The Frances Nobody Knows...

Wednesday April 1, 2009

This lovely reflection by Deacon Ray Chimukesky of St Luke Parish in Long Valley, was published as a cover article in the Parish Bulletin last Sunday, March 29th. I thought it was worthy of our attention. I hope you find it as inspiring as I did. Fr. Lasch

This year we draw near to St. Francis as our Lenten role model of simplicity and gentleness. Francis di Bernadone is much loved as the poor, traveling monk who talked with the birds and tamed the wild beasts – the contemplative mystic pilgrim wildly in love with God and neighbor. Knowing how Francis lived this wild love is key to making sense of what this humble man was all about. Francis’ time was not unlike our own – full of political turmoil. Member states of the 13th Century Holy Roman Empire were locked in continuous war against themselves and launched a series of bloody incursion against Muslims, Jews and other “heretics.”

During the Fifth Crusade, Francis began an amazing journey directly opposed to the church and the prevailing culture wars of fear, hatred and exclusion it waged. He began his prophetic resistance to violence by meeting first with his own religious leaders – begging Cardinal Pelagius, the Christian commander, to put an end to the fighting. Pelagius refused, but undaunted by his rejection, Francis set out unarmed with his friend Illuminatus to visit his “enemy-brother” the Sultan of Egypt to
bring him the good news of the gospel of peace.

Quickly captured, they were beaten and brought to the Sultan who was deeply moved by the courage of the two unarmed foolish messengers. In his Life of St. Francis, St. Bonaventure describes: “the Sultan asked them by whom and why and in what capacity they had been sent, and how they got there; Francis replied that they had been sent by God, not by man, to show him and his subjects the way of salvation and proclaim the truth of the Gospel message.” In the encounter, both Francis and the Sultan were changed. Sultan gave him many gifts and treasures, but because he had renounced all worldly wealth, Francis refused them all except for a small ivory horn used by the muezzin to call the Muslim faithful to prayer. At home, Francis used it to call his own followers to prayer – preaching his new and deep respect for his Muslim brothers and sisters, breaking down the cycle of fear and misunderstanding that fueled the Crusades.

Francis lived out the call of Christ “to love our enemies” by reaching out with respect to alien religions and cultures. He did this with the eyes of faith, never certain of the way to proceed, nor confident in the outcome.

Can we answer Christ’s invitation to continue Francis’ work in our own day?
You are invited to walk the path of friendship at an inter-religious dialogue right here at St Luke’s. Our Thomas Merton Spirituality Ministry will host an interfaith panel Sunday, May 31st, 3 to 5 pm, in the Religious Education Conference Center. Come hear representatives of many faith traditions (Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Baha’i, and Jain) discuss their teachings on prayer, forgiveness, compassion, peace, respecting the earth and other topics. Come, like Francis – in faith, unknowing – with an open mind and heart, reaching out in peace to our brother and sisters who live together with us this short span of days on this earthly journey, in learning “to see Him in all whom we meet along the way”.

Pax +
Deacon Ray

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