Franciscan saints

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Wednesday, 4 October 2023 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all reminded of the calling that each and every one of us have received as God’s people, to follow Him and to do His will, in whatever parts and places that He has sent us to, and in whatever vocation or ministries that He has entrusted to us, for us to carry out with faith and commitment, in each and every moments of our lives. As Christians, it is our calling and mission to embrace God’s mission and to go forth actively, proclaiming Him to all the people of all the nations, in our every words, actions and deeds. We must not be idle or ignorant of what we all have been called to do, but we have to strive to do our part in the mission and works of the Church, through our best efforts in living a most virtuous and worthy Christian living at all times.

In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Nehemiah, we heard of the sorrow of Nehemiah, who was a high ranking official and cupbearer in the service of the Great King of Persia, Artaxerxes. At that time, although historical evidences and timeline were a bit uncertain, the people of Judah, the descendants of Israel, had returned back to their ancestral lands and began rebuilding their homes and cities in the land that had been desolated for many decades by the conquests of the Assyrians and the Babylonians earlier on, which devastated the land and caused its depopulation, when many of the people of God were brought off into exile in far-off lands of Assyria and Babylon. They were allowed to return to their lands by King Cyrus of Persia, who was likely one of King Artaxerxes’ predecessors.

Then, as we heard in today’s account, we heard how Nehemiah longed for his homeland and was moved to help rebuild the cities of Israel and also the Temple and House of God. Nehemiah had a really good life and enjoyed great favours of the King, and he could have continued to live in great abundance and comfort, without any worries or hardships if he so chose to do. However, in his heart, he has that strong longing for the Lord and for his homeland, as he was called to go there and do his part in the rebuilding efforts and to reestablish God’s House and city. Thus, we heard how Nehemiah, great in favour with the King, was granted leave from his service to the King so that he could attend to his mission and works in the land of Judah, in rebuilding the cities and the House of God.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the Lord who encountered several people who wanted to follow Him, and the Lord pointed out to them how following Him was like truly putting their faith in what is unknown, presenting the reality of how He had nowhere to truly lay His head, as unlike the other earthly leaders and rulers, He did not have any place as His power base or palace, or centre of power and authority. He frequently wandered off in the wilderness and walked among the less fortunate and all those rejected and abandoned by the society. To follow Him, it means that many of the disciples would likely have to give up their comforts and convenience in life. Things would not be easy for them, but they ought to trust in the Lord.

When the Lord pointed out to the man who said that he would have to go back and bury his father first, before he would follow the Lord, it would seem indeed that the Lord was being quite rude to the man. However, the Lord actually pointed out our common nature of making excuses that we keep on trying to evade and get away from our responsibilities and commitment to God. Indeed, the man would settle his family matters first before following the Lord, but then, what if other matters considered important to us also then happen? Will we then make that as yet another excuse for us not to commit ourselves to the Lord wholeheartedly? Or will all those attachments and conflicting commitments prevent us from truly giving our best to live a most Christ-like life and existence?

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of a great saint whose life and actions should be great source of inspiration for many of us, in how we ourselves should commit ourselves to the Lord, and in doing our best to live worthily in the path that the Lord has set before us. St. Francis of Assisi, born as Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, the son of rich merchant Pietro di Bernardone, who was also known as Francis or Francesco because of his father’s liking for the French and all of his businesses there. St. Francis of Assisi’s father desired his son to be a successful businessman and merchant just as he was, and hoped that he would continue carrying on the family legacy and properties. Thus, he was brought up in great riches and wealth, and lived a lavish lifestyle, full of hedonism and waste.

However, all these eventually felt empty and meaningless to the young St. Francis of Assisi, who grew disillusioned with the riches and excesses of the world that he enjoyed at the time, and he began to seek true satisfaction and fulfilment, which he could not get from all the worldly glory and pleasures that he had been exposed and inundated with since early in his life. He joined a military venture and expedition, in that pursuit, which ended in him being injured and becoming a captive, and being ill as well, which led him down the path of self-introspection and rediscovery. He began to associate with beggars and in search of poverty, and abandoning the great riches of the world, in seeking true satisfaction in the Lord.

In a well-documented event surrounding his life, St. Francis of Assisi received a vision and call from the Lord as he passed by a dilapidated church, which is now known as the San Damiano Church. In that forsaken and dilapidated church, St. Francis saw a vision of the Christ Crucified speaking to him, asking him to go forth and ‘repair His Church, as it was currently in ruins’. The Lord was actually calling upon St. Francis of Assisi to go forth and begin a process of renewal and reform for the Church, that had by that time been afflicted with excesses and worldly corruptions among the members of the clergy and the laity alike. However, the latter misunderstood and thought that the Lord literally meant that he should go and rebuild that dilapidated church in San Damiano.

