MARFAM FAMILY WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTER 2 OCTOBER 2024

As we come to the end of the Season of Creation on 4th October we remember St Francis, who is an inspiration to many and certainly to Pope Francis, who since his election in 2013 has promoted the life and legacy of his favourite saint.  But sometimes we sentimentalise and see Francis just as a nice, happy, easygoing friend of animals. In fact he was very much more. Having started life in a wealthy merchant family, he completely rejected this lifestyle after his conversion experience. His life became filled with an overwhelming love of Jesus and life with God, the Creator experienced in all of creation. This filled him with pure joy, but he suffered tremendously too, physically and even emotionally – rejection of his vision by some of his friends and failure to secure the peace he sought.  Late in life he identified so fully with Jesus that he wished to suffer as Jesus had done in his Passion. The stigmata – were God’s response of love. Francis died in great pain but filled with joy and love.  Was he filled with peace?  Although many were enthused by his vision, and many followed his way, have his hopes and dreams for peace and love of all creation come to fruition?  In the priesthood, religious life of men and women as well as secular laypeople over the last 800 years has the choice of poverty been restricted to them? Pope Francis, in the 21st century, a Jesuit, has taken up the vision of caring for the poor and care for creation as one of the main aspects of his pontificate.   Is this his response to Francis, or to the ravages of climate change, the consequences of human activity that is on the way to destroying much of creation, ignoring that it is God’s?  For him Francis is a key figure.  Is it for us and most of humanity too?   TR Family Weekly 2 October. 2024

ST FRANCIS DAY,  REFLECTION, PRAYER AND BLESSING.

ST FRANCIS – MODEL FOR ALL WHO LOVE AND CARE FOR GOD’S CREATION.  PRAY FOR US.  Climate change is a matter of great concern across the world, whether we are believers in the world as God’s creation or are only aware of physical symptoms like excessive heat, cold, floods, droughts, air and water pollution. Every aspect of our lives in families and society today is affected and urgent action to address the factors that contribute to climate change are needed.

We as human beings have contributed to the harm done to our natural world, and can and should take responsibility, acknowledge our failings and sinful acts and take action in whatever ways we can.  Many initiatives, like the Season of Creation, exist to choose from to save and protect our planet.  

St Francis lived 800 years ago and is an example to us still today through his passionate love of God and all of God’s creation. He praised God for the elements such as the sun, moon and stars, water and fire, calling them brothers and sisters and the earth  our mother.    He loved all living creatures, trees, plants, animals and people and especially the suffering and the poor. He chose to live in total poverty, owning nothing and experienced joy in his complete abandon to God’s love.  He worked for peace during the time of the Crusades by going to meet a Muslim sultan. 

St Francis had a special relationship with many animals who came to him and responded when he spoke to them, like the rabbit and lamb in the icon.  Stories are told about him preaching to a flock of birds and to a shoal of fish in a stream. A fierce wolf was terrorizing the people in a small village. When Francis was called in he negotiated with the wolf, that the people would feed him and he would no longer harm them.  His well-known love of animals has made him the patron saint of animals as well as all of creation.  On or around his feastday prayers of remembrance and a special blessing can be given to pets to show our love and appreciation for the joy, love and blessings they give to so many in the human family. 

Francis’ way is for every creature, as a brother or sister, to experience God’s love and joy and live in peace. St Clare, one of his earliest followers, was his close companion in his short life. She with the women, and he with the men developed the mission of love of God, the poor and all creation that is one of the strongest callings in the church today, to praise God by our lives.   

Pope Francis has a great devotion to St Francis, whose name he chose on his election in 2013. In 2015, inspired by Francis’ way,  he published the encyclical LAUDATO SI’ – ON CARE OF OUR COMMON HOME. “Faithful to scripture St Francis invites us to see nature as a magnificent book in which God speaks to us and grants us a glimpse of his infinite beauty and goodness.” His prayer expresses this vision and can be used for reflection, sharing and blessing.                                TR 2024  MARFAM

A PRAYER FOR OUR EARTH  from Laudato Si ‘246

All powerful God, you are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures.  You embrace with tenderness all that exists.  We praise you and thank you and ask for your blessing:

Pour out upon us the power of your love, that we may protect life and beauty. Fill us with peace, that we may live as brothers and sisters, harming no one. Help us to rescue and abandoned and forgotten of this earth, so precious in your eyes. Bring healing to our lives that we may protect the world and not prey upon it,   that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.  Teach us to discover the worth of each thing, to be filled with awe and contemplation,   to recognise that we are profoundly united with every creature as we journey towards your infinite light. We thank you for being with us each day.   Encourage us in our struggle for justice, love and peace.  Amen

SEASON OF CREATION THOUGHT FOR THE DAY 2 OCTOBER

October 2. Guardian angels.  There is a very long tradition in the church of devotion to our guardian angels.   In recent years this seems to have faded with a greater interest in angels in general.   We often see pictures of cute cuddly little creatures with wings and sometimes they are portrayed as avengers at the gates of heaven or hell.   All angels are messengers from God, but our guardian angels bring the message of God’s care and love to a specific person.  This can be a real source of comfort to children especially.    Families can use the prayer with the young and you might find that as the kids grow up they will use the prayers they learned as children.  Prayer:  Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this day be at my side to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.   

Reflect, share, act. Scripture:  Jesus said, “see that you do not despise these little ones; I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.  Matt 18:10. Pope Francis:  Each of us has a Guardian Angel, who acting on behalf of God, advises us and protects us from evil, if we only listen to him. 2015 message to families. Once we start to think about the kind of world we are leaving to future generations, we look at things differently; we realize that the world is a gift which we have freely received and must share with others.  LS 159  

Eco-tip and prayer:  Examine your prayer life as Eco-friendly families. How can it be enriched?    Get MARFAM’S  booklet BECOMING ECO-FRIENDLY FAMILIES to use for sharing and prayer. Pray Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in us the fire of your love, so that walking together we may renew the face of the earth.