Today is St. Francis of Assisi Day--my favorite Saint, and one whose name I took for my confirmation name when I was confirmed in the Roman Catholic church.  One of the things that I love about him is his love for all of creation: sun, moon, animals, everything. He preached to the birds!  He tamed the "very fierce wolf of Gubbio" by talking to him as if he were a creature of God rather than an enemy.

St. Francis contradicted the violence and overconsumption of his day be embracing poverty, refusing to return evil for evil and living dependent on his community of brothers (and later sister, under Saint Clare) and the community at large.  His conversion happened during a time of imprisonment and illness when he fought one of the silly wars of the 13th century. 

I wonder if our national community is open to even talk about poverty, let alone decide to consume less.  I wonder if we--like St. Francis--could at least for this day, see everyone we encounter as God's beautiful creature, not as an enemy.  Or if we encounter a real enemy, treat them as Jesus called us to do: love them, pray for them, do good to them.

St. Francis was able to embrace all of creation, even physical death (he called her "sister death"). 

There's a line from one of my poems about my father, where I wrote:

"Surely the nature of death is hope."

I don't follow that teaching very often, I have to admit.  But I trust that the Spirit is moving me and moving us to let our consumerism die, let our war-making die, and cause some other seed to burst forth a beautiful new life.

Be justice.  Be beauty.

Patrick