Saint Francis, my brother deacon

At the risk of sounding a bit blasphemous, it seems pretty safe to assert that next to Jesus himself Saint Francis of Assisi is the best known Christian figure in the world and of all-time. Francis is revered by Catholics and non-Catholics alike. Primarily because of his love and care for all of creation, he is even held in high regard by quite a few agnostics and non-believers. Francis lived from the late twelfth to the early-thirteenth century (AD 1181/1182-1226).

In my view, Francesco Bernadone demonstrates a thesis very close to my own heart: that all authentically Christian spirituality is inherently diaconal. This means that identifying as a Christian orients you toward service to others in Jesus name and for the sake of God's kingdom. However, this motivation does not constitute an ulterior motive. Rather, a Christian must truly love her neighbors as they are and because they are, seeing in each person the imago Dei, which is ineradicable even in the person who seems committed to doing evil.

Saint Francis of Assisi, by Jusepe Ribera, 1642

As a Christian, you love God with the entirety of your being by loving your neighbor as you love yourself. This does not mean that you must have deeply affectionate feelings for every person you encounter, at least not up-front. Let's be honest, if you wait for that to happen, you can easily justify never serving anyone. What it means is that when you encounter someone in need, you help him/her. Very often it is by seeing someone's need and endeavoring to help that particular person in those specific circumstances that affection arises in your heart. As with so many things, we often get this backwards.

We are all impoverished beggars. Francis understood that in Christ God took pity on our nothingness. In imitation of Jesus, this not something Francis so much taught as it was how he lived. This is something he demonstrated clearly and umabiguously when he very publicly renounced his father's wealth and the privilege that went along with it. He deliberately sought to live a materially impoverished life in order to live a truly rich life. It was his commitment to poverty and humility, which constitute the foundation of simplicity, that drew people to follow him. Francis insisted that those who followed him (later they became known as "Franciscans"- he died outside of the Franciscan order) have no rule of life except that of the Gospel. Francis simply sought to live out the teachings of Jesus Christ in a straightforward and concrete way. By doing so, he bears witness across centuries what it means to say, "Jesus is Lord."

Eventually, Francis was ordained a deacon. His life of service was certainly diaconal in its essence and to its core. He was not merely a good deacon, Francesco was the very embodiment of the diakonia to which all Christians are called. Practically, he became a deacon so that he could be licensed to preach. While the saying "Go and preach the Gospel today and if you must use words" is likely not something Francis ever said, it stands as a good summary of how he lived. Really, it is a concise definition of diakonia, a word that means "service." Preaching the Gospel by serving others, especially those in need is the diakonia of Christ.

Our Friday traditio is Sarah McLachlan beautifully singing the always timely "Prayer of Saint Francis"-

Saint Francis, committed disciple of Jesus Christ and exemplary deacon, on this your feast day, pray for us! I ask your prayers in a special way for the deacons of the Diocese of Salt Lake City as we gather for our annual retreat, which starts this afternoon.