sick and to rebuild ruined churches. Francis’ mission to rebuild the ruined churches of Northern Italy sprang from a vocational experience he had in the ruins of a church known as San Damiano. One day as he knelt before a crucifix, he heard Jesus say to him: “Go Francis and repair my house which you can see is going to ruin.” Francis took this instruction to have a literal as well as a figurative meaning. So it was that he started single-handedly to restore that church which later became the dwelling place of the Poor Clare Sisters. Many delightful stories are told about Francis. His affinity with creation caused him to refer to the sun as ‘Brother Sun’ and the moon as ‘Sister Moon’ and his own body as ‘Brother Donkey’. In 1225 he wrote the Canticle of Creatures which is a hymn of thanksgiving to God for all creation.. He is said to have built the first Christmas crib, to have tamed a fierce wolf and to have preached so eloquently to the birds that they all gathered quietly to listen. Towards the end of his life Francis had a vision of Christ and received the marks of Jesus’ wounds, known as the stigmata, on his hands and feet. Soon after this experience he fell ill and the next year became blind. He died aged only 45 at the Portiuncula, Assisi. He was canonized in 1228, two years after his death. It is not so much what Francis did in the Church that is so important, but who he authentically was. He and his little band of followers imaged what the church and each individual Christian is called to be. We are called to live the Gospel simply radically and literally. In doing so we show the world a living moving breathing image of Jesus, which has the power to draw people to God. During his life the Church was challenged and experienced a profound revival because of the example his life set before them. May this be true of us today. Today’s Gospel reading invites us to cease worrying. How many people find themselves worrying? It is likely that most of us fall into that category. The Bible tells us that Jesus discouraged us from wasting time in undue anxiety. This warning is timely for modern medicine has shown us that anxiety may very well shorten our livespan. Instead we are encouraged to focus on living the righteous life that God requires us. This life is one that challenges us to leave the world a better place than we found it. In doing so we will find a sense of purpose in our lives and meaning and through that we will find happiness. The old maxim that money can’t buy love is also true of happiness. Happiness comes from within. It comes from knowing that we are in line with God’s purpose for our lives, that we are working towards the establishment of his kingdom of love and that we are serving his people and spreading his Gospel. This Gospel is one that swims against the stream of human behaviour. It is quite simple really, it goes something like this. Our natural instincts are to look after ourselves and to promote our own interests. When we do this we find ourselves becoming self -focused and this leads to fretting and worrying about ourselves. Jesus’ gospel of love draws us out of our self-centred little world into the wide expansive world of “other” where we notice other people, other creatures, other places and where we come to see the magnificence of a great Big God that is both within and without us. When we embrace Jesus’ way of being outwardly focused, as st Francis did, looking after others and lovingly working towards their best interests then we ironically find ourselves more relaxed and happy, for our greatest need to have purpose and meaning in life is met. This Jesus calls his kingdom and his righteousness. It could be argued that the world is sliding towards a value system that requires us to spend more time working, less time in relationship with our families and friends, more time consuming and less time conserving the resources of the planet. This trend is reversible. However it requires that ordinary people like you and me, take seriously the gospel of Jesus Christ just as St Francis did. Together we can make a difference for good and together we can encourage others to seek God’s Kingdom of love and the rest will follow. As we read in the text for today:
“Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be given you as
well.” Lost Generation. It is a poem written by Jonathan Reed , who is a student at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia. He is in his early twenties Originally it appeared as an entrant in AARP's U@50 Video Contest. When first read, the poem seems to be a pessimistic monologue of the current generation, an echo of sentiments often found when looking at news reports and articles.The world seems to be sliding into a dark inhospitable place. The last line of the poem, and the presentation of the poem in the original video, suggests reading it in reverse. When read backwards the poem paints a polarizing view, showing a brighter interpretation of the future. We embrace this future when we embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The poem follows a read-and-reverse pattern. For example, if one stanza reads: “ 'Happiness comes from within. is a lie, and 'Money will make me happy.' ” Then, when read in reverse, the stanza would portray this positive message: " 'Money will make me happy.' is a lie, but 'Happiness comes from within.' ” LOST GENERATION I'm a part of Lost Generation and I refuse to believe that I can change the world I realize this may be a shock but "Happiness comes from within" is a lie, and "Money will make me happy" So in thirty years I'll tell my children They are not the most important thing in my life My employer will know that I have my priority straight because Work Is more important than Family I tell you this Once upon a time Families stay together But this will not be true in my era This is a quick fix society Experts tell me Thirty years from now I will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of my divorce I do not concede that I will live in a country of my own making In the future Environmental destruction will be the norm No longer can it be said that My peers and I care about this earth It will be evident that My generation is apathetic and lethargic It is foolish to presume that There is hope
Jonathan Reed
May the Gospel of Jesus challenge us to live for the good of others, to the glory of God, in the power of the Spirit, that we may be amongst the ones that bring hope to a lost generation and be agents of the change that transforms this world into the kingdom of God.
Let us pray…. May God bless us with discomfort at easy answers and hard hearts, Half-truths and superficial relationships. May God bless us so that we may live from deep within our hearts where God’s Spirit dwells. May God bless us with anger at injustice and oppression and exploitation of people May God bless us so that we may work for justice and freedom and peace. May God bless us with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, grief and conflict. May God bless us so that we may reach out our hands to comfort them and turn their pain into joy. May God bless us with enough courage to believe that we can make a difference in this world, this neighbourhood, this community. So that we will courageously try to do what we don’t think we can do and turn to Jesus Christ for all the strength necessary. May God bless us fearlessly to speak out about greed which deprives all God’s creatures from sharing with humanity in the resources of the earth: May God bless us that we remember we are all called to continue God’s redemptive work of love and healing. In God’s place, in and through God’s name In God’s Spirit continually creating And breathing new life and grace into everything and everyone we touch. |
