Prayer for Peace . . .

 

A Franciscan Blessing for Justice and Peace

 

May God bless you with discomfort...

at easy answers, hard hearts,

half-truths ,and superficial relationships.

 

May God bless you so that you may live

from deep within your heart

where God’s Spirit dwells.

 

May God bless you with anger...

at injustice, oppression,

and exploitation of people.

 

May God bless you so that you may

work for justice, freedom, and peace.

 

May God bless you with tears...

to shed for those who suffer from pain,

rejection, starvation and war.

 

May God bless you so that you

may reach out your hand

to comfort them and turn their pain into joy.

 

And may God bless you with

enough foolishness

to believe that you can make a difference

in this world, in your neighborhood,

so that you will courageously try

what you don't think you can do, but,

in Jesus Christ you'll have all the strength necessary.

 

May God bless you to fearlessly

speak out about injustice,

unjust laws, corrupt politicians,

unjust and cruel treatment of prisoners,

and senseless wars,

genocides, starvations, and poverty that is so pervasive.

May God bless you that you remember

we are all called

to continue God’s redemptive work

of love and healing in God’s place, in and through God’s name,

in God’s Spirit, continually creating

and breathing new life and grace

into everything and everyone we touch.

 

Source: "Troubadour: A Missionary Magazine," published by the

Franciscan Missionary Society, Liverpool, UK: Spring 2005

Theresa, pray for us this day!

"Let us not grow tired of prayer. Confidence works miracles."

 https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-therese-of-lisieux/

Francis intercede for us . . .

 The prayer that Pope Leo delivered to the Ministers General of the Conference of the Franciscan Family on the occasion of the opening of the 8th Centenary of the Transitus of Saint Francis.

A prayer “that Saint Francis of Assisi may continue to instil in all of us perfect joy and harmony,” as his Letter reads.

Saint Francis, our brother, you who eight hundred years ago
went to meet Sister Death as a man at peace,
intercede for us before the Lord.

You recognized true peace in the Crucifix of San Damiano,
teach us to seek in Him the source of all reconciliation
that breaks down every wall.

You who, unarmed, crossed the lines of war
and misunderstanding,
give us the courage to build bridges
where the world raises up boundaries.

In this time afflicted by conflict and division,
intercede for us so that we may become peacemakers:
unarmed and disarming witnesses of the peace that comes from Christ.

Amen

Feast of Therese - October lst . . . .

 

Jesus has no need of books or teachers to instruct souls; He teaches without the noise of words. Never have I heard him speak, but I feel he is within me at each moment.

He is guiding and inspiring me with what I must say and do. I find, just when I need them, certain lights that I had not seen until then, and it isn’t most frequently during the hours of prayer that these are most abundant, but rather in the midst of my daily occupations.
-St. Therese of Lisieux

God's Autumn Bouquet!

God of autumn, the trees are saying goodbye to their green, letting go of what has been. We, too have our moments of surrender, with all their insecurities and risk. Help us to let go when we need to do so.

God of fallen leaves, lying in coloured patterns on the ground, our lives have their own patterns. As we see the patterns on the ground, our lives have their own patterns. As we see the patterns of our own growth, may we learn from them.

God of misty days and harvest moon nights, there is always the dimension of mystery and wonder in our lives. We always need to recognize your power filled presence. May we gain strength from this. Amen. (Terry Hershey)

Francis ~ A Fool for Christ's Sake!

It is said that at one time Rabbi Lot went to see Rabbi Joseph and said, “Rabbi, as much as I am able, I practice a small rule of life, all the little fasts, some prayer and meditation, and remain quiet, and as much as possible, I keep my thoughts clean.  What else should I do? Then the old Rabbi Joseph stood up and stretched out his hands toward heaven, and his fingers became like the torches of flame.  And he said, “Why not be turned into fire?                                                            (From the Desert Fathers and Mothers)

October 4,  we celebrate Francis of Assisi, who not only turned into fire but set the world on fire with his generosity, creativity, imagination, dedication to the poor and his austere living of the Gospel.  He had a profound faith, a deep prayer life and an abiding love of God and creation.   Many commentators have called Francis “a Second Christ,” because he tried in so many ways to be exactly like Jesus.

He was born in the Tuscan country side of Assisi in 1181 to a wealthy cloth merchant.  Francis enjoyed a very rich easy life growing up; he received little formal education and during his early years he was preoccupied with having fun.  Today, we would perhaps say he is among the bold and the beautiful, the rich and famous, and the young and the restless!  As a young man, he was popular, charming, enjoyed practical jokes and was usually the life of the party.  He was good at business, but wanted to become a troubadour and write poetry.   Everyone loved Francis.  He was constantly happy, a dreamer and a born leader.  

When he was twenty years old he was eager to be a knight and took part in a battle of a nearby country, yet his townspeople were defeated and he spent a year in prison.  After his return to Assisi, he became seriously ill and dissatisfied with his way of life.  He endured a spiritual crisis and devoted himself to solitude, prayer and service of the poor.  One of the many conversion experiences of his life that is told was when he was riding one day; he came face to face with a leper who begged for money.  Francis had always had disgust for lepers, and turning his face, he rode on; but immediately he had a change of heart and returned to the leper and gave him all the money he had and kissed his hand.  As he rode off, he turned around for a last glance, and saw that the leper had disappeared.  From that day on he dressed in rags and gave himself to the service of the lepers and the poor.

