26th Week in Ordinary Time (B) : Friday 4th October 2024

St. Francis of Assisi heard God’s call to repair a dilapidated church. He only realised later that God was asking for the Church to be healed of its interior brokenness and spiritual illness. This set Francis on the trajectory of restoring and renewing the soul of the Church, the people of God.

As at in Jesus’ time too, religion and religious practices had been institutionalized and legalized to the point of becoming a chore, and burden, on the people. The religious authorities were themselves inadequate, often corrupt, sanctimonious, and hypocritical. They rejected any attempts of renewal and the revival of the faith, holding on instead to age old religious traditions that no longer served their purpose.

Such was the world that Jesus entered. There, the faith of the the chosen people of God was sterile, and in ruins. His words and miracles had scant effect. They, in turn, rejected the Son of God as a maverick preacher, and healer. Thus, Jesus condemned the unbelieving Jewish towns of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum where he worked. Incredibly, it was the pagans who believed in him and became his followers.

St. Francis faced many challenges from within the church even as he tried to restore it to its original holiness. However, God does not forget nor forsake those who place their trust in Him. The Church needs continuous restoration and God will continue to call men and women to this mission.

Lord, let me never look down on any lowly role to help restore the church today.