Sermon for the 18th Sunday after Trinity – 3rd October: The feast of St Francis

Fr Leonard Doolan – St Paul’s Athens

(Later on this day there is a ‘Pet Blessing’ service)

 

Francis was born in Assisi in central Italy either in 1181 or the following year. He was baptised Giovanni but given the name Francesco by his father, a cloth merchant who traded in France and had married a French wife. There was an expectation that he would eventually take over his father’s business but Francis had a rebellious youth and a difficult relationship with his father. After suffering the ignominy of imprisonment following capture whilst at war with the local city of Perugia, he returned a changed man. He took to caring for disused churches and for the poor, particularly those suffering from leprosy. Whilst praying in the semi-derelict church of St Damian, he distinctly heard the words: “Go and repair my church, which you see is falling down.” Others joined him and he prepared a simple, gospel-based Rule for them all to live by. As the Order grew, it witnessed to Christ through preaching the gospel of repentance, emphasising the poverty of Christ as an example for his followers. Two years before his death, his life being so closely linked with that of his crucified Saviour, he received the Stigmata, the marks of the wounds of Christ, on his body. At his death, on the evening of 3 October 1226, his Order had spread throughout western Christendom.

 

The life of St. Francis was the subject of a very dramatic film directed by Franco Zefferelli.

One scene is particularly effective. An aristocratic friend of Francis has gained permission for Francis to be received at the papal court at the Lateran Palace. His purpose is to ask the pope’s permission to start a small community of men to live a simple life, close to nature, and committed to sharing in the poverty of the poorest in Italian rural society.

Francis enters the audience chamber with a well written Latin petition – prepared for Francis by his learned friend.

Both sides of the chamber are banked up with ranks of abbots, bishops, canon lawyers, Archbishops and other senior clergy – a panoply of plutocratic personnel who direct and control the Roman church.

 

Francis kneels in their midst his text in hand. In front of him seated on a throne at least a dozen steps higher than everyone else is seated the Bishop of Rome, the pope. Above his head is rested the tri-corona, the three levelled crown that is the sign that he is superior to all other clergy, and even kings of nations.

 

In the film it is the great British acting legend Sir Alec Guinness who plays the part of Pope Innocent III.

 

The chamber is silent. Episcopal eyes stare intently from below damasked mitres at the man in humble clothes kneeling in their midst.

Slowly Francis unrolls the scroll in which his text has been diplomatically drafted. He begins to read the Latin text – but he falters after a few words. These words are not natural to Francis – they don’t express his passion or his vision for a community life focused on the poor and the praise of God’s creation.

 

He rolls up the scroll and begins, ‘Look at the birds in the air; they neither sow nor….’ (Matt 6, 26 ff) Bedlam breaks out in the benches of the prelates – official papers fly in the air, loud shouting is accompanied by finger pointing and accusation. How dare this man quote the gospel to the Vicar of Christ. Lateran guards drag Francis from the chamber. Calm is restored and the ranks of senior clergy look towards the papal throne. Pope innocent III is standing, arm raised, but not in anger. The fore-finger of his right hand points upwards directing attention to what is above him. In the narthex of the ceiling many, many metres above him is a mosaic, a mosaic of Christ the Ruler of all, his hand raised in blessing the entirety of the cosmos. Innocent is reminding them all why they are there, who they are, and what they represent.

 

Francis is found and brought back into the chamber and he presents not a text, but a personal plea to live a life, acknowledged by the church, a life of simplicity, poverty and chastity. Since then the life and work of the Fransiscan friars has been testimony to the original vision of Francis, being in harmony with heaven and earth.

 

Most High, all-powerful, all-good Lord, All praise is Yours, all glory, all honour and all blessings.

To you alone, Most High, do they belong, and no mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your Name.

Praised be You my Lord with all Your creatures,
especially Sir Brother Sun,
Who is the day through whom You give us light.
And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendour,
Of You Most High, he bears the likeness.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,
In the heavens you have made them bright, precious and fair.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air,
And fair and stormy, all weather’s moods,
by which You cherish all that You have made.

Praised be You my Lord through Sister Water,
So useful, humble, precious and pure.

Praised be You my Lord through Brother Fire,
through whom You light the night and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.

Praised be You my Lord through our Sister,
Mother Earth
who sustains and governs us,
producing varied fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.
Praise be You my Lord through those who grant pardon for love of You and bear sickness and trial.

Blessed are those who endure in peace, By You Most High, they will be crowned.

Praised be You, my Lord through Sister Death,
from whom no-one living can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Blessed are they She finds doing Your Will.

No second death can do them harm. Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks,
And serve Him with great humility.

(Canticle of Brother Sun, Sister Moon of St. Francis of Assisi)

Tomorrow is the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi – and his vision of faith in harmony with God’s total creation is a vision deeply needed in our own day. In many ways Francis should be the patron saint of Cop26 in Glasgow this November. Those of us who have faith might pray deeply these next few weeks, along with, I am sure, St. Francis, that those who gather in Glasgow will be blessed with the same vision of Creation.