“Jesus answered him, ‘No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God’” (Luke 9:62).
Today we celebrate the Memorial of St. Francis. From the beginning of his ministry, Francis took Jesus’s words in today’s reading to heart. Jesus said, “the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” Often St. Francis had nowhere to lay his head. Jesus said, “go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.” St. Francis went throughout Italy and Egypt and made attempts to proclaim the Gospel in Spain and the Holy Land. Few people today would abandon their comforts of home to follow Christ’s command, but Francis did so without hesitation.
Fit for the Kingdom of God
Francis spent his entire life working toward being fit for the Kingdom of God, but more importantly, he strived to help others do the same. He took God’s Word to people inside and outside Italy’s borders. Francis founded his own order and the order of the Poor Clares. He fed the hungry, clothed the naked, and visited those imprisoned by sin or ignorance of God’s teachings. He loved all God’s creatures—men, women, and all living beings on earth.
Following Francis
Jesus did many good works through St. Francis and wants to do good works through us. He wants us to spread His Word, to care for those in need, and to go forward in our mission. We cannot remain mired in our past and our sins. Jesus is our present and our future. Francis reminds us, “I have been all things unholy. If God can work through me, he can work through anyone.” Let God work through you from this day forward.
First published on October 4, 2023 at https://catholicvineyard.com/feeling-fit-for-a-future-with-god/
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