Readings
for the Feast of St. Francis:
Genesis 6:18-22; Luke 17:5-10
October 3, 2004
The Rev. Karen Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino,
CA
Jesus said: "If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you." What kind of an outrageous claim is Jesus making about the nature of faith? Let's take a closer look. In today's gospel story, the disciples were stumped. They didn't know how they could possibly live a life of love to the degree that Jesus wanted them to. Jesus had previously been talking to them about resisting temptation and forgiving those who hurt them. Imagine having to forgive someone who has hurt us, over and over again! The disciples did not think that they had the internal resources to forgive and resist temptation, so they asked Jesus: "Lord, increase our faith!"
What do you think the disciples expected Jesus to do when they asked him to increase their faith? I really don't know. I guess it depended on what their understanding of faith was. Perhaps the apostles thought that faith was a shot of cosmic energy that could permeate a person's will so that a person would always choose the good over the bad. Perhaps the apostles thought that faith was a special gift from God and only those with this special gift could live a godly life. Perhaps the apostles thought that faith was an intellectual commitment to a list of religious doctrines, which if followed, would make all things possible.
But Jesus disputes these interpretations of the nature of faith. He tells the disciples (through an analogy) that faith is a person's right relationship to God, a relationship of grateful trust and obedience. When we have this right relationship with God, when we turn our heart, mind, body, and soul towards God, this is the beginning of faith. The power of faith is so tremendous, that with faith (even the size of mustard seed), all things are possible. We already have the power within ourselves (without a shot of cosmic energy, without a special gift from God, without doing mental gymnastics) to take this initial step of faith.
When we make this movement of faith, the power is turned on. We become more able to resist those things that harm us and others. When we have faith the size of a mustard seed, we desire to become God's servants; not out of guilt or because the Bible tells us to. We become servants because we have this natural love for God and need to express this love by serving our Beloved. When we have faith the size of a mustard seed, we desire to forgive those who have hurt us; not because we are supposed to forgive, but because we want to let go of the pain of the past and enjoy the beauty of the present. When we have faith the size of a mustard seed, God is able to break open our hearts with compassion. Our expression of this compassion eventually extends beyond those who are close to us, into the realms of the unlovable: the leper, the enemy, the person who cut us off in traffic, for all of creation. Compassion is one of the strongest forces in our physical world that can produce miracles.
Today we celebrate the feast of St. Francis. Francis was born in 1182 to a prosperous merchant of Assisi, Italy. His early youth was spent partying and playing with his socially-privileged buddies. This was followed by his fruitless attempts to win military glory. How did this shallow, self-serving young man, transform from being a spoiled, glory-seeking, drinking, carousing, vain and proud youth, to being a faithful servant of the poorest of poor?
Well, Francis did not wake up one morning and say: "Boy, I want to go and hang out with those lepers. I want to walk around barefoot and naked. I want to go around sharing all of my food and clothing with those who have none." No, that is not how it happened! We are told that after one of his military exploits, Francis returned disheartened and confused. Spending time amidst the ruins of a nearby church, Francis heard the voice of Christ. His heart was strangely warmed. He took a step of faith, a small step of faith, whereby he opened his heart to the Other.
With this posture of openness to God, God was able work on his will and heart. He began to turn his attention from seeking a life of self-gratification to a life of service to others. It was God who transformed Francis but it was Francis who took the step of faith. Over time, through God's grace, Francis' fear began to melt. His fear of failure, of touching lepers, of not having enough stuff, of not being the center of attention, began to dissipate. He allowed God to mold him into an instrument of peace and love. Today, he is held up as an example of what is possible when a person begins with faith the size of a mustard seed.
Francis is also known as a lover of animals. Because of his faith, he was able to see the handiwork of the Creator in all creation. For Francis, to disrespect creation, was to disrespect God. He didn't become an "environmentalist" because it was the politically correct thing to do. If God created it, Francis would love it. For Francis, caring for creation meant loving it the way a boy loves a puppy or a girl loves a horse. That is why we honor and bless animals on his feast day. Blessing animals is an outward sign of our love for the creatures God has created.
Francis is only one model of what is possible when God takes over our lives. Not all people are called to a life of celibacy and poverty or called to join the Franciscan Order. That is a very special calling. But all of us can learn from Francis, what is possible when a person makes a commitment to take the first step of faith.
"God our heavenly Father, You created the world to serve humanity's needs and to lead them to you. By our own fault, we have lost the beautiful relationship we once had with all your Creation. Help us to see that by restoring our relationship with you, we will also restore it with all your Creation. Give us the grace to see all animals as gifts from you and to treat them with respect for they are your creation. We pray for all animals who are suffering as a result of our neglect. May the order you originally established be once again restored to the whole world through the payers of St. Francis and through the merits of your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you, now and forever. Amen." [Traditional Prayer for Animals for the Feast Day of St. Francis]
| Updated 10/7/04 |
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