St Francis and Clare 

On 26 Jan 92 I joined the family of Secular Franciscans.  Franciscan charism calls me to go from Gospel to Life....I pray that by my meditation on the Gospel I can draw strength and go out and share the good news of my faithful meditation with my fellow pilgrims.

How did Francis live some 800 years ago…how did Francis manage to live faithfully the gospel mandate of loving God and neighbor. Indeed, it was a great blessing for us and our church to have such a wonderful spirit filled disciple of Christ Jesus. St. Francis met the Lord and completely and fully imitated Jesus Christ.

I am fascinated how Francis could say yes to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. I seriously think after St. Francis met the Lord in mind and spirit; he could no longer keep it in. In fact, he beautifully touches my heart every time I read about St. Francis’ encounter with the Leper. Francis did what the Lord would have done. I am not sure if I would have had the strength or courage to do the same thing. Francis reached out to the Leper’s heart and pierced it with the Love of Christ Jesus. The Leper and Francis ministered to each other. The Leper saw Christ Jesus in Francis and Francis in turn saw Christ in the Leper. This perfect Christian love gave birth to a movement that would withstand the test of time.

Often times we do not think much about what happened to the Leper after leaving Francis at the crossroads of Assisi. I am sure the encounter must have sustained both of them for the rest of their lives. The faith filled exchange was and is the ever-lasting witness to us all. The expression of Christ Jesus’ love in this encounter has a touch of immortality to it. The active and free decision of Francis to embrace the Leper filled Francis’ vast hunger, emptiness, and void that was plaguing his heart and soul.

Francis began his journey in discovering his true God given identity. He would discover the vast treasures that Christ Jesus had in store for him – treasures that he neither had realized nor thought would be possible. He was beginning to live the so called impossible.

Francis would for the rest of his life search for and live out a daily radical change of heart, soul, thought, and deeds. St. Francis would seek Christ in humans, gospel words, and Eucharist. Somehow Francis would continue to bring love into the cold and heartless world; into a world that needed to hear love and forgiveness. Francis is still inviting us today to do the same thing. Christ Jesus is moving violently within our souls yet gently invites us to His House and experience love and acceptance.

You and I are important to Christ Jesus. In the midst of a world that places a shifting and moving value and or worth on our existence, Jesus is asking us to cling on to Him. Francis turned his gaze towards God – we too are invited to fix and gaze our eyes on the wooden Cross of Christ Jesus. Everlasting joy and happiness is within arms reach. Our hearts will find satisfaction for the hunger that it continually experiences.

Our home is in Christ Jesus. St. Francis invites us to the House of the Lord.

Peace of Christ Jesus

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