MEMORIAL OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI
Nehemiah 2:1-8
Luke 9:57-62
Our hidden and loving God, dwells in inaccessible light, unknown to the world, but imparts himself abundantly and lovingly to those who, having purified their souls from the spots of earthly filth and attachments, express and show forth in their hearts and bodies Jesus Christ crucified.
Whatever he did or wherever he was, Francis’ soul was always raised to heaven. He consulted God before everything he did and taught his brethren to set a high value upon humility, self-denial, and assiduous recollection which is the source of spiritual blessings.
In the school of his crucified Lord, he learned so vehement a love of holy poverty that he extended his rule of poverty to his friars through extinguish charity and devotion. This interior crucifixion of the heart, this perfect simplicity and disengagement of the affections, consist not in the exterior renunciation of the world, but in the spirit and is compatible with the state and employments of every lawful condition in the world, as many saints have shown, who, on thrones, in courts, or armies, learned to die to the world and themselves, used the things of this world as stewards only, while living as strangers and pilgrims on earth.
This is an expression, we find in today’s Gospel in which our Saviour describes true discipleship, “once the hand is laid on the plow, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’ Nothing could stop Francis from building God’s church and his people. This similar expression is found in today’s first reading, Nehemiah was determined to leave everything just to build God’s temple in Jerusalem. God takes pleasure in communicating himself to those who are simple of heart, the little ones, whose hearts are disengaged from earthly things and engage in total commitment to his commands. With all these put together God can give us his peace that surpasses all human knowledge and understanding.
Lord, make me an instrument of thy 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.
-Francis of Assisi. Pray for us. Amen.
Fr Joseph Osho
