It is on this wonderful memorial of St. Francis of Assisi that we can recognize God’s magnificent work, in all of creation, in which God is continually and lovingly laboring. In the midst of our many labors and obligations, make an intentional effort to, like Mary in our Gospel today, sit at the feet of the Lord in silence, adoration, peace, and prayer, gratefully recognizing the gift of our beautiful world.
Pope Francis chose his papal name after St. Francis of Assisi to emphasize the life of humility and poverty that St. Francis embraced as well as the care of God’s creation that St. Francis promoted. So, while we can take our pets to Church today for a pet blessing, we can also recall what Pope Francis wrote in his encyclical, Laudato Si: “’LAUDATO SI’, mi’ Signore” – “Praise be to you, my Lord”. In the words of this beautiful canticle, Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. “Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with colored flowers and herbs.”
St. Francis is also attributed with the wonderful prayer that begins, “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.” By recognizing the bountiful gifts that are flowing upon us from our Creator God and loving Father, are we able to channel these gifts to the care of our neighbors in need by directing our words, thoughts, and actions with love?:
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.
Finally, when we are able to come and adore the Lord in praise and total trust, at last we can say, “it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”