Today we celebrate the example of St. Francis of Assisi. We do this each year by the heartwarming blessing of the animals we choose to share our lives with. There is of course much more to the man Francis and his example to us as a famous Christian. St. Francis leaves us a legacy of compassion for the poor and sick along with a great love for God.
He was born in 1182, the son of a wealthy merchant. His
early years were frivolous, but a failed attempt at a military career and
personal illness led him into a life of prayer.
One day, in the church of San Damiano, he believed Christ spoke to him saying,
"Francis, repair my house." He took the words literally, and sold a
bale of silk from his father's warehouse to pay for repairs to the church of
San Damiano. His father, of-course, was outraged and there was a public
confrontation at which his father disowned him.
He in turn renounced his father's wealth. Francis also had a flare for the dramatic and
one account says that he not only handed his father his purse, but also took
off his cloths, laid them at his father's feet, walking away naked. He declared himself "wedded to Lady
Poverty," renounced all material possessions, and devoted himself to
serving the poor. He got his meals by
working as a day laborer.
Francis was a man with a deep love for the Christian church,
the poor and sick, and for sharing the good news. In some ways he must've been known as a holy
fool, an extremist in practicing certain Christian virtues but a man of
inspiring passion and love of God who attracted many followers. Eventually Francis and his followers were
given papal approval to form a new religious order, the Order of Friars
Minor. They became highly influential as
reformers of the church in their day, focusing people's attention back on their
relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Today their spiritual descendents staff the San Xavier mission just
south of Tucson.
Our custom of blessing animals to commemorate Francis comes
from one of many legends about him and from a canticle he wrote. The legend is that, during a time of
hermitage in a wilderness area Francis was moved to preach the Gospel to the
animals of the forest. We also have the famous
Canticle of Brother Sun, Sister Moon in which Francis praises God through our blessed
relationships with all of God’s other creations. Here is an excerpt:
Be praised, my Lord, through all
Your creatures,
especially through my lord Brother
Sun,
who brings the day; and You give
light through him.
And he is beautiful and radiant in
all his splendor!
Of You, Most High, he bears the
likeness.
Be praised, my Lord, through Sister
Moon and the stars;
in the heavens You have made them
bright, precious and beautiful.
Be praised, my Lord, through
Brothers Wind and Air,
and clouds and storms, and all the
weather,
through which You give Your
creatures sustenance.
Be praised, my Lord, through Sister
Water;
she is very useful, and humble, and
precious, and pure.
Be praised, my Lord, through
Brother Fire,
through whom You brighten the
night.
He is beautiful and cheerful, and
powerful and strong.
Be praised, my Lord, through our
sister Mother Earth,
who feeds us and rules us,
and produces various fruits with colored
flowers and herbs.
Today my sisters and brothers, we
take inspiration for ourselves from an man (Francis) who loved God and neighbor
with such a great passion that he has been a Christian inspiration for 800
years!
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