- FRANCIS OF ASSISI: A MESSAGE, A MIRACLE AND A MISSION
Among all the Saints Francis stands out as a message, a miracle, and a mission.
Francis is a message:
He is the apt and inspiring message of peace. His life resonated with other human beings and the creation. He was able to have a kind of respect to the entire humanity and all created things. He addressed every human being as a good brother and good sister. He transcended himself and included the entire creation in his address with the unparallel respect with the dignity. His writings remain few, yet his life remains a message and makes sense even today as a message of peace. Pope Francis who signed the new Encyclical Letter in front of the tomb of Saint Francis of Assisi on human fraternity to tell the world that here is a brother so simple and poor yet rich and respectful in love for other human beings and creation at large. It is the letter of fraternity and social friendship for the world signed and been circulated the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. The Saint held the Mother Earth as a common home connected himself to tiny creature. “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children” (Mt.11:25). The Saint treasured humanity as the one fraternity. His life was the demonstration on poverty and humility and that brought Conviction in his morality and spirituality. Yes, Francis of Assisi is the message with vision we all need today. He saw beauty in everything and everyone. During this pandemic he remains the message in accepting the suffering and challenges and able to link and to empathize with the others. He had such a unity in spirit and mind within himself that was seen in everything that he connected with. He never looked back. He tilled his life and offered it as the awesome message to us all.
He is the miracle:
We read in the Legend of the Three Companions that how he encountered the lepers. He had terrible aversion towards them. He used to shun them and shiver within himself. He could not tolerate and stand in front of them. When he overcame the fear, he dismounted from the horse he travelled at that time externally, and he disconnected from his selfish and sinful pride. He dealt with his fear and hatred for lepers. Frances embraced the leper as the brother. In his own words, “what was so bitter once was changed into sweetness,” is the miracle. During this pandemic time, we too have aversion towards people with the COVID-19 virus. St. Francis of Assisi invites us to overcome this fear, hatred, reservation, and restriction with a gesture of love, care, and charity. Dealing with the miraj of fear into moment of miracle by showing our compassion and mercy. We read 1 John 4:20, “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.” Life is a miracle. We all need to celebrate this miracle not only in health but also in sickness and challenging times like this.
When Francis was invited to emulate Christ crucified, he was given the task to build. “Francis, rebuild my church which is falling into ruin.” He later understood it was not about material church but a spiritual one. This is exactly what God asking from us too. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” (Rom.8:28). He remains a miracle to the suffering humanity because he built the human fraternity. In our confusion and doubts in loving the other as the suffering Christ, we need to be led by the Holy Spirit.
He is the mission:
He discovered God in brothers and sisters and in creation. The little poor man, the joyful troubadour of God spreads the perfume of joy. Pure joy is contagious and converts everything contented. Pope Francis recalling Francis of Assisi asks the Church to emulate the model of him in the world. So, “I want church which is poor and for the poor. They know the suffering Christ we need to let ourselves be evangelized by them.” Franciscan joy is the mission we all need. Ministries are not for opportunity to gain fame and popularity but to live simply in humility. The poor needs us. They want to talk to us. They want to be listened. If we cannot encounter Christ in the poor, then it would be hard to encounter in his Words. A Mission that excludes the poor is not a mission at all. Frances was able to have a meal with the poor, talk with the poor, pray with the poor, laugh with the poor, dancing with the poor. Hence, he remains the mission meaningful even today as we celebrate his feast day. May we emulate him in our daily life.