Another conversion moment is told when he was in the nearby Church of San Damiano.   While he was praying, he heard Christ on the cross speak to him.  “Francis, repair my church.”  With this mandate and with the words of the Gospel, “The kingdom of God is at hand, cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out devils; freely have you received, freely give. Carry neither gold nor silver nor money, nor bag, nor two coats, nor sandals. . .” 

Francis, then at once felt that this was his vocation and proceeded to preach to the poor.  In time, 12 others joined him in preaching the Gospel and working among the poor. They took literally the words of Christ when he sent his disciples out to preach.  They would have no money and not property, individually or collectively. 

Their task was to preach, “using words if necessary,” but declaring the love of God by their words and actions.  Francis called his order the “Order of Friars Minor” or the order of lesser brothers.  They were to live as brothers of all, to reveal by their love that all human beings are sisters and brothers. Francis did not live in a monastery but among the people, and in that world, he sought and found God.  

His approach was an Incarnational approach – God was a loving Father/Creator and all that Francis had was gift, Christ was his Brother and the Spirit of that love lived and burned in him.  
Following the Gospel literally, Francis and his companions at first frightened their listeners as these men dressed in rags talking about God’s love.  But soon the people noticed that these barefoot beggars wearing sacks seemed filled with constant joy. They celebrated life.  

An early biographer gives an account of Francis’ physical appearance.  “In stature he was rather on the short side, his head of moderate size and round, his face long, his forehead smooth and low, his eyes of medium size, black and candid, his hair dark, his eyebrows straight, his nose even-shaped, thin and straight, his ears prominent but delicate.
  
In conversation he was agreeable, ardent and penetrating, his voice firm, sweet-toned and clearly audible, his lips delicate, his beard black and rather sparse, his neck slender, his shoulders straight, his arms short, his hands small, with long fingers, his feet small, his skin tender, his clothing rough, his sleep brief and his bounty most liberal.”

Francis’ brotherhood included all of God’s creation.  He had a deep love for animals and a special fondness for birds.  He liked to refer to animals as his brothers and sisters.   

In one famous story, Francis preached to hundreds of birds about being thankful to God for their wonderful clothes, for their independence, and for God’s care. The story tells us the birds stood still as he walked among them, only flying off when he said they could leave. 

Another famous story involves the wolf of Gubbio.  Out of hunger, the wolf took to attacking the people of Gubbio as they worked in their fields. The people were so frightened of the wolf they didn’t dare go out into the fields without armed protection.  Francis said to them, “Let me go out to talk with the wolf.”  So he went out to meet the wolf and spoke with him, who became docile at his approach and so the wolf returned with Francis to meet the people of Gubbio.  Francis arranged a peace pact between the people and the wolf.  The people would feed the wolf and in return the wolf would live peacefully with them. 

Francis’ final years were filled with much suffering.  Praying to share in Christ’s passion he had a vision and received the stigmata, the marks of the nails and the lance wounds that Christ suffered. 

Years of poverty and wandering had made Francis ill.  In his final months of his life, being blind and enduring intense suffering, he joyfully and with cheerfulness wrote his beautiful Canticle of the Sun that expresses his brotherhood with creation in praising God.  He died at the age of 45 and at which time there were now several thousand members throughout Europe to carry on his mission and call.  He was canonized two years later.

So what is the good news for us today?
• Francis speaks to us to live with joy, simplicity and faithfulness to the Gospels.   Let us dare to search for meaning and fulfillment in our relationship to God even when we may look a little foolish or even when it may call us to make drastic changes in our attitudes and behaviors.
• Francis speaks to us about our relationship to creation.   Let us be voices that challenge as we confront the environmental issues that affect our planet today. “Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”
• Francis was called to “repair the church.”  Let us live with integrity and courage to witness a church of inclusivity, compassion, forgiveness and hope so that the message and mission of Jesus will be revealed – and let us use words, if necessary!
• Francis speaks to us about the gift of suffering.  Let us ask for the graces we need when we find life tiring and burdensome so that the gentle and loving presence of God will bless us with refreshing peace, healing and bravery.
• Francis speaks to us of poverty.  Let us live with an awareness that all we have is gift, and that we are to share the resources of this world with everyone; we are guardians and stewards of creation; sisters and brothers to all.
• Francis kisses the leper and tames the wolf.  Let us be aware of the things in our lives that we may fear; the things that scare us – let us ask for the graces to embrace them with courage and love.   

Let us search for the wolf that hungers in our world, church, government, community, and in our personal lives – let us name and tame the hungers so that we may live with trust, harmony, justice and peace. “While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart.”

Dancing Francis ~ Viterbo University Campus

La Crosse, WI

Prayer : God of Autumn . . .

 May you be blessed by the God of Autumn who opens your eyes to the glorious colors of tree and bush and sky. May your heart be open to the colors of God's love and care for you. May you learn the lesson of letting go into God's desire for you. May you be a companion to those who are in the autumn of life and may your own changing years be filled with the glow of God's glory. May the blessing of Autumn be yours. --Maxine Shonk, OP