Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity Sr. Mary Ann Spanjers reflects on St Francis understanding his vocation in ‘Ordinary Time’.
Encountering the Leper, his courage was challenged by his fear from within; overcoming his fear was instrumental in living his conversion and vocation. His response opened him up to his direction in life. ‘How do we face our fears… all the feelings very real in our lives?’ “May St Francis inspire us to face whatever fears in our life, so we may become more free to accept the embrace of the Father and discover how He is leading us.” Visit us at fscc-calledtobe.org and learn more about our ministries in Catholic Health Care, Education, and Special ministries like Theology, Medical Ethics and Campus Ministry, that draw on our sisters unique gifts and talents. What are yours?
God calls you. We invite you.
Transcription:
In our last blog we looked at how Francis had to deal with knowing that God had a path for him but not knowing what it was or how to move forward. How he, like us, had to wait, to pray to continue living his life in the midst of uncertainty trusting that God was somehow guiding him.
GK Chesterton writes that it was while he was drifting, about the streets of Assisi and the fields outside the city wall, that an incident occurred to him. He was riding listlessly in some wayside place, apparently in the open country, when he saw a figure coming along the road towards him and halted; for he saw it was a leper. And he knew instantly that his courage was challenged, not as the world challenges, but as one would challenge who knew the secrets of the heart of a person. Francis saw his fear coming up the road towards him; the fear that comes from within and not without; though it stood white and horrible in the sunlight. The fear paralyzed him. Then he sprang from his horse and rushed to the leper and threw his arms around him and kissed him. It was the beginning of a long vocation of ministry among many lepers, for whom he did many services; to this man with the disease, he so feared, he gave what money he had. He got back on his horse and rode on. We do not know how far he rode or with what sense of the things around him; but it is said that when he looked back, he could see no figure on the road.
This action of Francis came from the depth of God in his heart, he allowed the Holy Spirit to give him the courage to face what brought him fear. His heart took over instead of the fear in his mind. He saw the leper not as a threat but as a person in need of compassion.
But, how do we face our fears, our anxieties, depression, prejudices, all the feelings that are very real in our lives? How do we allow the Holy Spirit to help us with these difficulties?
A wonderful, wise Franciscan friar has helped me do this by praying this brief phrase: “God help me be gentle with my anxious self, with my fearful self, my irritated self, my depressed self, my angry self—whatever feeling is present “ He has encouraged me to say this brief prayer over as many times as I need to so that I can again find inner peace. Notice this prayer is not asking God to take away my anger or anxiety or irritation; it is asking God to help me embrace who I am and what I am feeling, because that is what God does for us every moment; God embraces each of us as we are in this moment;
May St Francis inspire us to face whatever fear is present in our lives today so that we become free to accept the embrace of the Father and discover how he is leading us.