Homily for October 5, 2008

Father Tom’s Homily
27th Sunday
October 5, 2008

Our first reading today begins, “Let me now sing of my friend…” I will sing of our saintly friend whose feast falls each year on October 4 in loving memory of his homecoming to heaven in 1226. (He actually died on October 3). He is St. Francis of Assisi.
While I’m at it, I also want to recognize another great saint, St. Benedict. These two were the founders of two significant spiritual movements in the Catholic Church. It is interesting to note the relationship of the two.

St. Benedict established a monastic movement, that helped monasticism to flourish throughout Christendom. There had been monks and hermits before Benedict, but his famous Rule gave much needed stability to communities dedicated to prayer, work and penance. St. Benedict lived around the year 500.
St. Francis came along 700 years later. Although his movement was different from the monasticism of Benedict, Francis had an important relationship with the Benedictines.

When Francis was forming his brotherhood he rented a small chapel from the Benedictines in Assisi for his followers. He paid a yearly rent with a basket of fish. Today’s Franciscans are still fulfilling the same terms of payment by bringing the Benedictines in Assisi their yearly basket of fish.
The small chapel, called the Portiuncula, is one of the most important places in Franciscan history. The small log-cabin size chapel is today located inside a large beautiful basilica in Assisi. It is the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels.
Francis and his brothers prayed in this small chapel. Francis died, laying on the floor of the Portiuncula.

These two saints and their movements were very different, even though Francis obviously had a great respect for his Benedictine friends.
Benedict is recognized for his common sense, while Francis seemed often to have no sense at all.
Benedict’s monastic rule established a well-ordered life, stable and moderate. He was not a risk taker. On the other hand, Francis seemed to have no concern for risk. Benedict’s rule allowed no foolishness. Francis spoke of himself as God’s fool.

Consider Francis’ conversion to a life dedicated to God. From the crucifix in a ruined chapel outside of Assisi the Lord spoke to Francis. He committed himself to a life of poverty and simplicity by shedding all his clothes in the city square and handing them to his father, a wealthy merchant, who was bewildered at his son’s foolishness.
Gradually other young men of Assisi joined Francis to form a brotherhood (friars). They would hire themselves out as common laborers. When jobs were scarce, they became beggars to survive. Benedict would have thought Francis and his friars to be an embarrassing nuisance.

Francis had a hard time getting his rule approved by the Church in Rome. He resisted the pressure put upon him and his community to follow the Rule of St. Benedict. But he wanted his friars to bear no resemblance to Benedictines.
There were obvious differences between the vision and life style of the disciples of Benedict and Francis.
Benedictines stay in their monasteries to avoid unnecessary contact with the outside world. Francis and his friars preached and often begged in the streets. Benedict’s monks lived in relative comfort. Francis and his friars scorned comforts.

Their manner of dress was different. When Francis walked out of the public square of Assisi, he was quickly given a worn and tattered robe that had been tossed aside to cover his nakedness. He and his band of brothers continued to dress like poor men, their habits often patched to cover tears and worn holes. Benedict’s monks wore habits made of common low-cost cloth sewn by the monastery tailor.
The friars went barefoot. The monks were allowed footwear. Benedict would have thought the friars to look like bums.

When one of the friars ask Francis permission to have his own Book of Psalms, Francis told him no, because he would not be satisfied with just one book. He would want another and then another, and soon he would have a library and would be no different from the Benedictines.
Benedictines cherish and protect their libraries. In fact, the monks were so protective of their libraries that once when Monte Cassino, the Italian headquarters of the Benedictines, was about to be sacked by barbarians, the monks fled with their books and left behind the bones of St. Benedict and his sister St. Scholastica.

These two saints are examples of the variety of gifts the Holy Spirit gives to us. We thank God for the holiness of Francis and Benedict and the great benefits their movements have given to the Church.
St. Benedict was a wise and holy leader whose monasteries have been places of prayer and learning throughout the world.
St. Francis was a mystic poet who sang in praise of God in the streets. This poor troubadour has attracted many followers and helped to reform the Church that had lost its way.
Benedict is known for The Rule of St. Benedict. Francis is known for The Canticle of the Sun.
I sing of both these friends that God has given us.