St. Francis speaks to us in our Language!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello Friends today let us reflect on the golden and memorable golden messages of St. Francis which are medicines to our broken and confused hearts and minds. He said that your walking should be your preaching.“ There is no use in walking anywhere to preach if you’re walking isn’t your preaching.” ~ St. Francis Of Assisi So very true in our lives today. We all want to preach, talk, advise, counsel without walking the talk. It would make a big difference in the lives of those whom we guide and expect to change and convert if we live what we preach. on Example and action is more effective than thousand words.  “While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart.” This is the need of the hour. What a wonderful foresight Francis had and his words speak loudly and clearly to all of us today.

Today there is craze and rush among us to amass wealth and knowledge but Francis says that if Knowledge not applied is meaningless. Some of us keep learning without using it for one's good and that of the others. If it is used in a right manner there would be peace, joy and happiness and can create a better world for all to live. “A man has only so much knowledge as he puts to work.” ~ St. Francis of Assisi

Today there are so many people wounded and broken by various events and some are broken by persons whom they loved, marriages are broken just like that and deep wounds are caused. In 12th Century also had men and women who were wounded and emotionally shattered and Francis went about healing them. So he is inviting us today that We need to heal wounds.   “We have been called to heal wounds, to unite what has fallen apart, and to bring home those who have lost their way.” ~ St. Francis of Assisi

Misunderstanding and fights are order of the day which leads to separation and wars. Francis announced it 800 years ago that Patience and humility. banish all worry and anger. The need today is to do away all negative energies from our lives by living lives of patience and humility.  “Where there is charity and wisdom there is neither fear nor ignorance. Where there is patience and humility there is neither anger nor worry.” ~ St. Francis of Assisi

We are all called to be perfect images of God the Father. This is our task and goal, mission to be achieved by following and living according to the commandments and doing the will of the Father. We are all imperfect called be to be perfect in a gradual manner. Francis said that All Saints have a past. All sinners have a future. “I have been all things unholy. If God can work through me, He can work through anyone.” ~ St Francis of Assisi

Poor - at the centre of St. Francis Assisi's Heart

We are living a time which is critical in all areas of human life, Covid has left us economically, spiritually and emotionally weak and fragmented. The pandemic has affected the poor and weak the most as many of them have no hope of getting back what they have lost. But the society and world at large seems to be silent and not worried what is happening to these poor ones. There are no debates, discussions, protests and dissents from any corner of the society. It looks like that it does not bother or affect us so why do we need to raise a voice. Let us be deaf and mute. St. Francis of Assisi showed in life through words and deeds that the poor were the central focal point of concern and love. Through his powerful preaching and presence in the society demanded a social equity and justice. The problems and concerns that he encountered and experienced in his time are the same ones we are grappling and facing in our advanced and technological world. The money spent in wars is amazingly high, poverty has crossed all borders of the world, corruption seems to be not disappearing from the society and politics and people are excluded, banned and boycotted for stupid reasons. St. Francis also had to tackle these problems which he did with concern and getting involved in the lives affected by the evils of the society.

Francis, son of a rich cloth merchant decided to live a poor and simple life in identification with the poor of Assisi. He saw them as the Mirror of Christ and loved and served this face of Jesus in them. His life is a strong message to us who would like to compromise with all the Gospel values and principles in order to be happy and wealthy at the cost of the poor. The sufferings and pains that we see today in the society is caused by ever increasing greed of some few super rich. The famous and rich take a big cake piece away and those who slog, struggle and work hard to money get peanuts. St. Francis is inviting us to live a life that is spiritually, morally and emotionally uplifting and promoting gospel values in the society.

War and infighting was also common during the time of Francis and he experienced the reality of war. He saw the negative and destructive effects of the war with his own eyes. He felt the strong urge and need to stop these mindless wars were thousands were killed and rendered homeless. He was courageous in undertaking the journey to meet the sultan and stop the crusades in harming the humans. He made an impression on those who met him and there was a change of heart and mind. Can we as sons and daughters of St. Francis go to the war torn countries where millions are rendered homeless, jobless, killed, looted, raped and left orphans go with the gospel values as Francis went? It is a big challenge to put our words into actions.

Call from St. Francis of Assisi

We are going to celebrate soon the feast of St. Francis of Assisi and all over the world the Franciscan family will begin reflecting, praying and Novenas in his honour. This spiritual exercise would bring fresh to the memory of sons and daughters of Francis his Holy Life and apostolate to be effective disciples in the modern world.  Francis is known and famous spiritual leaders of all time and still inspires millions of men and women to follow his way and path.

 

He inspires us today to live values of the Gospel and the teachings of the Church through simple, humble and poor lifestyles. The community life of the sons and daughters of him is an instrument and example to the divided modern society and world. We have to present Francis to be a guide and master for a complete change and conversion of men and women of good will.  The need of the society is to focus attention on the poorest, the vulnerable and least who have no name and face. they are to be recognised as dignified human beings. 

The call of Francis remains valid and attractive even today, the call to radical simplicity and humility, to be generous to every human being and the creation. But the call is sill open to us so that Francis becomes alive even to those facing darkness and persecution. 

Like Francis we need to sell all that we possess especially our attachments and rich ways of living our lives and give it all to the poor, needy, naked, hungry and depend totally on the generosity of God the Father. Today there are new kinds of poor people after covid who have lost dear and near ones, jobs, property and business and these unfortunate ones are looking up to the sons and daughters of St. Francis. We have more than we need and yet we grumble and complain. Just think of those who have nothing and yet glorify and praise the Lord.