Feast of St. Francis of Assisi,

religious

CONDITIONAL

OBEDIENCE

“I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” – Luke 9:61

         “I will forgive, but he has to apologize first.”

         “I will tithe, but God has to fix my finances first.”

         “I will serve, but God has to heal me first.”

         Have you heard or used these lines before? Has Jesus called you to follow Him, but you found yourself giving an excuse, or giving conditional obedience?

       I’ve met many people who followed Jesus without conditions. After 20 years, Ana (not her real name) decided to forgive her father who molested her, even if he never apologized. Today, their relationship is restored. She even found real peace and joy in taking care of him despite his critical illness.

       Dexter continued to give generously to God despite being buried in debt. Today, he is debt-free, his businesses flourishing.

         Gladys, another friend, never stopped serving despite being diagnosed with a rare brain disease. Today, she is not yet completely healed, but she has a newfound purpose in giving hope to people like her who want to give up on themselves.

      Friend, don’t delay. It’s time to follow Jesus radically. Let go of your conditions. Velden Lim (veldenlim@gmail.com)

Reflection: Are you following Christ 100 percent? Or is there still an untouchable area in your life that you don’t want to involve God in?

Jesus, I fix my eyes on You. I’m not turning back.

St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us.

Nehemiah is in exile with the Jews. He seeks permission from King Artaxerxes to return to Jerusalem, the land of his ancestors. Nehemiah’s request is granted and he then encourages others to return with him to rebuild Jerusalem. When we see the energy they devoted to rebuild an earthly city, that ought to inspire us to be committed to build the heavenly city of Jerusalem by being obedient to God’s calling today.

1 In the month Nisan of the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when the wine was in my charge, I took some and offered it to the king. As I had never before been sad in his presence, 2 the king asked me, “Why do you look sad? If you are not sick, you must be sad at heart.” Though I was seized with great fear, 3 I answered the king: “May the king live forever! How could I not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been eaten out by fire?” 4 The king asked me, “What is it, then, that you wish?” I prayed to the God of heaven 5 and then answered the king: “If it please the king, and if your servant is deserving of your favor, send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors’ graves, to rebuild it.” 6 Then the king, and the queen seated beside him, asked me how long my journey would take and when I would return. I set a date that was acceptable to him, and the king agreed that I might go. 7 I asked the king further: “If it please the king, let letters be given to me for the governors of West-of-Euphrates, that they may afford me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah; 8 also a letter for Asaph, the keeper of the royal park, that he may give me wood for timbering the gates of the temple-citadel and for the city wall and the house that I shall occupy.” The king granted my requests, for the favoring hand of my God was upon me.

R: Let my tongue be silenced if I ever forget you!

1 By the streams of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. 2 On the aspens of that land we hung up our harps. (R) 3 Though there our captors asked of us the lyrics of our songs, and our despoilers urged us to be joyous: “Sing for us the songs of Zion!” (R) 4 How could we sing a song of the Lord in a foreign land? 5 If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand be forgotten! (R) 6 May my tongue cleave to my palate if I remember you not, if I place not Jerusalem ahead of my joy. (R)

The lives of the saints give us concrete examples of what it means to respond to God’s call. St. Francis of Assisi, whose feast we celebrate today, is a great example of this. Francis experienced a major conversion — from being a relatively wealthy playboy who heard a call to live a life of poverty, to living and proclaiming the Gospel in simplicity of life.

I consider all things so much rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him.

57 As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding on their journey, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” 59 And to another he said, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” 60 But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.” 61 And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” 62 Jesus answered him, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.”

think: What is God’s call to you at this point in your life?

Read the Bible in one year Ecclesiastes 5-8

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

thank You, Lord, for: ______________________________________________________

BE GREEN!

Mrs. Peterson phoned the repairman because her dishwasher quit working. He couldn’t accommodate her with an “after-hours” appointment and since she had to go to work, she told him, “I’ll leave the key under the mat. Fix the dishwasher, leave the bill on the counter, and I’ll mail you a check. By the way, I have a large Rottweiler inside named Killer; he won’t bother you. I also have a parrot, and whatever you do, do not talk to the bird!”

       Sure enough, Killer totally ignored the repairman, but the whole time he was there, the parrot cursed, yelled, screamed and almost drove him nuts. As he was ready to leave, he couldn’t resist saying, “You stupid bird, why don’t you shut up!” To which the bird replied, “Killer, get him!”

       Today, as in many parts of the world, animals and pets will be brought to church and blessed in memory of St. Francis of Assisi whose feast we observe. Francis is known to be a gentle friend of animals. In Assisi, there is a statue of Francis which, legend claims, is never without a pigeon. I don’t know if it’s true but the last time I visited Assisi, there was indeed one and it never left the statue the whole time I was at the shrine.

       But Francis is more than a friend of animals. He is known to be a lover of all creation, a brother of the universe. He calls the sun “brother” and the moon “sister.” Pope Benedict XVI recently spoke of the “greening” of theology, i.e., ecological concerns are as much a concern of theology. Theology now officially declared environmental degradation as a sin. Failure to reverence and take care of creation is failure in the mandate the Creator has given us to cultivate the Earth and prosper it.

       Let us not trivialize the Feast of Francis of Assisi by turning it into a fashion show of pets dressed up and brought to church for public admiration. Francis was as much a lover of Creation. A saying goes: “God forgives but nature does not.” Let us ask pardon from God for our sins against nature. Let Francis inspire us to be lovers and defenders of God’s beautiful creation. Fr. Joel Jason

---------- REFLECTION QUESTION ----------

Is the “greening” of theology as much a part of your own personal ideology? Make it so.

With the psalmists, Lord, I declare: The heavens proclaim the glory of God, and the firmament shows forth Your majesty. Amen.