RETEACHING BEAUTY

When Francis preached love to the birds
They listened, fluttered, throttled up
Into the blue like a flock of words

Released for fun from his holy lips.

(Seamus Heaney “St. Francis and the Birds”)

Seamus Heaney’s 1966 poem is beautiful verse on a beautiful story of beautiful creatures. It calls out for beautiful visual representations. Yet years ago, our youngest son, almost three, visited campus and concluded, regarding a somewhat abstract framed print of St. Francis and the birds, “He loved butterflies and worms.”

Fair enough on the butterflies, in artistic interpretation, birdlike, I thought, but I never did see the worms. I’m not a fan. They wash out onto the sidewalks on rainy days and are slimy and icky and all-around uncanny.

Shame for my unfair worm aversion turns me toward another frequently taught poem on Francis, Galway Kinnell's "Saint Francis and the Sow," and its central line:

though sometimes it is necessary

to reteach a thing its loveliness

Kinnell’s poem insists on the loveliness of the sow in all its earthiness and physicality. So often, we do see around us those who need to be retaught their loveliness, students and colleagues who are anxious, who are overwhelmed or overcommitted, who are ill-prepared, who have lost confidence. We can misinterpret and feel only an aversion, as with worms. We feel we are preaching love, but people do not always flutter up into the blue. Some stay grounded and often ground down.

To “retell” them of their beauty, we must first recognize it ourselves. Continuously, we must reteach ourselves to recognize the loveliness in the difficult, the person who appears lazy, entitled, combative, or even mean. I start by finding the people who do flutter, who delight in a “flock of words” and other fun. And there are many of them. Sustained by these flocks, I can begin to give grace to the ground down, to believe their inherent loveliness and then let this belief reteach.

Katherine P. Beutel, Ph.D.
Dean of Arts and Sciences/Institutional Effectiveness
Professor of English

Lourdes University

"Francis Preaches to the Birds," Brian Wildsmith

Comments

WITH FRANCISCAN GRATITUDE!

It is hard to believe we have already come to the end of October. And what an incredible Reflection Series it has been for Franciscan Month! We cannot thank enough everyone who contributed to this Series. We are also grateful to those who subscribed, and anyone who commented on the wonderful depth and breath of the reflections. Special thanks go to Timothy Nagy of our Office. Without his outstanding coordination, the Series would not have been possible. This Series has greatly assisted in moving forward the dream of October being designated as Franciscan Month. Our vision includes national and local events in 2024, with global recognition in Assisi in 2026 for the commemoration of the 800 th anniversary of Francis' reunion with God! Looking forward to continue walking the Franciscan journey with you. May you do so in God's Peace and Love! Deus Meus et Omnia, St. Francis College Office of Mission, Ministry and Interfaith Dialogue

BE WHERE YOUR FEET ARE!

Be where your feet are! The first time I remember hearing this phrase, I was juggling many responsibilities and was struggling to keep my head above water. I immediately cringed as I realized that I was not being mindful. I was not recognizing the beauty of every moment or appreciating the reality that I/we are always in the presence of our God. Be where your feet are has become a mantra for me … a call to presence and prayer. This phrase leads me back to Saint Clare’s method of prayer and contemplation. In her second letter to Agnes of Prague, Clare suggests that one should “Gaze upon Christ, Consider Christ, Contemplate Christ, as you desire to Imitate Christ.” What a powerful and challenging message this is! Be where your feet are! When I gaze, I am called to be mindful of the people and events that are happening around me. As I slow down to gaze, does that change my perception of what is important? Does gazing challenge how I spend my time, talent and treasure? Be where

SELF-AWARENESS, SELF-ACTUALIZATION

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 technology, but are hopelessly cluele

Franciscan Month Reflection Series

Search This Blog