Reflecting upon St Francis

Reflecting upon St Francis

Tony E Dillon Hansen

I have fondness for St Francis of Assisi due to going to Mass at a church bearing his name for many years and that he is renown for love of nature as stewards of God’s creation. Statues of his image are usually adorned with birds and small animals.  The two that we have do not have these, which, in our eyes, gives us a glimpse of his inner humility that also shows some of the poverty of which he lived deliberately. It is with this image that I see most profound in the current Pope in Rome.

St Francis, like Hildegard with sexuality, venerate the absence of something in their lives. For Francis, this is primarily material wealth. This is in stark contrast to the growing abuses of many in the Catholic church at the time (and actually continues to this day in all of the Christian Church.)  Yet he also duly venerates the sacraments and people that “honor above all things”.

Another goal of Francis is also absence of idleness. So, it is fitting that I come upon this reading and study of Francis in spring and as we begin to prepare our yard with gardening and landscapes.

Here, I can understand what Francis means by honest job and working with hands

Here, let us pray together over the work to be and what God is saying to us in that work.

The Lord give you peace.

From the work of our hands,

we feel Your spirit within this earth and these stones

As if they were crying out to You, oh Lord.

From the creation You made for us,

let us be mindful of Your purpose in the space

And in the spaces between those spaces as when You cry out to us.

From the movement in this space,

we are moved with Your presence and inspiration

As when You guided our brother Francis.

From the listening as we glorify your creation,

we are called to be your servants in duty, in mind and work

As always Your children on this earth .

From You touching and nudging,

We are called to feel the work of those around the world forming within these tools

As we put them to Your work in Your Creation.

From Your laughing spirit You join us,

We rejoice with friends, spirits and contemplation

As You come to share Your love, so shall we.

From Your presence and wisdom

We are called to share these gifts of our work because they were blessed by You.

As duly consecrated by You and guided by brother Francis.

We are reminded in this good work of the spirit of communion

Of which you call us together in work and in celebration of Your gifts to us

Whether in this space or in our in community, 

we work with our hands to be stewards of Your Creation and Your Children.

May the Lord give us peace.