Thus, St. Francis of Assisi secretly took some of his father’s cloth products and sold them for some proceeds, which he offered to the local priest. The priest refused to accept the money because it had been gained from inappropriate actions like stealing. The young St. Francis was angry and fled, fearing the wrath of his father, hiding in the local caves for a whole month. His father was indeed angry, beating and harassing the young St. Francis, and not only demanding that the latter paid off all the gold and money that he had owed him from stealing his wares, but also to renounce his inheritance. St. Francis famously took off everything he had and renounced everything that he had ever received from his father, to which the local diocesan bishop covered the naked St. Francis with his cloak.

Ever since then, St. Francis continued to devote himself thoroughly to the Lord, assembling more and more like minded men and people, to live in a state of graceful poverty, which led to the foundation of the Order of the Friars Minor, also better known as the Franciscans after their founder. St. Francis of Assisi dedicated himself and his fellow order members to a life of great charity and devotion to God, living together in faith and love, and in ministering to the people of God all around them. St. Francis was also known well for his stigmata wounds, that he received in a great vision of the Seraphim of God, that inflicted upon him the wounds that the Lord and Saviour Himself had endured. To the end of his life, St. Francis lived worthily of the Lord, in a life full of holiness and virtues, and he inspired countless others during and long after his passing to be ever more faithful to God.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, now that we have heard today’s Scripture passages and having been reminded of the need that we have in obeying God and His Law, in following Him and entrusting ourselves to Him, and as we have heard the account of the life of St. Francis of Assisi, his works and ministry, let us all therefore do our very best to live our lives worthily of the Lord, listening to the call and the reminders that the Lord has given to us in our lives, deep in our hearts and minds, and in following Him at all times. Let us all not easily be swayed by the many temptations and worldly excesses around us, but instead, learn to better trust in the Lord, and have greater faith in Him, just as Nehemiah and St. Francis of Assisi had done. May the Lord continue to bless us and guide us all in all things, and help us so that we may always be ever inspired to live our lives each day ever more worthily, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

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Wednesday, 4 October 2023 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 9 : 57-62

At that time, as Jesus and His disciples went on their way, a man said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

To another, Jesus said, “Follow Me!” But he answered, “Let me go back now, for, first, I want to bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their dead; as for you, leave them, and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

Another said to Him, “I will follow You, Lord, but first let me say goodbye to my family.” And Jesus said to him, “Whoever has put his hand to the plow, and looks back, is not fit for the kingdom of God.”

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Wednesday, 4 October 2023 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 136 : 1-2, 3, 4-5, 6

By the streams of Babylon, we sat; and then wept, as we remembered Zion. When, on the poplars, we hung our harps.

Our captors asked for song. Our tormentors wanted songs of joy : “Sing to us one of the songs of Zion!”

How could we sing YHVH’s song in a strange and alien land? If I forget you, o Jerusalem, may my right hand fall useless!

May my tongue cleave to my palate if I remember you not, if Jerusalem is not the first of my joys.

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Wednesday, 4 October 2023 : 26th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Nehemiah 2 : 1-8

In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of king Artaxerxes, I was doing my duty as cupbearer. I took up the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad before the king in the past. So, the king said to me, “Why do you look sad? You do not look sick. Is there something that bothers you?”

I became hesitant. And I said, “May the king live forever! How could I afford not to be sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins and its gates are burnt down?” The king said to me, “What do you want, then?” I asked help of God from heaven and said to the king, “If it seems good to the king and if he is pleased with my work, then may he send me to the land of Judah, to the city where my ancestors are buried, that I may rebuild it.”

The queen was sitting beside the king, and the king asked me, “How long will you be gone? When will you be back?” I told him the date and he allowed me to leave. And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, may you give me letters for the governors of the province of the other side of the River that I may travel to Judah; and also a letter to Asaph, the caretaker of the king’s forest, for I will need wood for the gates of the citadel near the Temple, for the walls of the city and for the house where I shall live.”

The good hand of God was supporting me, so that the king gave me what I asked.

