Loving but not always lovable

I guess I should have posted this early today. Oh, well. Better late than never. Today is the celebration of St. Francis. Known now primarily as the author of a prayer that he probably didn't write and as the inspiration for countless birdbaths, Francis has been vastly misunderstood. I suspect he was domesticated by the church a few hundred years ago to avoid his real message: Following God is more important than anything. Period. More than money. More than institutions. More than even the church itself.

Many churches bless animals around his feast day, because Francis had legendary abilities with animals--because he was overflowing with God's love. Let's keep blessing animals, because it's good to remind ourselves that all creation is filled with God's presence and love. But let's also remember that Francis was a radical voice for reform of church and society.

There's a little essay by James Starks on one of my favorite faith websites, www.explorefaith.org. Here's an excerpt:

I cannot really explain why or how he became the saint that speaks most directly to me, but I feel a close relationship with Francis of Assisi and have so since high school. His youthful rebellion and arguments with his father made perfect sense to me. As a teenager, Francis had to struggle to figure out the difference between what his parents wanted for him and what he wanted from himself. Once he realized that God was his real father, Francis’s over-earnest commitment to faith made sense to me, too. And then his forthright manner, combined with a personal gentleness, became my ideal. I learn from Francis’s example and his teachings, and I consciously try to become more like him. I love the ways in which he was peaceful but not passive, loving but not always lovable.