Last month for our on-going formation we discussed the "tangible-ness" of Saint Francis. Even though his asceticism can feel out of reach for those of us living today, his joys and sorrows and emotional, mental, and physical connection to his spirituality and his connection to all of God’s creation is overwhelmingly attractive to us and to many others of all faiths and denominations. He is one of the most popular saints.
Not too long ago I read an online review for a book about Franciscan principles for living simply. One reviewer wrote that it was a shame that the author concentrated on Francis’ Catholicity and that he didn‘t understand why you had to be Catholic in order to be a Secular Franciscan. The statement made me chuckle, since Francis never thought to break with the Church or to do anything that was not approved by the Pope, but I understood the point the reviewer was trying to make. Francis’ spirituality was one that embraced the world and the non-Catholic reviewer felt like we were trying to keep him to ourselves and not share him with the world.
The reviewer need not have worried, though. Francis’ spirituality was not exclusive to the professed religious, or to priests, or even to "good" Catholics. He preached to whoever would listen. He embraced the laity and common folk and Muslims and lepers and beggars and sinners. While he was obedient to the Church’s authority and became a deacon, he begged to be allowed to continue being a poor beggar and "little brother." He loved and admired people outside his city, his country, and his Church. His love of God was his life, his breath, his very being – not just his religion.
Dorothy Day wrote in May of 1940 that she and Peter Maurin wanted to recruit ‘troubadours of Christ’ to work in the hospices and farming communes that they had founded because "we need these fellow travelers with the poor and the dispossessed to share with them their poverty and insecurity and to bring them the reminder of the love of God." Therein lies the essence of the "tangible-ness" of Francis. His joy and simplicity and love is a gift to us that reflects like a mirror the love that God has for us. Francis reminds us that God cherishes and loves all of us. He teaches us that all of us can follow Jesus and that all of us -- men, women, boys, girls, cats, rabbits, wolves, sparrows, sun, moon -- are brothers and sisters.
