St. Pius X Catholic Church, Manoa

Who Was St. Francis of Assisi?

His name was Francis…

He used to praise God the Artist in every one of God’s works. Whatever joy he found in things made he referred to their maker. He rejoiced in all the works of God’s hands. Everything cried out to him, “He who made us is infinitely good!”

He called animals “brother” or “sister,” and he exhorted them to praise God. He would go through the streets and byways, inviting everyone to sing with him. And one time when he came upon an almond tree, he said, “Brother Almond, speak to me of God.” And the almond tree blossomed.

That is what St. Francis of Assisi did, and that is what he does for us once we are caught up in his life and teachings. He makes us blossom, wherever and whoever we are. We blossom because we see in Francis what could happen to us if we were to embrace the overflowing goodness of God revealed in everything that exists, and let that embrace change us.

The patron saint of Italy, Francis of Assisi was a poor little man who astounded and inspired the Church by taking the gospel literally—not in a narrow fundamentalist sense, but by actually following all that Jesus said and did, joyfully, without limit, and without a sense of self-importance.

The story of how St. Francis of Assisi tamed the Wolf of Gubbio is one of the great legends linked with the life of the saint. I have never been worried as to whether the story was true or not. I am interested in seeing how the story fits into the pattern of biblical themes and of God’s plans for creation.

Francis had dreams of becoming a knight on the battlefield. But shortly after riding off to fight against Perugia, a nearby town, he ended up in their prison, a broken and disillusioned young man. It was after his return from prison, and during the recovery that followed, that Francis’ life was changed.

Only in prayer were Francis’ knightly ambitions turned in a new direction; only in prayer did he find the strength to lead the people who wanted to follow him—but on their own terms. Prayer enabled him to discover the link between the Church that Jesus established and the Church that needed conversion.

People at times poke fun at some of the sappy images of Francis holding a rabbit or with birds flying around his head. And there are always those who like to belittle admirers of the saint when they place his statue in flower gardens or on a birdbath. In most cases, I beg to differ with this point of view.

We could say that St. Francis’ prayer life was, “My God and my all!” and stop at that. Everything that can be stated about prayer in his life is expressed in those four little words. While the truth is contained in that brief and holy phrase, the way in which Francis reached that apex of prayer needs exploration.

Few prayers are more popular around the world and better loved than the “Peace Prayer of Saint Francis.” Nearly everyone recognizes a happy harmony between the words of this prayer and the generous, joy-filled and peace-loving spirit of Francis of Assisi. Let us look at this prayer more closely.

In August 1212, if the small Umbrian city of Assisi’s post office had displayed “Wanted” posters, Chiara di Favarone di Offreduccio and Francesco Bernardone might well have been on them. Their crime? Seriously disrupting the social, economic, and religious stability. The romanticism that has surrounded Francis over the years doesn’t fit well with the historical facts. The temptation is to admire the saint, gush over his attractive qualities, and miss what he stood for. We run the risk of losing the real Francis and replacing him with an image often of our own making.

Francis’ desire to experience God within himself also propelled him to lead a life modeled after the source of love: Jesus. It was a life of poverty, preaching, and penance lived in a spirit of humility. In his desire to so imitate Jesus, Francis freely shared what he already knew and pointed all to do the same.

Francis of Assisi was born into privilege and gave it up to embrace simplicity. He renounced the trappings of a comfortable life for one of penance and poverty. In this era of opulence, of having everything you could hope for at the tips of your fingers, could you do the same?

Stewardship Corner

by Walter Jung

The final ‘T’ of the three Ts is Treasure, which is not surprisingly the least popular of the three. Giving our material resources or treasure is a natural component of true stewardship.

The Gift of Treasure in Stewardship is all about giving generously to the One who has given us so much. God’s generosity cannot be matched.

In the Gospels of St. Mark and St. Luke, Jesus observed where many rich people put in large sums into the treasury while a poor widow put in two small coins worth a few cents. “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributor’s surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood” (Mark 12:11-44).

Some parishioners may feel that they have already given so much more back to the church in voluntary services and not necessarily to give more financially. Let someone else do it is a ridiculous mindset.

As the need arises, offer your financial resources in appreciation to Our Heavenly Father for the Gift of Treasure. God knows that using your talents for His sake, we become better people and grow deeper in our faith.

STEWARDSHIP IS HOW we use our God-given gifts; it is how we use our time, our talents, and our treasure to carry on Christ's work of reconciliation in the world.

STATEMENT Of ACTIVITIES
vs PRIOR YEAR
7/012023-6/30/2024

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