RECALLING THE CHRISTOCENTRIC MISSION OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI

As we call to mind St. Francis of Assisi during this month-long celebration of his life and legacy, it is essential to remember that St. Francis was not a man who set out to make a name for himself, but instead, was a man who lived fearlessly for Christ, as all the saints before us have done and all the saints who walk among us continue to do. The Franciscan values that govern our institutions and organizations are embodiments of the unique ways in which St. Francis responded to God’s invitation to relationship. We cannot truly understand our Franciscan values if we do not acknowledge that these characteristics that we revere in Francis, his exuberant joy, servant heart, and devout faith, were born from a deep love of Jesus Christ and led to a life modeled on His example. As our society continues to relegate religion and promote relativistic attitudes, it is harder to give God, the Church, or discussions about faith a seat at the table. In an attempt to stay relevant with the times, what is often promoted are watered down pieces of the truth that fail to point beyond corporeal realities. For example, service is one of the values that is often highlighted as a hallmark of the Franciscan charism, as St. Francis was very passionate about serving the poor. But why did Francis do this? Francis threw himself into a life of radical poverty and service because he saw his beloved, the Lord, in the face of the rejected, the overlooked, and the marginalized. If we fail to highlight St. Francis’ “why,” I believe we do a disservice to our communities that treasure and uphold these values. Ceasing to call attention to the fact that it was Christ who was at the center of Francis’ mission fails to give the members of our communities the whole truth, that it was the love of Christ that enflamed Francis’ heart and Christ’s love in return that empowered him to charitably subvert offensive and unjust societal norms. We often stop at the life of St. Francis, without pushing beyond our earthy circumstances to reveal it was the light of Christ shining through the work of this saint. While our aspirations to imitate St. Francis are admirable, let us remember the one who Francis himself sought to imitate. It is wonderful that many members of our communities tolerate, celebrate, and/or love our Franciscan identity, but I believe that there is more work to be done to heal the wounds that surround the external and internal perception of what it means to possess a Catholic identity, to love God fearlessly, and to live it out in the world as St. Francis once did.

Riley Lochhead, M. A.

Hilbert College

Campus Minister, Office of Mission and Equity

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THE MANGER & THE MONSTRANCE: WHAT ST. FRANCIS’ MANGER SCENE CAN TEACH US ABOUT THE BREAD OF LIFE IN THE YEAR OF EUCHARISTIC REVIVAL

The manger scene evokes our memories of Christmas: sharing delicious holiday dishes with family members, sitting around a Christmas tree with hot cocoa, or roasting chestnuts on an open fire. However, on this night, St. Francis did not partake in the feasting typical at Christmastime in the Middle Ages. Instead, he desired to “…enact the memory of that babe who was born in Bethlehem: to see as much as is possible with [his] own bodily eyes the discomfort of [Christ’s] infant needs, how he lay in a manger, and how, with an ox and ass standing by, he rested on hay”. Thus, the manger scene was born. On Christmas Eve in 1223, St. Francis of Assisi had the first live manger scene created in the town of Greccio. He gathered the townspeople from near and far to celebrate Mass and recall the origins of Christ’s humble birth. Francis saw Our Lord’s birth as fundamental. His Birth is intimately tied to His Death. The two bookends of Christ’s Life on earth form the basis of Francis’ spiritu...

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On his deathbed, St. Francis freed his Brothers by saying, “I have done what was mine to do, may Christ now teach you what you are to do.” Why did he say this? So that his Brothers would not try to become him. God created each of Francis’ Brothers to be who they were, not who St. Francis was. The key for them finding out what was theirs to do was discovering whom God intended them to be. Now, 800 years later, self-awareness for our students is just - if not - more important. A Franciscan view of career suggests each of our students needs to know who they are so that they can see the Good inside themselves, and share that Good to maximize their contribution to transform a world desperately in need of their Good. Sadly, for most college students, self-awareness is in short supply. On my radio show Thank God For Monday, guests advise that today’s college graduates are not self-aware. Sure, they know accounting and biology and information tec...

A MOVEMENT OF SERVICE

I first became aware of the Franciscan tradition when I was 12 years old. My dad got a new job at Alvernia University (then College), a school rich with Franciscan traditions. I was at an age where I could appreciate what that meant, but I was also a pre-teen in middle school, so learning about St. Francis was not at the forefront of my mind. Still, I learned a little. I met the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters and learned about the importance of their role on Alvernia’s campus as the founders and sponsors of the school. Through my dad’s job, I saw the importance of prayer, peace and, my most favorite, service. Eleven years later, I have found myself back at Alvernia in a role where I get to encompass all of the parts I love most about St. Francis. St. Francis was determined to help the poor and to live among them. After experiencing a life of wealth and prosperity, he chose a life of poverty. A great sacrifice for anyone to make. But in doing so, he started a movement that has lasted cen...

Franciscan Month Reflection Series

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