Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi
(Jonah 1:1-2:1-2.11; Luke 10:25-37)
Not long after his
conversion St. Francis was riding on his horse. He came across an odor so foul
that his horse reared back. Francis looked
for the source of the odor and saw a leper in the middle of the road. He had always been repelled by lepers, but
now he dismounted and went to the leper. The leper held out his hands, and
Francis kissed them. It was the sign of
reverence people in the Middle Ages given to a bishop. Francis saw something priestly in this
leper. Indeed, he saw him as another
Christ.
In today’s gospel Jesus tells the familiar story of the good
Samaritan. Tradition as long identified
this Samaritan with Christ who saved humanity from death. Jesus would have identified the man beaten
and left half-dead with himself. What
the Samaritan did for that poor man, he did for the Lord.
It sounds impossible, but we are to imitate Francis of
Assisi just as he became “another Christ.”
Like Francis, we should have a special sensitivity to for the poor and
suffering. Like Francis, we should have
a special love for Christ.
