bring light

Today is the feast day of Francis of Assisi, from whom I took my monastic name when I took permanent vows. Sunday will be St. Francis Sunday, with worship in Eucharist, the Blessing of the Animals, lunch and fellowship. Even Reba and Rabby, the rabbits out back, will have a blessing prayed over them: Bishop/Abbot Jim will go to their home--they live under our shed--and bless them. I would guess that they won't purposely show themselves or stand still for the blessing, much less let him lay hands on them........! :) All are welcome to bring their animals for blessing. It'll happen around Noon. Come as you are and worship, have your creature blessed, and eat and fellowship with us. (Normally, some of our animals are with us for worship anyway, as we are a Franciscan parish.)

It's a good day, being Francis day, but I was so sleepy I nodded off a couple of times during morning prayer this morning (once during Clare's homily). Brother Shorty (her dachshund) was already out, laying next to me. Sorry, Clare--your homily was good--my mind and heart said so, but my body said no. One point of the homily was that animals aren't far below us on the Creation order. We're sandwiched in between angels and animals, and it's a pretty thin sandwich.

"Most high and glorious God
Bring light to the darkness of my heart.
Give me right faith, certain hope, and perfect charity.
Lord, give me insight and wisdom,
So I might always discern
Your holy and true will."
--a prayer of Francis of Assisi

He would say, "What's all the fuss about? I'm just a human, a sinner like everyone else." He would credit God's grace for everything. And so should we. Have a blessed feast day of St. Francis.


under the mercy,
br. francis