The Lord said to Francis, “Rebuild my Church, for as you see it is falling into ruin.”
Christ said to Francis of Assisi, “Go, rebuild my Church which, as you see, is falling into ruin.”
Posted by: Thomas Richard | January 3, 2010
Ruins of an old church; rural South Carolina
Posted in renewal
Renew The Church! - website and Blog 
Dear Thomas,
Thanks so much for adding your photography to this blog. Sometimes, it is true that “one look is worth a thousand words”.
Words are important, no doubt about it, but so is the meaning which can be conveyed in an image. This image of an old church building in ruins, with the words of Jesus to St. Francis offers much for us to ponder today.
St. Francis was a “rich young man” who did NOT “walk away sorrowful” from Jesus as did the other rich young man in the Gospel. (Mt.19: 16-30 and Luke 18: 18-29). Francis did not understand the deeper meaning in the Lord’s words about His Church, but Francis did what he heard and began to find stones to repair the church building where Jesus spoke to him.
And what are we doing in our time and in our place to “build up the Church”? Perhaps, we do not understand the deeper meaning of God’s words to us in His Gospel, but are we doing anything? Are we praying to hear the Truth that we might do the Truth in love? Are we praying for the Church? Are we doing the Truth we do know and praying for the courage to live God’s Words to us?
Today is the Feast of St. Elizabeth Seton, a woman born in NYC. She was a wife, mother, widow, convert to Catholicism, educator and foundress of the Sisters of Charity. She is the first saint canonized who was born in the United States. God continues to call us all to holiness. Will we go away sad because we are “rich” in our own way? Saints like Francis and Elizabeth followed Jesus, and learned true joy.
St. Elizabeth and St. Francis, pray for us that we may live in Christ as you and all the saints have shown us.
Within this octave of the Epiphany, today, let us continue our journey, as the Wise Men did, following the light of faith and finding the Child Jesus with His Mother wherever the Lord leads us.
By: Deborah on January 4, 2010
at 11:31 am