The gospel for the memorial of St. Francis of Assisi is taken from Luke 10:17 to the 24th verse. The 72 disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus, lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name. Jesus said, I have observed Satan falling like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy, and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.

At that very moment, he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. For although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned, you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him. Turning to his disciples in private, he said, blessed are the eyes that see what you see.

For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. When you know who Saint Francis of Assisi was, when you know his story, it’s easy to see why he has become so popular as a saint. Probably the best known saint in all of Catholicism. More books written on him than any other saint. And what I’m asking you to recognize in his teaching is something so simple, so beautiful. He fell in love with God with a childlike love and a childlike enthusiasm for God’s creation, God’s creatures.

He was amazingly human and simple and excited about the work that he and his brothers would do. Take a few moments to reflect upon these thoughts, and then I will close with a prayer. Closing prayer. Father, we do need models. We do need people to show us the way. But I want to thank you in particular for the gift that you’ve given us in St.

Francis. What a beautiful man. What a wonderful teaching. I’ve been drawn to it, my whole priesthood. And I pray his spirit will fill you and me as we continue our journey. And we ask this in Jesus name, Amen.