Feast of St. Francis

The following scripture passages are from the Feast of St. Francis (Oct. 4) celebration. As part of the Mt. Irenaeus Franciscan Sojourners ideal of bringing the spirit of the Mountain into our daily lives, Fr. Dan Riley, OFM, reflects on the feast day’s readings below. As is the Mountain model of praying and sharing with one another, we are welcomed to join in reflection with Fr. Dan and one another through the blog comments that follow his commentary.


Sirach 50: 1,3-4,6-7

Simon the high priest, the son of Onias, who in his life repaired the house again, and in his days fortified the temple. And by him was built from the foundation the double height, the high fortress of the wall about the temple. In his days the cistern to receive water, being in compass as the sea, was covered with plates of brass. He took care of the temple that it should not fall, and fortified the city against besieging. He was as the morning star in the midst of a cloud, and as the moon at the full. As the sun shining upon the temple of the most High, and as the rainbow giving light in the bright clouds.

Galatians 6: 14-18

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God. Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

Matthew 11: 25-30

At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

You are with me as I sit in Devereux Hall today reflecting on the readings for the Feast of Francis and connecting with you and others who are members of the Bona/Franciscan family. The readings have their own light about them as we celebrate this early October Feast.

Both the Sirach and Galatians readings ask us to break out of the confines of our past experiences and institutional practices to open again to God’s glory, God’s enlivening presence today breaking in on us right now.

“Not circumcision or non-circumcision,” by definition, means anything other than becoming, being “in the new creation” who is Christ, present to us in God’s word and world.

We are called today by Jesus to leave our burdens and to be born up by God and be, as Paul says, “created anew” in Christ to bear new life to others in what is otherwise a dark and dreary world. We are the ones who can help them shine and see that they are shining already as a moist leaf, a wet frog or a bright rainbow.

Romantic - no, romance – yes, we are called into it. The rich, wonderful relationship that Francis, Clare and others risked – the Gospel, the Good News, that we are all child like, called to see again this day with the eyes of children and lead each other to the loving God.

Foolish – yes, in the world’s eyes, but not in the eyes of a child of God. We see each other differently and so find what is sometimes “hidden” as the very path that helps us make peace within our own lives, with our families, and the world.

Some of you who read this have children, or are often enough near children, to know the joy of their seeing things as a child does. Free … “the wet and wildness” of life they and we love!

Recently, upon hearing a child speak, I realized how children often are still free to “see,” they are not yet confined by adult logic or assumptions that put off God’s reign and make us often dreary adults. A child’s imagination, our choice to sit among and not look down upon a child, the child within each one of us, asks us to have the sense of being “child like” and, as Matthew's Gospel invites me and you and well, to turn to the “Father” again today, the one who lifts us up on a lap that helps us leave our labors long enough to find new life.

What has me rushing ahead rather than lingering long enough to see things differently? What has me hear this passage in Matthew as romance rather than knowing that something bright and glorious is truly “hidden” from my sight at this moment, but here for me to see so much that I will be taken beyond the confines of this life, taken into a new, deeper and brighter life enlivened enough to shine with new life for others in this world?

Stop now and, like a child, look at the frog on the path or one of your own children or the rainbow which, in its own wet wildness is now “shining” (as Sirach would say) with new life.

Something is with each of us that would invite us to hear and see differently and be unburdened to live a new life as Francis did for others and for the Church.

Enjoy the readings given us for the Feast of St. Francis and find your way walking in them for there is a light shining in these readings that will help and you and I smile upon the world as a child seeing it for the first time, brand new!

I invite you to share with all of us what may be stirring in your hearts during this celebration of Francis in our lives and the gift of God’s holy word (click "Post a Comment" below to share).

-- Dan Riley, OFM


(Mt. Irenaeus Web Site)