Reflect
With the feast of St. Francis of Assisi on October 4, we as a Church—and beyond—take a moment to recognize the world-shaking faith and example of this holy man. Sometimes the saints seem remote to us, to our times, our world’s particular challenges. Not so with the Poor Man of Assisi. His simple but profound message—to follow Christ by embracing the other in society, to cherish God’s creation as an ever-flowing gift, to simplify our complicated lives so as to see clearer with eyes of faith—continue to resonate powerfully today.
Pray
Dear Lord,
We thank you this day for the example of Francis of Assisi.
His humble life in the 13th century
shine just as brightly now, 800 years later.
May we allow ourselves to be continually renewed
by the gentle but transformative Franciscan way,
and may we share that light with others
on our collective Road to Emmaus.
Amen.
Act
Find out something about St. Francis’ life that you’ve never encountered before. How does that new information help make him more relatable, more three-dimensional? Or is there something about him that seems like common knowledge (such as his connection with nature)? How might you reframe the well-known parts of his story to become revolutionary again?
