Friday – 26th Week of Ordinary Time B - St. Francis of Assisi, Deacon, Religious, Founder of the Three Orders (Solemnity)

Published on 3 October 2024 at 13:02

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today on October 4th, we gather to celebrate the solemnity of the Founder of our religious Order, the Friars Minor, Francis of Assisi, a saint who is often referred to as the patron saint of peace and the environment. As we reflect on his life of humility, simplicity, and service to the most devastated and unfortunate, we cannot help but turn our hearts toward the pain and turmoil in our world today. In light of the recent conflicts—the tragic war between Israel and Hamas, the tensions involving Iran and the ongoing war in Ukraine—we are reminded of the urgent need for peace, reconciliation, and prayer.

Saint Francis understood better than most the role of a faithful Christian in a world often rife with conflict. His life offers us a powerful example of how to embody God's peace in our own lives and communities. The anonymous prayer, "Make me a channel of your peace" often attributed to Saint Francis, but entirely absent from his writings, in its present form has not been traced back further than 1912. Its first known appearance was in French, in a small spiritual magazine called La Clochette (The Little Bell), published by a Catholic organization in Paris named La Ligue de la Sainte-Messe (The League of the Holy Mass). The author's name was not given, although it may have been the founder of La Ligue, Father Esther Bouquerel. It does not come to us as a surprise, that the prayer was heavily publicized during both World War I and World War II. As we contemplate this prayer today, we should ask ourselves: What does it mean to be an instrument of God's peace in such turbulent times and how can we do our own little part to avoid the devastation of World War III?

First and foremost, we need to be like Francis – steeped in prayer. In a world filled with violence and hatred, where innocent lives are lost, communities are torn apart, and hope seems far away, we are called to be a presence of Christ's love. Saint Francis, through his actions, demonstrated that peace is not just the absence of conflict, but an active commitment to love and justice. He reached out to those who were marginalized and oppressed, and he engaged in dialogue where others would choose silence or hostility. His humility and willingness to meet others where they were—whether they were friends or foes—serve as a powerful reminder for us to seek understanding and compassion in our own relationships and encounters.

As we pray for peace today, we must also remember that prayer is not passive. It compels us to engage with our world, to advocate for justice, and to stand in solidarity with those suffering from violence and oppression. We can draw inspiration from the words of Saint Francis as we endeavor to be peacemakers. He said, "All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle." Let us each be that candle—shining brightly in a world that so desperately needs the light of Christ.

Moreover, we are reminded that our commitment to peace must extend beyond our borders. The conflicts we witness involving nations like Israel, Hamas, Iran, Russia, and Ukraine affect countless innocent lives. Each headline we read 

represents real people—mothers, fathers, children—who long for security, prosperity, and peace. Thus, we must amplify our prayers not only for resolution and ceasefire but also for healing. Let us pray for the victims of violence, for those displaced by war, and for leaders who have the power to change the course of history while electing those who most align with our faith in that all life must be protected from conception to natural death. If we fight for this right with the utmost determination, only then can our concern for those dying in wars needlessly have any rational meaning.

As we ask God to inspire in us a spirit of peace, let us also be emboldened to act—to challenge injustice, to promote dialogue instead of division, and to extend our hands and hearts to those who are suffering.

Over the years, several popes have expressed strong opposition to nuclear weapons and called for efforts to avoid nuclear war. Here are some notable statements and themes from recent popes:

  1. Pope John XXIII: In his encyclical Pacem in Terris (1963), he emphasized the need for peace and disarmament and warned about the dangers of nuclear weapons. He stressed the importance of dialogue and cooperation among nations to prevent war.
  2. Pope Paul VI: In his addresses, he often spoke about peace and the moral imperative to avoid war. He highlighted the catastrophic consequences of nuclear warfare and called for disarmament. His famous quote, "If you want peace, work

      for justice," encapsulates his view on the intertwined nature of peace and social justice.

3. Pope John Paul II: He was a vocal advocate for nuclear disarmament. In various speeches, including his address to the United Nations in 1979, he referred to nuclear arms as “a great moral problem” and emphasized the need for a global commitment to disarmament. He often stated that the arms race must cease and that peace must be achieved through dialogue and solidarity.

4. Pope Benedict XVI: In his 2006 message for the World Day of Peace, he affirmed the importance of nuclear disarmament and reiterated the idea that peace cannot be built on the threat of destruction. He called for a culture of peace that rejects the use of nuclear weapons.

5. Pope Francis: He has been particularly outspoken against nuclear weapons. In his speeches and writings, he has called for the abolition of nuclear arms and warned against the arms race. In 2017, he stated that the use of nuclear weapons is immoral, and he has continually stressed the need for disarmament and a commitment to peace.

Let us commit ourselves to our own conversion, seeking to live out Saint Francis's spirit in our daily lives. We must be willing to forgive those who have wronged us and to seek reconciliation within our families, communities, and beyond. As Saint Francis reminded us, we must not be afraid to let go of our fears and prejudices, allowing God's love to transform our hearts.

In closing, I would like to invite you all to pray for peace in the world, through the most powerful intercession of our Blessed Mother and Queen in Heaven, all the angels and saints, so that the gifts of this world may thrive, and the Lord be forever blessed in his providence and goodness. Let us pray that the Lord has mercy, and directs the hands of our leaders to choose peace over destruction, life over death, prosperity over ruin. And let us pray that the world sees a resurgence of the spirit of Saint Francis, our founder, who through his courage and zeal, reinvigorated the people of God to continue loving him above and beyond all things. I conclude with a blessing of Saint Francis himself to one of his brothers, Leone: May the Lord bless you and keep you. May He show His face to you and have mercy on you. May He turn His countenance toward you and give you peace.”


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