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Saturday, 23 September 2023 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, and as we remember those words, we are all called to grow in faith in God, to nurture the faith that we have received from Him through the Church so that each and every one of us may truly be fruitful and bountiful in the living of our faith, and so that our every words and actions may truly be filled with God’s grace and love. All of us as Christians, we are all called to be genuine and truly faithful Christians, in all of our words, actions and deeds, and not just merely in outward appearances and in symbolic faith only. We have to be truly steeped in the way of the Lord and in the commandments and Law that He has given us, that our every works and actions may be transformed to one of Christian virtues and righteousness.

In our first reading today, from the Epistle of St. Paul to St. Timothy, that is what the Apostle told to his protege and to all the faithful, that every one of them should keep themselves pure and blameless, free from the corruption of sin and evil, that in all of their words and actions, they should always strive to be truly good and worthy of God, following the very examples of their own Lord and Master, Who has come into our midst in the person of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of all, Who has proclaimed the truth of God before all the people, before all those who judged and betrayed Him, and before Pontius Pilate, the governor of Judea, who sentenced Him to death. According to tradition, this event and also his wife’s dream terrified and struck Pontius Pilate so much, that eventually, he himself became a believer and a Christian.

Then, in our Gospel passage today, we heard of the famous parable of the sower mentioned by the Lord to the people, who listened to His teachings and words, and in this parable, the Lord told them all about the fates of the seeds that fell on four different types of places and soils, and how only the ones that landed on the rich and fertile soil could truly grow well and bear rich and bountiful fruits, while all those that landed on the barren ground, by the roadside, on rocky ground and among the thistles and brambles, they all could not grow well, either by failing to germinate, eaten up by the birds of the air, or that they grew temporarily, but perished from the heat and the scorching heat of the Sun.

As the Lord explained and made it clear to His disciples and to the people, this is a reminder to all of us, that as Christians, as God’s holy and faithful people, we must always be filled with true and genuine faith in Him, that we have to nurture in our hearts and minds, in our every moments in life, and in all of our interactions, words and actions. It is by living our lives with true and genuine faith, and by providing the best conditions for our faith to be nurtured and to grow, that we can truly proclaim the Good News and the Gospels of the Lord’s salvation and grace to all. Like that of the Lord Himself, Who has shown us His perfect example of faith, obedience and love for God and for all of God’s children, and like that of the saints and martyrs, whose lives and works had shown us how we ought to live a truly holy and worthy Christian life. We should follow their great examples in our own lives.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of the famous St. Pius of Pietrelcina, much better known by his epithet of Padre Pio. He was a Capuchin Franciscan friar and priest who was renowned for his great piety and dedication to God, for his experience in having the Lord’s wounds, the stigmata, as well as for his great personal holiness and sanctity, in which he became a very popular figure both during his life and after his passing. St. Pius of Pietrelcina was born into a family of peasants that were very deeply religious and committed to God, and this had great impact on the upbringing and development of the young St. Pius of Pietrecina, who developed a great love and commitment for God from an early age, and who joined the Capuchins in his early teenage years.

This young future saint had experienced mystical visions and revelations from a very young age, something which would continue to influence and affect him throughout his later life and ministry. When he later on became a Capuchin friar and saint, he ministered to the people faithfully, in his devotion and prayerful life, and through his miraculous stigmata and personal holiness, many began to come to him with various problems and needs, coming to him at the monastery at San Giovanni Rotondo, where today a great Basilica and shrine to this saint now stands. St. Pius of Pietrelcina however did not have it easy, as he also faced a lot of hardships and trials, challenges and difficulties from those who doubted the authenticity of his miracles and stigmata among others.

For many years, St. Pius of Pietrelcina faced opposition and investigations by the Church authorities and investigators who sought to find out the truth and veracity behind the purported miracles that surrounded his figure and works. He also faced a lot of attacks and persuasions from Satan and the evil spirits, and frequently struggled with demonic attacks from time to time. In one well-known and attested occasion, the devil even attempted to set fire to his chambers, in part of the attacks against this holy man and servant of God. But St. Pius of Pietrelcina remained firmly committed to his faith in God, drawing ever more people and pilgrims seeking his advice and help, for him to heal them and cast out demons, and for hearing their confessions. This is why, the devil truly hated him so, because St. Pius of Pietrelcina, by his dedication and faith, and by his perseverance and faith, and holiness, inspired many to turn away from sin and evil, and back towards God’s path.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all therefore follow the great examples set by St. Pius of Pietrelcina, in all the holy actions and works that he had done, in his devotion to prayer and to the righteous and virtuous path of God. Let us all not lose heart or be discouraged by the challenges that we may face in life, but be the inspiration and be the role models for one another, in all of our actions, words and deeds, so that in everything, we may always inspire more and more in this world, all those around us, to walk ever more faithfully, in the path that God has revealed to us. Let us all be great role model in nurturing our Christian faith, so that we may truly be the shining beacons of God’s Good News and light. May God be with us always, and may He bless our every efforts and endeavours, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Saturday, 23 September 2023 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 8 : 4-15

