Foot-washer

26th Sunday of Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072824.cfm There was a boy named Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone who lived in a little town in central Italy in the 13th century. His father was in France on business when he was born and so began calling him “Frenchy” or Francis. As a young man, his great ambition was to become a troubadour and a jongleur—a kind of wandering musician and poet, but also an acrobat and circus performer. Francis was often found walking around on his hands with his feet pointed towards the sky. To many people, he appeared foolish, but standing upside down gave Francis a unique perspective on the world. From his vantage, everything seemed to falling into nothingness. His feet were not grounded. Even tall buildings and impressive battlements appeared to rest on the clouds and were in danger of floating away. The young Francis, who would of course become known as Saint Francis, recognized that the world is radically and completely ...

  Reflection on the Death (Transitus) of St. Francis. Offered at Our Lady of the Woods chapel at Bellarmine University on October 2, 2014.  Readings: https://www.franciscanpenancelibrary.com/transitus-of-saint-francis I have come to know St. Francis through the Franciscans here at Bellarmine and through reading about his life.   I would like to share some of the lessons that I have learned about his life and death. St. Francis teaches us how to die well.   If you were able to able to the Campus Ministry office today, you received a pot filled with Brother or Sister Plant.   This afternoon in the quad, the friars blessed our pets, which we call, “Brother Dog,” “Sister Cat,” or if you are my wife, “Sister Hermit Crab.”   This evening, as our prayer began, perhaps you noticed Sister Moon glowing down at us.   St. Francis praised God through all of these creatures and creations of God. Tonight we also recognize and commemorate the one that he ca...