October 4 2022 - St. Francis of Assisi - Leper, Rebuilding, Stigmata

 St. Francis is one of the most well-known saints of history. Francis’ conversion from a soldier, troubadour, and spendthrift to saint captivates our hearts.

The first major turn in his life took place when he was riding his horse outside the city and met a leper who came out from a leper colony to beg him for alms. Francis dropped him something and sped away, not being able to stand the sight and smell of the leper and also phobic about catching the disease. But a short distance away he was pierced to the heart by his lack of genuine love. He turned around, sped to the leper, dismounted, and then embrace him and kiss the lands he wouldn’t touch earlier when dropping coins. It was a conversion to charity. 

“After 25 years of a mediocre life full of dreams, spent in the pursuit of worldly pleasures and success,” Pope Benedict described, Francis “opened himself to grace, came to his senses and gradually recognized Christ as the ideal of his life.”

From there, we know the famous story of Francis making pilgrimage to the crumbling Church of San Damiano. As Francis was praying in front of the Crucifix, Jesus spoke to him from the Cross and summoned him, “Francis, rebuild my Church which you can see is falling into ruin.” Francis, at first, took the Lord literally and, selling some of his father’s precious fabrics, with the proceeds began to reconstruct the dilapidated house of God. But the Lord had a far bigger building project in mind, bringing renewal to the Church, through his preaching and penance and poverty, making disciples for Christ one living stone at a time. 

Francis’ radical embrace of the Gospel very quickly attracted a band of his Franciscan brothers, and then the Poor Clares, and then the lay Franciscans, and so many hearts which were enkindled with faith and charity by witnessing a living saint.

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world,” we heard in Paul’s words to the Galatians this morning. Francis, like Paul sought that perfect-identification with and identification with the crucified one who suffers for our salvation. And Like Paul, St. Francis would go on to bear the marks of Jesus on his body, signs of his union with Christ in his willingness to suffer for the Gospel.

“May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” we hear in the epistle today. Francis, like Paul sought that perfect-identification with the crucified one who suffers out of love for our salvation. And Like Paul, St. Francis would go on to bear the marks of Jesus on his body, the holy stigmata, which he received on the mountain top of La Verna. Pope Benedict said, that signs of his union with Christ in his willingness to suffer for the Gospel.

May we like Francis open our hearts to the lepers in our midst, may we attract souls to Christ through our penance and living out of the Gospel, willingly uniting our lives to the Crucified one, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For Holy Father Pope Francis on this his patronal feast, for the grace to bring renewal to those parts of the Church which are crumbling—especially, a renewal of true faith, where faith has diminished or been corrupted.

For blessings upon all members of the Franciscan Orders, for vocations and that their witness may bring renewal to the Church.

For hope for the despairing and all those who suffer.

For the grace of perfect charity to fill our hearts for those in need.

That all God’s Holy People will be filled with the wisdom and discernment needed to know and obey God’s Holy Will.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests and religious and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.

25th Week in OT 2019 - Tuesday - Rebuilding the Temple

Yesterday, today, and tomorrow, we hear from the book of Ezra.  Ezra tells part of the story of the Jews return to Israel after the Babylonian captivity.

For over a hundred years, the Jews were captive in Babylon, cut off from their traditions, history, rituals, stories, and temple worship.  A generation of Jews who didn’t know how God freed their people from slavery in Egypt, they grew up without the knowing the promises God made to Abraham, without the knowledge of the ten commandments or the promised land, and without the Temple, the center of their faith.  Could you imagine? No faith, no hope, no knowledge of God’s love. They grew up only knowing the gods and practices of Babylon-- a culture which practiced child sacrifice, polygamy, and other behaviors condemned by Jewish law.

After the Babylonians were defeated by the Persians, the Jews were freed. Ezra, the priest, was tasked to lead the Jews back to Jerusalem. But what they found there was devastating: they found the holy city in ruins--her walls breached and knocked down, the great temple destroyed.  They wept.
A campaign was launched by Nehemiah to rebuild the temple and Ezra the priest endeavored to reeducate the people who had grown ignorant of their history, of their traditions, rituals and practices—to teach the people who they were, their identity, and the laws of the faith which enabled them to be the people God had chosen them to be.

We heard today of the completion of the building of the Temple, which took much effort and many sacrifices to complete, yet, when it was done, the people celebrated with great joy.

Over the last few generations, the Church in the west, Europe and America has seen similar devastation. Places where Catholicism flourished are now nearly devoid of our holy faith. Generations are essentially ignorant of Catholic Doctrine. Beautiful churches fall into ruin.

Rebuilding will always follow the model we find in Ezra: teaching, prayer, and sacrifice. I think, and I’d like to hope, that the younger clergy particularly, are committed to rebuilding, through the teaching and practice of the fullness of God’s Word…for watered-down Catholicism is a failure and leads to ruin...We seek to rebuild according to God's plan, not our own image of what we think the Church should be, for as Psalm 127 says, "Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain" by striving for lives of holiness in union with the Lord.

So, please pray daily for your priests and bishops, and support them by demanding the fullness of the Gospel, that will help us to seek the holiness the Lord wants for each of us, that we may all go rejoicing to the house of the Lord, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Pope, Bishop, and clergy may work to build up the Church according to the precepts of God’s Holy Word.

For the purification of Holy Church from all error and heresy, especially among those who preach and teach.

That the fire of the Holy Spirit may be evident in all members of the Church, and in this parish community.

For mercy and peace for all those who suffer: for the sick and diseased, for those undergoing surgery this week, for the destitute and despairing, for all victims of war, violence, and abuse, and for those who will die today and the consolation of their families.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, and for N., for whom this mass is offered.

O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.