At that time, as a great crowd gathered, and people came to Jesus from every town, He began teaching them with a story : “The sower went out to sow the seed. And as he sowed, some of the seed fell along the way, was trodden on, and the birds of the sky ate it up.”

“Some seed fell on rocky ground; and no sooner had it come up than it withered, because it had no water. Some seed fell among thorns; the thorns grew up with the seed and choked it. But some seed fell on good soil and grew, producing fruit, a hundred times as much!” And Jesus cried out, “Listen then, if you have ears to hear!”

The disciples asked Him, “What does this story mean?” And Jesus answered, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. But to others it is given in the form of stories, or parables, so that, seeing, they may not perceive; and hearing, they may not understand.”

“Now, this is the point of the parable : The seed is the word of God. Those along the wayside are people who hear it; but immediately, the devil comes and takes the word from their minds, for he does not want them to believe and be saved. Those on the rocky ground are people who receive the word with joy; but they have no root; they believe for a while, and give way in time of trial.”

“Among the thorns are people who hear the word, but, as they go their way, they are choked by worries, riches, and the pleasures of life; they bring no fruit to maturity. The good soil, instead, are people who receive the word, and keep it, in a gentle and generous mind, and, persevering patiently, they bear fruit.”

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Saturday, 23 September 2023 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 99 : 2, 3, 4, 5

Serve YHVH with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.

Know that YHVH is God; He created us, and we are His people, the sheep of His fold.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving, His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His Name.

For YHVH is good; His love lasts forever; and His faithfulness, through all generations.

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Saturday, 23 September 2023 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

1 Timothy 6 : 13-16

Now, in the presence of God, Who gives life to all things, and of Jesus Christ, Who expressed before Pontius Pilate the authentic expression of faith : preserve the revealed message to all. Keep yourself pure and blameless, until the glorious coming of Christ Jesus, our Lord, Who God will bring about at the proper time : He, the Magnificent Sovereign, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

To Him, alone, immortal, Who lives in unapproachable light, and Whom no one has ever seen or can see, to Him, be honour and power, forever and ever. Amen!

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Tuesday, 4 October 2022 : 27th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scriptures, we are all presented with the reminder that each one of us are called to change our ways of life, and to embrace God and His path once again if we have once erred and not adhering to the way of the Lord. Each one of us are reminded that God has kindly reached out to us, calling on us all to embrace His love and mercy, and for us to walk once again in His path. As long as we are willing to listen to the Lord calling on us, then we are likely to be on the right path, and as long as we are willing to open our hearts and minds to welcome Him, we are likely going to find the Lord in the end, waiting for us to return to Him.

In our first reading today we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful in Galatia in which the Apostle spoke about his experiences and conversion from being one of the greatest enemies of the Lord, His Church and the faithful people of God, the great scourge of Christians, to be one of the Lord’s and His Church’s greatest champions and defenders, in his amazing conversion experience and in being called and chosen by God. God Himself had called St. Paul on his way to Damascus, supposedly to crush the Church and persecute the Christians there, but he himself emerged as a Christian in the aftermath, and from then henceforth, this renewed man of God embarked on a faithful mission in obedience to God’s will.

What we have heard in our first reading today through the experiences which St. Paul shared with all of us, we are all reminded that God is calling on us all to follow Him, and He is the One Who is making us worthy and changed us, led us and guided us to the right path. We are reminded that there is hope for everyone, even for the worst sinners and the greatest offenders as long as they are willing to allow God to lead them once again down the right path. Just as St. Paul has shown us, that he listened to the Lord’s call and embraced Him wholeheartedly, learning about the errors of his past ways, and then henceforth, labouring for the glory of God ever after.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the exchanges between the Lord Jesus and His friends, the sisters Mary and Martha, both of whom welcomed Him as He came to visit their house. Martha was busy preparing for the welcome, presumably preparing the meals and other things to properly and hospitably welcome Him. Meanwhile Mary was focused wholly on listening to the Lord as He spoke and taught her of His truth. We know of this story surely where Martha told the Lord to ask her sister to help her out, as she was busy preparing everything by herself, only for the Lord to remind her that what her sister was doing, was right, because she welcomed Him into her heart, and did what she could to welcome Him by focusing her attention on Him and not otherwise.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we heard of the story of Martha and Mary, we are all reminded of the need for all of us to return our focus onto the Lord our God, and for us to refocus our lives upon Him. Each one of us are reminded that we should not end up being so preoccupied and even distracted by our many attachments and by the many temptations all around us that we fail to focus our attention on the Lord, and instead, we may end up intentionally or unintentionally getting further and further, and more distant from the Lord and His path. Martha for example had good intentions, but unfortunately in her desire to satisfy her own desire in serving the Lord, she got lost into it so much that she forgot to welcome the Lord into her own heart.

