Saint Francis of Assisi (Memorial)
Send me to Judah . . . to rebuild it. (Nehemiah 2:5)
Perhaps you know the story of the call of St. Francis of Assisi, whose feast day we celebrate today. Praying in a run-down chapel, he heard the Lord saying, “Francis, go and repair my house; look, it is falling into ruins.” Now, God wasn’t speaking about that particular chapel; he was speaking about the challenges facing the whole Church at the time. It took Francis some time to realize this, but once he did, he and his fellow friars went out and changed the course of history.
Nehemiah feels a similar call in today’s first reading: to go and rebuild Jerusalem. And like St. Francis, he does more than “look sad” and bemoan the state of his people (Nehemiah 2:3). He too springs into action.
In every age and for every generation, God has called his people to rebuild his Church. No matter what the era, there has always been a need for renovation, for a return to our roots in the Lord, and for addressing the challenges of the day. In every age, God invites his people, not just to mourn the situation, but to rebuild.
It doesn’t have to be difficult. Look at St. Francis. As soon as he heard God’s call, he grabbed a hammer and set to work. Of course he would! God had told him to rebuild his Church, so that’s what he did. Over time, though, God helped him become more clear about what the call really entailed.
You can follow the same approach. Just do what makes sense to you. What would be helpful? Where are the needs the greatest? What kind of work are you best suited for?
No matter what you choose to do, just get started. If you take that first step, you can be sure that the Holy Spirit will guide you and help clarify your mission. He may give you the sense that you are doing exactly what you should be doing, or he may nudge you in a different direction to make you more effective.
Both St. Francis and Nehemiah got out there and made a difference for the Lord. So can you.
“Lord, teach me how I can help rebuild your house!”
Psalm 137:1-6
Luke 9:57-62
Daily Marriage Tip for October 4, 2017:
On her wedding day, a bride listed ten of her husband’s faults she would overlook for the sake of their marriage. On their 50th anniversary, she revealed that she never actually made the list; she just kept overlooking irritations! Overlook a fault today.