Today, Franciscans around the world are celebrating the Solemnity of Our Holy Father Francis. St. Francis of Assisi is one of the saints who has been able to cross boundaries and find admirers among all sorts of different people. For some, he is the patron saint of the ecological movement because of his love for all of creation. For others, he is the patron saint of the peace movement because of his efforts to reach out to the Muslims during the Crusades. He is the patron saint of Italy and composed the first poem written in Italian. As we all know, the present Pope chose the name Francis, known as the Poverello or little poor man, because he dreamed of a “poor church for the poor.” Hundreds of biographies have been written about him by both Catholic and Protestant authors. St. Junipero Serra named one of the California Missions after Francis. Today we know it as San Francisco, California.
The readings for the Solemnity of St. Francis reflect the diversity of the attributes for which he is known. The first reading comes from the Book of Sirach, chapter fifty.
“Behold him in whose time the house of God was renovated, in whose days the temple was reinforced. In his time the reservoir was dug, the pool with a vastness like the sea’s. He protected his people against brigands and strengthened his city against the enemy. Like a star shining among the clouds, like the full moon at the holyday season; like the sun shining upon the temple, like the rainbow appearing in the cloudy sky.” (Sirach 50:1, 2-4, 6-7)
The last chapters of Sirach are filled with eulogies of the heroes of Israel. These verses are taken from the eulogy for Simeon, son of Jochanan. These verses refer to the fact that Francis was told in a dream that he was to “repair my house which you can see is falling into ruin.” Pope Innocent III had a dream in which he saw a poor man propping up the walls of the Lateran Basilica, the cathedral church of Rome. Although Francis interpreted the words literally, it soon became evident that he and his followers were to renew the Church through their devotion to Gospel living.
The second reading comes from the Letter to the Galatians and references the fact that Francis was the first human being to receive the stigmata, the marks left by the nails and spear used in the passion and death of Jesus. “Henceforth, let no man trouble me, for I bear the brand marks of Jesus in my body.” (Galatians 6:17)
The Gospel reading is a familiar passage from the Gospel of St. Matthew. “Father, Lord of heaven and earth, to you I offer praise; for what you have hidden from the learned and the clever you have revealed to the merest children.” (Matthew 11:25) This citation is used to describe Francis who, heeding the words of the Gospel, endeavored to make himself the humblest servant of the Lord.
Even the responsorial psalm for today’s liturgy speaks to the life of St. Francis who literally sold all that he had and gave the money to the poor of Assisi. “O Lord, you are my allotted portion and my cup, you it is who hold fast my lot.” (Psalm 16:2)
As we celebrate the great feast of our founder, friars, sisters, and secular Franciscans alike, pore over the readings today and use them as a source of renewal as we walk in the footprints of our crucified Savior.
Fr. Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M., Administrator