Hello, I hope all goes well.
Today we of the Franciscan family remember the passing of our Holy Father Francis in 1226.
Francis is one of those fellows who would fit into any situation. He love to sing and have a good time. He was able to cry with those who wept. And as we all know, he was his best when he was able to be by himself to pray.
Like some other saints, he started out to be the “toast of the town” in Assisi. From a well to do merchant family, he was able to party with other young men from the town. But like the other, he hit the grown, as it were and found out that life was more than parting.
At one point in his life, Francis went through a major conversion in his life. The dream he had of being a knight of the town of Assisi did not pan out. During a conflict with a neighboring town, he was captured and spent a year in prison. After his release, Francis began to understand that all his “failings”, all those “dreams” that did not pan out was because God had another calling in store for him.
Francis leaves us with this thought. “I have been all things unholy. If God can work through me he can through anyone.”
As a priest, I don’t know how many times after asking someone to do something at church, be a reader, serve at the altar or be a Eucharist Minister, I would hear, “Oh no Father, I’m not holy enough. Oh no I’m not worthy.”
It is important to keep in mind that this Church of ours is OURS. It is not the priest’s Chruch, it’s not the bishops. WE are the CHURCH. And that means that it is more than a building that we go to on Sunday. Francis told his brothers as he tells each of us today, “It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching.”
Actions speak louder than words and sometimes we need our actions to shout a lot louder!!
Peace and All Good,
Fr. Vinnie, fcm and the
Bros and Srs of the
Franciscan House of Prayer.
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