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In the example of his own sacrifice, Jesus reveals the secret of bearing fruit. In surrendering himself to death, he becomes the source of new life. Lifted from the earth on the cross, he draws all people to himself. Clinging to life causes life to decay: the life that is freely given is eternal. (Day 2 Franciscan daily prayers)

In our journey on Earth, following in Christ’s path, we need to also remind ourselves of our responsibility to all living things, not just our fellow brothers, sisters and neighbours.

Pope Francis’ recent encyclical Laudato Si, is worth reading. It is a comprehensive overview of the extent to which humanity has failed in its stewardship of this Earth. He described the Earth, our home, as “beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth.” He has been criticized by some as exceeding his authority. But the Bible does give him authority just as it instructs us to protect God’s Creation. Let us look at what the Bible says. In Genesis 1:21 we are told that:

God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

And in Genesis 1:28 He instructs us to “Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

We are reminded in Leviticus 25:23 “for the land is Mine; for you are but aliens and sojourners with Me.”

This is repeated in Psalm 115:16 “The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth he has given to man.”

And again in Psalm 24:1,2 “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.”

Clearly the Earth belongs to God which He has entrusted to us for our benefit. We are only its stewards. We will be judged by how we manage it.

This point is made in Luke 16:2 in the parable about the good steward where Jesus instructs us in what it means to be a good steward. While he was referring to managing a master’s business, he did say “if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?” This could also be seen as a warning that if we are not wise in caring for what God has given us (His Creation) then we will not be trusted with what God has promised us.

Failing to be good stewards and respecting God’s Creation will result in consequences as described in Revelation 11:18. It is a clear command and will be one matter for which we will be judged.

“The time has come for judging the dead and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great, and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”

Let us therefore see what God has given us for our enjoyment and not misuse it. Psalm 119:18, 19 “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me.” The law referred to here includes the truth of God’s Creation in Genesis 1:21 and the commands in Genesis 1:28.

Gerald Thompson

Years before I became a Third Order Franciscan I was studying fulltime for a Bible and Ministry Diploma. I expressed one day that St Francis of Assisi was one of my heroes and one of the lecturers exclaimed: “what! Assisi? That madman?!” His contempt was rather obvious in the way he spat out the word ‘Assisi’ rather than use Francis’ name. He made it quite clear that for him Francis was just a crazy person, abusing his body in misguided penance who didn’t know the scriptures or preach the gospel in truth, and as for the stigmata… ( I do get the uncomfortable feeling sometimes that there are people who believe that there were no real Christians between 300 AD and the Reformation…)

Then I recorded the Zefferelli movie recently, ‘Brother Sun, Sister Moon’ which had some very beautiful moments but made me think again how, like the lecturer, they have missed the very essence of who Br Francis was and why he took the path he did. There are some lovely scenes in this movie of Francis and his ‘poor little brothers’ laughing together, even in their hunger and cold and deprivation, and it captured well their love for each other that bound them together. It seemed, uncomfortably to me however, to avoid any focus on the one person who was the very centre and the very reason for that love – Jesus Christ, whom Francis loved with a total abandonment and passion. This was also obvious in the changing of the words of the canticle Brother Sun, Sister Moon which is the theme song. While one can understand the commercial reasons for this I again thought how this image of Francis gives people the impression that Francis was a tree-hugging, dancing/singing nature lover who had a vague religious attachment along the way!

As I have read more and more about Br Francis I have been struck by his total Christ-centeredness and, although passionate, eccentric and determined in his individual following of the gospel, he was always ‘orthodox’ in his Christian faith and in his respect and support for the Church.

Francis did realise in later years that the abuse of his body in actual fact was counter-productive in his work for the Lord and yes, Francis was suspicious of books and too much learning but this was because he wanted to get out there and live the Gospel not spend his life reading and studying it. Francis longed for the contemplative life acheter viagra 10 pilules. He ultimately brought this to God and was told by our Lord that he must continue to actively preach the Gospel. He wandered the towns preaching Jesus and his passion was so great that both rich and poor encountered the living Christ and desired to follow Jesus in the example of Francis. One of the things that touched me deeply in my journey to becoming a Franciscan (while on retreat in a Syrian Monastery) was the encounter between Francis and the Sultan during one of the Crusades. In fearlessly preaching the gospel of Christ, with a love and respect that greatly impressed the Sultan, Francis witnessed to the love, grace and beauty of Christ amidst an atmosphere of war, desecration and hatred.

Francis was totally Christ centred, passionately in love with Jesus, living humbly and in poverty, without greed or desire for power or status. In this, of course, he imitated our Lord Jesus who, possessing the heart of God himself, was the ultimate example to us of walking the path of humility, love and joy.

Our Br. Francis desired above all in his life to make Christ known, loved and adored. In this he inspired all those around him.

He has inspired me and this is why I am a Franciscan…