Saturday, 4 October
2025 – Feast of St. Francis of Assisi (Memorial)
Mass Readings: Bar 4:5-12, 27-29; Ps
69; Lk 10:17-24
Key Verse to Meditate: “For I tell you that many
prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear
what you hear, but did not hear it” (Lk 10:24).
Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
Today the Church joyfully celebrates the feast of
St. Francis of Assisi, one of the most beloved saints in history and the patron
of Europe. Born in 1181, Francis was the son of a wealthy merchant, yet he
abandoned riches and worldly glory to embrace Christ in poverty and simplicity.
In 1209, he founded the Franciscan Order, inviting his brothers to live the
Gospel in humility, peace, and love for creation. Known as a man of deep joy
and prayer, he received the stigmata in 1224, a visible sign of his union with
Christ’s Passion. He died in 1226, leaving us the legacy of a life lived
completely for God. Canonized only two years later, St. Francis remains a
radiant witness to the truth that genuine joy and eternal riches are found in
following Christ wholeheartedly. His prayer, “Lord, make me an
instrument of your peace”, continues to inspire the world.
When Pope Francis was elected in 2013, he chose
the name of this saint of the poor, explaining: “He brought to Christianity an
idea of poverty against the luxury, pride, and vanity of the civil and
ecclesiastical powers of the time. He changed history.” Truly, Francis
continues to change history through his radical witness to the Gospel.
Turning to today’s Gospel (Lk 10:17-24), we hear
of the joyful return of the seventy-two disciples sent by Jesus. They rejoiced,
saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” (v. 17). Their
enthusiasm reveals the contagious joy of serving Christ. Yet Jesus gently
redirects them: “Do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but
rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (v. 20). Here we learn a
profound lesson: our greatest joy is not in achievements, miracles, or
spiritual gifts, but in belonging to God and sharing in His saving love.
Jesus reminds us never to forget the Giver of
gifts. It is often said: “God gives and forgives, while man gets
and forgets.” Success in mission is not our merit but God’s grace.
How easily we can fall into the temptation of pride, attaching ourselves to the
works of ministry rather than to the Lord of the mission. This Gospel
challenges us to root our joy not in what we do, but in who we are before God:
His beloved children.
On this feast of St. Francis, this message is
strikingly relevant. Francis lived out the Gospel words: “Blessed
are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt
5:3). He embodied poverty both in spirit and in reality. His joy came not from
worldly success but from living as a “little one” before God. As Jesus says in
today’s Gospel: “You have hidden these things from the wise and the learned and
revealed them to little ones” (Lk 10:21). Francis was such a “little one” —
humble, poor, simple — and because of this, God entrusted him with a great
mission to renew the Church.
Francis once said at the end of his life: “When
I was in sin, it seemed very bitter to me to see lepers. But the Lord Himself
led me among them, and I showed mercy to them.” This is the yoke of
Christ: carrying the burdens of others, even when it costs us. St. Paul reminds
us: “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill
the law of Christ” (Gal 6:2). Francis embraced this yoke, imitating
the gentle and humble heart of Jesus (cf. Mt 11:29).
Dear friends, like St. Francis, we are called to
be poor in spirit — to attribute everything to God, to live in simplicity, and
to find joy not in possessions or power, but in belonging to Christ. Let us ask
ourselves today:
·
Am I grateful for the gifts God has given me,
using them generously for His people?
·
Do I attribute all glory to God, or do I take
pride in my own achievements?
·
Am I willing to embrace the yoke of Christ,
carrying the burdens of others with humility?
May St. Francis intercede for us, that we may
walk in simplicity, humility, and joy, becoming true instruments of peace and
love in the world-Amen.
Thank you so much respected Fr for your reflections
ReplyDeleteThank you for your Comment. All Praise to Jesus!!!!
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