Today all of us Christians are reminded to change our ways and our hearts and minds, in the manner of St. Paul and how he had a life-changing encounter with the Lord. And there is yet another example that we can follow, in the person of the great and renowned saint, St. Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Franciscans and the one who inspired the name of our current reigning Pope, Pope Francis. St. Francis is well known and remembered for his dedication to the Lord, his unique commitment to the service of God and in living humbly in poverty, poor in the eyes of the world and yet rich in the sight of God. His examples and life can very well serve as good inspirations for each one of us.

St. Francis of Assisi was born Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone as the son of a rich textile merchant in what is today’s Italy, and as the heir of the rich merchant, he was prepared since his early youth with education and the expectation that he would be carrying on his father’s business and legacy. But God had a different plan for the young St. Francis, as He called him to follow Him much as how He had called St. Paul the Apostle. This rich merchant’s son might have been an unlikely candidate for a servant of God living in poverty and in the barest of conditions, and yet that was what St. Francis of Assisi eventually chose to do, abandoning all material and worldly wealth, his status and inheritance.

It was told that the young St. Francis heard God’s call as he passed by a dilapidated chapel, which is today well known as the San Damiano chapel with its distinctive crucifix. St. Francis heard the Lord’s call to restore his Church, and he interpreted it back then that he should help to restore the chapel which was already torn down in condition back then. St. Francis resolved to take part of his father’s precious textile stock to fund the reconstruction and repair of the chapel, which then earned his father’s wrath. It was told then that the young St. Francis fled to a local priest, who then helped him to seek shelter with the bishop. When St. Francis’ father sought to reclaim the property and wealth he lost, and wanted to sue his own son for that, it was told that St. Francis stripped everything he had and renounced both his father, inheritance and everything before everyone assembled.

St. Francis of Assisi henceforth dedicated himself to a life of dedication and ministry for the glory of God, gathering like-minded people over time, and laid the foundation of the Franciscan order, which by today has encompassed countless thousands and more religious, priests and many holy men and women dedicated to the service of the Lord and to the various ministries entrusted to them throughout history, in bringing God’s truth and love ever closer to His people. St. Francis of Assisi has inspired all of these people to seek the Lord with all their heart, refocusing their lives on Him and also to live humbly and simply, and not be swayed or burdened by worldly temptations and attachments.

And to all of us living in this world today, St. Francis of Assisi and his examples remind us not to be easily swayed by those same worldly temptations, and not to have excessive attachments and entanglements with worldly matters and desires. Money, wealth, material possessions and other worldly things themselves are not evil per se, as those can very well be used for good and worthy purposes as well. It is rather our unhealthy attachments and obsessions with them that we must avoid at all costs. That is why we need to reexamine our conscience and our focus in life so that we do not end up walking down the wrong path like so many others had done before us.

Let us all renew our faith and commitment to God, by reorienting ourselves towards the Lord, and refocusing our attention towards Him. Let us all ask St. Francis of Assisi, St. Paul and all the other holy saints of God to intercede for us at all times. May God be with us always and may He empower us all to live ever more faithfully in His presence always, like those faithful saints who have shown us the true Christian virtues and values, putting God as the centre and focus of our lives, and distancing ourselves from wickedness and evil. Amen.

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Tuesday, 4 October 2022 : 27th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 10 : 38-42

At that time, as Jesus and His disciples were on their way, He entered a village, and a woman called Martha welcomed Him to her house. She had a sister named Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet to listen to His words. Martha, meanwhile, was busy with all the serving, and finally she said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the work? Tell her to help me!”

But the Lord answered, “Martha, Martha, you worry and are troubled about many things, whereas only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken away from her.”