27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
~ This weekend, on October 4, our Church celebrates the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, one of the most beloved saints of our Church. Born in Assisi, Italy, about 1182, Francis was known in his youth for his wealthy upbringing and his drinking and partying. After fighting in a battle between Assisi and Perugia, Francis was captured and imprisoned for ransom. He spent nearly a year in prison – awaiting his father’s payment – and, according to legend, began receiving visions from God. After his release from prison, Francis was praying in the Church of San Damiano when heard the voice of Christ, who told him to “Rebuild my Church, which as you can see, is falling into ruin.” Francis thought that he was literally supposed to rebuild the Church where he was praying and he set off with hammer and nails to make the repairs. Only later did he realize that God was calling him not to rebuild THAT church, but to rebuild THE entire Church. Consequently, he abandoned his life of luxury, embraced a life of poverty and simplicity, and became a devotee of the faith, his reputation spreading all over the Christian world. Many people joined him in his work and ministry, and today, Franciscan priests, brothers, and sisters carry on his legacy and charism. Later in life, Francis reportedly received a vision that left him with the stigmata of Christ – marks resembling the wounds Jesus Christ suffered when he was crucified – making Francis the first person to receive such holy wounds. He died at the young age of 44 in the year 1226. Today, Assisi is a holy place of pilgrimage and peace for Christians all over the world, and many will make pilgrimage there to observe the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’ death next year, 2026.
The feast of St. Francis this week should be the cause of much joy, but also a call to prayer and reflection for us Catholics. For your consideration and prayer: St. Francis was a deacon (he did not consider himself worthy to be ordained a priest), so let us pray for all those who serve the Church as deacons. The family of St. Francis includes so many religious men and women who follow in his footsteps, so let us pray for all Franciscan priests and religious and pray for more vocations to their orders. St. Francis is the patron saint of ecology, so let us pray and work for a greater respect and care for our earth, air, and water. St. Francis was a man of peace, so let us pray for peace all over the world, but especially in Ukraine, Gaza and the Middle East, Somalia, Sudan, Myanmar, and our own cities and communities in the United States. Finally, St. Francis is a patron of animals, so let us give thanks to God for the gifts of our pets, and for all the animals that help us, entertain us, and feed us.
In years past, we have had the Blessing of Animals on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. This was difficult to schedule this year because the feast falls on a Saturday and there were already so many parish and community events happening that day. Still, you are invited to pray and bless your pets at home, using the prayer cards available at the doors of Church. Axel has generously shared some of his doggie treats with his fellow dogs, so please take a treat for your dog. (Sorry, cat lovers, Axel isn’t a great fan of cats, so there’s no catnip. You can still bless them though!)
St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us!