Topic for June: Priests and Nuns
Saint to contemplate: St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226)
One day Francis was walking by the dilapidated church of San Damiano. He felt that he was led by the Holy Spirit to enter and pray before the crucifix hanging there. As he was praying, Christ on the crucifix came to life and spoke to him in a tender and kind voice: “Francis, don’t you see that my house is being destroyed? “Go, Francis, and repair my Church in ruins.” The ruinous state of the building was a symbol of the decadence of moral and faith of the Christianity itself.
He was born into a rich merchant family. His conversion to a Gospel way of living led Francis renounced his family and became a poor man with no possessions. He was poor, but he was also joyful. Quickly his radical way of life attracted other followers, who similarly gave away their possessions to become beggars.
St. Francis re-evangelised tirelessly for the spiritual and moral renewal, a rebuilding of the church that is the Body of Christ. St. Francis preached the fundamentals of Gospel values of service to the poor, forgotten, voiceless and abandoned in his own time and context. In many ways St. Francis’ life mirrors that of Jesus Christ. Both were rather insignificant men who wandered around small villages preaching to whomever would listen. They didn’t have any political power and did not lead any armies into battle.
Points to emulate:
- Renew and reform the Church
- Revive the faith
“Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.” (St. Francis of Assisi)
Prayer
O Jesus, our beloved Lord and Savior, hear our humble prayers on behalf of your priests and nuns. Give them a deep faith, a bright and firm hope, and a burning love which will constantly increase throughout the course of their holy life. In their loneliness, comfort them; In their sorrows, strengthen them; In their frustrations, point out to them that it is through suffering that the soul is purified and show them that they are needed by the Church, that they are needed by souls, that they are needed for the work of redemption.
Amen.
Baptized and Sent
(Below is the SiSwati version of the same post)
Inhlaba: Bafundisi nabo Sistela
Santa Locwebile: St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226)
Ngalelinye lilanga Francis bekendlula ngasesontfweni lelilidlokolo lase San Damiano. Weva ngatsi uholwa nguMoya Longcwele kutsi angene akhuleke embikwesiphambano lebesilenga khona. Asakhuleka, Khristu lobekalenga kulesiphambano wavuka wakhuluma naye ngelivi lelipholile lelinemusa: “Francis, awuboni yini kutsi indlu yami iyahhohloka? Hamba yeFrancis ulungise lisontfo lami lelihhohlokile.” Lesimo sekuhhohloka kwalendlu bekuluphawu lwekonakala kwesimilo nenkholo yebuKhristu lucobo.
Watalwa emndenini locebile webatsengisi. Kuphendvukela kwakhe emphilweni leshumayelwa Livi kwaholela Francis kutsi afulatsele umndeni wakubo abe yindvodza lemphofu lenganalutfo. Abemphofu kodvwa angulotfokotile. Ngekushesha, indlela yakhe legucukile yekuphila yakhanga labanye balandzeli, nabo labehlukana nelutfo lwabo babatihlupheki. Francis Locwebile washumayela angakhatsali entela kuvuseleleka kwakamoya nekwetimilo, kwakheka kabusha kwelibandla lelinguMtimba waKhristu Francis Locwebile washumayela ngetisekelo letimcoka tetimiso teLivi letilusito kulabamphofu, labadzeliwe, labangeviwa nalabalahliwe ngalesikhatsi nalendzawo bekaphila kuyo.
Ngetindlela letinyenti imphilo ya Francis Locwebile ifanekisa leyo yaJesu Khristu. Bobabili bekungemadvodza nje langagcami ngalutfo labekayaluka emakhayaneni bashumayela kunome ngubani longalalela. Bebate emandla kutembusave futsi abatange bahole emabutfo emphini.
Emaphuzu ekulingisa:
- Kuvuselela nekulungisa liBandla
- Kuvulelela lukholo
Umthandazo
O Jesu, Nkhosi neMsindzisi wetfu lotsandzekako, lale imithandazo letfobile yebapriste netindzela. Banike lukholo lolujulile, litsemba lelihle nalelicinile kanye nelutsandvo loluvutsako, loluyawuhlala njalo lukhula kuyo yonkhe imphilo yabo lengcwele. Uma banesitunge badvudvute; bacinise etinhlungwini tabo; etinkhingeni tabo bakhombise kutsi kuhlanteka kwemphefumulo kungekuhlupheka, bakhombise kutsi liBandla liyabadzinga, imiphefumulo iyabadzinga, kantsi futsi bayadzingeka emsebentini wensindziso.
Amen.
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