St. Francis
This week we all celebrate the feast of our Holy Father, Saint Francis of Assisi. For all of us Franciscans, Sisters, Brothers and Secular Franciscans, as well as all those who have a particular devotion to Saint Francis, this is a very special time.
The Church celebrates October 3 as the Transitius of Saint Francis, the passing of Saint Francis to his new life in heaven. Saint Francis is the only Saint where there is a special liturgical day set aside for the celebrating of his passing. October 4 is the actual feast of the entrance of Saint Francis in to heaven.
Forgiveness
We are baptized in Christ, the Son of God and the Redeemer of the world. Our strongest desire should be that we do all we can to pattern our lives after that of Jesus, from top to bottom. How are we to do this successfully? We are signed and sealed with the sacraments of the holy Church. However, for all of us there are two words that we should be paying attention to: ‘To Forgive!’
Another Blessed Gift
As we move through this month of September, you may notice as I have, how comforting the autumn sunshine is. The sun quickly dispels the chill of morning during this time of the year, as the day moves on.
The sunlight, whether it be outside or coming through a window in our home, so often reminds me of the love of God for each of us. The rays of the sun warm us, soothe some of the physical and emotional aches and pains we may be experiencing that day, and offer a wonderful degree of comfort and peace. Look for the ‘sun spots’ either outside or in our home and bask in another blessed gift from our loving Father.
The Cross
We live and die in the shadow of the Cross of Christ! This is not an unhappy thought!
The Cross-is for all time, our symbol of being one with Jesus Christ!
Though we celebrate the light of Christ at Easter, symbolizing the fact that death has been
overcome by the brilliance of Christ’s Resurrection. However, the Cross of Christ is the ever present sign of the great and endless sacrifice of love for us, a sacrifice unmatched in
the passing of time.
A Suggestion
What do we do in the privacy of our rooms when we get out of bed? For many of us there are a series of stretches, gentle groans as we feel our age, and slowly look around and allow the waking up process to happen once again. What do we bring our mind to think about as we first move about?
I have a suggestion for you to consider: