{"id":334,"date":"2010-10-03T16:00:08","date_gmt":"2010-10-03T20:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/?p=334"},"modified":"2010-10-03T16:02:50","modified_gmt":"2010-10-03T20:02:50","slug":"the-feast-of-st-francis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/the-feast-of-st-francis\/","title":{"rendered":"The Feast of St. Francis"},"content":{"rendered":"

I wrote the following for the parish bulletin this weekend.<\/em><\/p>\n

On Monday, we celebrate the feast of St. Francis of Assisi.\u00a0 His father was a very well-to-do merchant who wished his son would go into the family business.\u00a0 Everyone liked Francis because he was always happy.\u00a0 He sought glory by becoming a soldier.\u00a0 He was captured and held prisoner.\u00a0 Even during his imprisonment he kept on being happy.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

He was freed when the ransom was paid.\u00a0 He continued to seek glory as a soldier, joining the Crusades, but before he fought another battle, he felt the call of God.\u00a0 So, he returned home and began to turn his life over to God.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Francis then heard God telling him to \u201crepair my Church.\u201d\u00a0 Francis took it literally and rebuilt the local church, only to discover that was not God\u2019s ultimate purpose for him.\u00a0 Instead, God wanted Francis to help the Church recover from scandal.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Eventually, he would start the Order of Friars Minor that we know today as the Franciscans.\u00a0 It was never his intent to start a new order.\u00a0 What he promoted in his preaching and his lifestyle was living a simple life.\u00a0 He is now a symbol of poverty and the simple life.\u00a0 The Franciscan Order formed when a group of men adopted his lifestyle.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

One of the ways that Francis would find the presence of the Lord was in the things that God had created, in nature and animals.\u00a0 For his love of creation, St. Francis is the patron saint of animals and the environment.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Following Francis\u2019 love of animals, each year many parishes offer a pet blessing where we ask for St. Francis\u2019 intercession to keep our pets safe and healthy (we had our pet blessing Saturday).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

We also ask for St. Francis\u2019 intercession to help us use wisely the natural resources of the world as created by God.\u00a0 Each year, our diocesan Public Policy selects three issues to focus on to help the people understand Catholic teaching on the issues.\u00a0 This year, one of the issues is our energy policies and global climate change.\u00a0 You can find some information from the diocese at http:\/\/www.dor.org\/charities\/dioprograms\/AdvocacyGlobalClimateChange.htm<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Another good place for Catholic Social Teaching on the environment is http:\/\/catholicsandclimatechange.org\/<\/a>.\u00a0 You can find out about the St. Francis\u2019 pledge at http:\/\/catholicclimatecovenant.org\/the-st-francis-pledge\/<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

I understand that some people are not convinced that we have a \u201cglobal climate change\u201d problem.\u00a0 Others may admit there is a small problem but think the Earth can \u201ctake care of itself.\u201d\u00a0 I think we have do have a problem with the way we use our natural resources without concern.\u00a0 Even, if global climate change isn\u2019t as bad as some say, why would we ever use our natural resources wastefully?\u00a0 As Christian stewards, recognizing creation as a gift, we should cherish the gift and use it wisely.\u00a0 What might you do to be a little wiser about how you use our natural resources?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Peace,<\/p>\n

Fr. Jeff<\/p>\n

Prayer of St. Francis
\nLord make me an instrument of your peace
\nWhere there is hatred . . . let me sow love.
\nWhere there is injury . . . pardon.
\nWhere there is doubt . . . faith.
\nWhere there is despair . . . hope.
\nWhere there is darkness . . . light.
\nWhere there is sadness . . . joy.
\nO Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
\nTo Be consoled . . . as to console,
\nTo be understood . . . as to understand,
\nTo be loved . . . as to love,
\nfor
\nIt is in giving . . . that we receive,
\nIt is in pardoning, that we are pardoned,
\nIt is in dying . . . that we are born to eternal life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I wrote the following for the parish bulletin this weekend. On Monday, we celebrate the feast of St. Francis of Assisi.\u00a0 His father was a very well-to-do merchant who wished his son would go into the family business.\u00a0 Everyone liked Francis because he was always happy.\u00a0 He sought glory by becoming a soldier.\u00a0 He was …<\/p>\n

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