Good morning, good people. It is 4th October 2025. The readings are from Baruch 4:5-12, 27-29; and the Gospel from Luke 10:17-24.
We celebrate the Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi, the Deacon. For us, the Franciscans, it is the Solemnity of our Seraphic Father Francis.
Today we rejoice in the feast of St. Francis of Assisi—our Seraphic Father, our model, our inspiration, our intercessor. He shines before us as the living icon of poverty, humility, simplicity, and purity. The Patron of Ecology, he was not only a saint of prayer but also a saint of profound love, drawing us into communion—closer to one another, and deeper into friendship with all creation.
That timeless prayer, “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,” echoes his whole way of life. Francis did not merely speak of the poor—he became poor, joyfully embracing Lady Poverty as the little Poverello, the poor man of Assisi.
He himself once said, “God called me through His grace and chose to reveal His Son in me.” His life was an encounter, an experience, and an expression of Christ—a mirror of the Gospel, another Christ in the world. His mission was not only to pair with God but to repair what was broken, to rebuild the ruined temple of faith.
And so, our prayer with him becomes: “Lord, make me an instrument of justice, truth, peace, love, and mercy.” For the world is restless, chasing after joy in vain, thirsting for peace of heart. If only we would love the Lord as Francis did, true happiness would be found, and heaven’s song of peace would be heard again on earth.
As the punishment of God is not for the destruction of the human soul, so the pastoral success of missionary endeavour is certain for those who work selflessly. The first reading teaches us that the God who punishes us is the very one who heals us when we show visible signs of repentance in our lives. God’s punishments are curative, not cumulative. God recognises us as citizens of heaven when we work for the mission of the Lord and for the evangelisation of His Word.
In every tiny way, we need to be missionaries—because God has blessed us and embraced us as His children through the Sacrament of Baptism. In virtue of our first Sacrament, we are obliged to take the Lord to every nook and corner of the world. Let us not be satisfied with worshiping Christ Jesus in just one corner of our hearts and homes. This is the urgent time of the year that calls us to do something new in nurturing our faith.
Yes, our faith is the foundation for our missionary efforts, yet our theological and biblical formation are also essential if we are to be fruitful missionaries for the Kingdom of God. When we have the right relationship with God through Jesus, we can invite others to experience the same. Our communion and joy in evangelisation are the proof of our faith in God and in Jesus. Our personal and intimate relationship with Jesus is the true celebration of evangelisation.
The Gospel shows us the joy in missionary work—the joy that transforms lives. When the name of the Lord is proclaimed without any selfish agenda, there is an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon those who listen and believe. God wants our names to be written in heaven for having undertaken such strenuous missionary activities that bring the desired change in others, leading them to Christ.
As we discover the impact of our faith through love, intimacy, compassion, zeal, and unity in our missionary endeavours, we too need to return to the Lord with gratitude and joy.
His Holiness Pope Leo reaffirms in the recent audience with the people: “Peace be with you. Do not be afraid to show your wounds healed by mercy. Do not be afraid to draw close to those who are trapped in fear or guilt. May the breath of the Spirit make us, too, witnesses of this peace and this love that is stronger than any defeat.”
We must also be aware of sin, which destroys the joy of missionary life. As the seventy-two experienced joy, may we also experience the same—by knowing God deeply, loving Him profoundly, and relating with one another in the spirit of Christ.
Wishing you all a happy feast of our Seraphic Father Francis – the most admired, yet so often the least imitated. Through his intercession, may we be strengthened as troubadours of peace, love, and hope. May you have a good day. May God bless you.