 I walk for exercise every day, but since the weather where I live is mostly hot and humid, I do a lot of it on a treadmill. However, when we do have days more conducive to being outdoors, I walk on one of the many trails around my neighborhood. I prefer walking outside because there is something freeing about it that opens my heart to God and provides for better attention to nature. My eyes and ears attune to Him with greater clarity, and believe it or not, with fewer distractions. An example of this took place on a walk last week when I noticed a Monarch butterfly fluttering around me. It provided much joy as it kept flying before me, flitting from left to right as if in a dance specially choreographed just for my pleasure. This went on for a few minutes, and I am sure that if anyone had observed my ‘interaction’ with the butterfly – (yes, I was talking to it!) – and the huge smile on my face, they might have thought I had ‘gone over the edge.’ I felt care-free like a little child, quite captivated by it. The joy lasted well after it finally went its own way. But the greatest gift was in the awareness of the presence of God in His creation: it was as if God was delighting in delighting me!  Pope Leo XIV recently declared 2026 as a year of Franciscan Jubilee to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi and to celebrate the long history and many contributions of the Franciscans over the years. The jubilee can also serve to invite the faithful into an examination and renewal of our spiritual lives, particularly our prayer and service, as well as to encourage growth in some of the virtues taught through Franciscan spirituality: Gospel-living expressed by simplicity, care for creation, and care for the poor. Perhaps a good way to think of the jubilee is that it is a way to embrace Gospel-living with intentionality, that is, to live with the attitude of St. Francis, a man who tried to live like Jesus as much as he possibly could. Perhaps this year can inspire us to try to become a little bit Franciscan in how we live.  The jubilee calls our attention to the way of St. Francis. The spirituality that flowed from him and his followers can be characterized by daily prayer rooted in listening and silent reflection, seeking to meet God throughout the day both in the people encountered and in the beauty of creation. Franciscans often refer to creation as the ‘mirror of God’ and along with Sacred Scripture find this the most fertile way to find the Lord and to rejoice in Him. Therefore, with just a little commitment and intentionality, we can enter into the jubilee spirit by paying more attention to creation, finding joy in this gift. We can pray to grow in the graces of simplicity, kindness, and humility, (hallmarks of Franciscan life), and a deepened reverence for creation and for others, especially those who are marginalized or who we find most difficult to be with.  The Franciscan motto is “Pax et Bonum” (peace and all good): if we try to live this motto our focus will remain on living the spirit of the jubilee. St. Francis served in whatever way he could, including ministering to the poor, especially lepers, and in his efforts to evangelize through preaching.* No matter what he did, all of his efforts were wrapped in prayer and characterized by deep joy. Prayers that are attributed to him and free-spirited actions such as joyfully preaching to the birds (or to anyone who would listen) are what attract many to St. Francis today. We, too, can pray for this interior freedom, and we can pray to respond to the graces we receive, seeking to be a peacemaker, or to be a person who brings joy to others through our attitude and presence, wherever and however we are called. It does not matter how much or little we do, or even the exact nature of our service, but what matters is that we live as Jesus taught, becoming a better example by sharing kindness and joy rather than hiding the joy we possess in our relationship with Christ. Simply put, real joy attracts, being dour does not!  St. Francis was arguably the most Christ-like person in the history of Christianity. He was not perfect, and had a number of failures and sufferings, but his goal was to imitate Christ and to work for ‘peace and all good.’ The key to living the Christian life with the joy he exhibited only comes through a relationship with God. We do not have to live the radical lifestyle St. Francis chose, but like him we do need to heed the words of St. Paul: “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thess 5:17) In this year dedicated to honoring St. Francis and his spiritual followers we are reminded of a pathway to God which can bear fruit. What matters most is that we respond to God as He calls to us daily, and that we do not miss His gifts of love, mercy, and beauty which can come in ‘ordinary packages.’ Indeed, God wants us to know Him and how much He loves us; He wants us to delight in Him by delighting in the beauty He provides no matter what our circumstances. It is not always easy to see these gifts, but the more we seek, the more we will find, and the more we find, the more our faith will grow so that one day our joy will be complete.  May we become more like St. Francis by living with simplicity and kindness! May we seek to work for peace and all good! And may we learn to delight in the Lord who delights in us! Let us meet in the Heart of Jesus! Pax et Bonum!
©Michele L. Catanese * It is said that one of the instructions St. Francis gave his followers was, “Preach the gospel at all times, and if you have to, use words.” ~ To help our reflection, here are some suggestions that might help in living the Franciscan spirit and which might also serve to increase our understanding: Read the life of St. Francis or St. Clare of Assisi; dive into the writings of St. Bonaventure, a doctor of the Church (1221-1274), or the writings of Bl. John Duns Scotus (1265/1266-1308) the other 'heavy hitter' of Franciscan thought and spirituality. There are many Franciscan saints from whom we might learn such as Anthony of Padua, Thomas More, Angela of Foligno, Marianne Cope, Maximillian Kolbe, and Padre Pio. There are also ‘modern’ Franciscan writers, bloggers, speakers (on various platforms, YouTube and the like) whose work can enhance our reflection or actions. You can find information on some Franciscan saints at franciscanmissionaries.com/12-franciscan-saints-know-besides-saint-francis/ Images: 1. My photo; this is a moth, actually, on a hiking trail in Idaho. This creature also gave me great pleasure a couple of years ago while out hiking. 2. Painting; I Will Hold Out My Hand and My Heart Will Be In It - 1979, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. This image depicts St. Francis of Assisi after he received the stigmata. You can find this at fineartamerica.com/featured/i-will-hold-out-my-hand-and-my-heart-will-be-in-it-1979-william-hart-mcnichols.html 3. My photo; ducklings in a creek; I took this while hiking near Silverthorne, Colorado. 4. Painting; St. Francis of Assisi, by Jusepe de Ribera, 1642. 5. Painting; Celia Thaxter's Garden by Childe Hassam, 1890. 6. Painting; Bluebell Wood by Nicholas Hely Hutchinson. Note: In compliance with GDPR rules, I wish to make it clear that I do not gather any information on any of my readers at any time. Comments are closed.
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