"Francis, repair my church."
St. Francis' call from God at San Damiano
Because our new pope has chosen the name, "Francis," I thought we could reflect at bit on St. Francis of Assisi, his new namesake! St. Francis was born into wealth and privilege, but turned his back on all that and embraced a life of poverty, simplicity and caring for the poor. He gave away everything he had, even the cloak off his back, to a man he encountered who had even less. St. Francis heard this call from God, "Francis, repair my church," and thought God was calling him to physically repair the rundown church at San Damiano, but, actually, God was asking him to repair the Church (capital "C"), which had become racked with scandal and had lost its focus on the Gospel. Though St. Francis was never ordained as a priest himself, he is considered the founder of the Franciscans, an order of priests and sisters, who are dedicated to simplicity, loving and serving the poor and appreciating the beauty of nature and God's creation. Let us take time today to pray for our new Pope Francis and celebrate the saint whose name he now bears. May we all turn to the Gospel and live more simply, caring for the poor, the disenfranchised, and do it all with the joy of St. Francis! Love, heidi
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