On the feast of Saint Francis some residents at Saint Monica’s retirement village in Bristol and people from 2 local meditation groups gathered for a garden service to celebrate the Season of Creation.
We gathered in the Conservatory and Rev. Lucy Blows, a local member of our community, spoke to us about the charism of St Francis and the need of his example in today’s world. I quote here an extract from an address by Lucy at the beginning of the service.
“St Francis has much to teach us even today from his life of simplicity, his care for the poor, and his ability to wonder at God through the natural world. Francis’s love for all of God’s creation extended beyond human beings to include animals and nature itself. He is famously known for preaching to birds and taming a fierce wolf that terrorized the town of Gubbio. His “Canticle of the Sun,” a hymn of praise for the beauty of creation, reflects his wonder of God’s reflection in the natural world.
If then we take Francis’ example and see God in all of creation and if we gather to give thanks and praise for this remarkable creation, we must then surely want to sit up and take note of all that is wrong in the world, all the destruction, the hatred and the trashing of this beautiful earth and all that live on it. If we could unite across generations across borders and across faiths, to celebrate creation, we might then find a way to mend some of the brokenness.
And never underestimate the power of prayer. As we get older, for some of us prayer may be all that we feel we can give. In our prayers, we remember all that we have and give thanks for all that we have and all that has been. We pray for those who are hard to love, our enemies, those whose politics we may not agree with, remembering that we are all made in the image of God!
In a moment we come to a different way of prayer as we meditate. This wonderful way of being is not about asking God for anything or telling God anything. It is about being and allowing God to enter. Allowing space and hospitality for the Holy Spirit. In meditation then we have both prayer and hospitality. A good place to start!
But for today we are going to be and make way for God. ‘God of love and compassion be with me now, be with me in all that I am and in all that I have. May your love and goodness fill the spaces around me. May I always know your presence’.
So, taking a deep breath hear the words Be still and know that I am God.
Have your mantra Maranatha Come Lord Jesus and say it interiorly.
This was followed by 20-minute silent meditation.
We then walked meditatively to the statue of Saint Francis in the Residents’ allotment gardens. We recited together Francis’ Canticle of the Creatures’. See above.
All this accompanied by blasts from the remnants of storm Amy. We nevertheless gave thanks for ‘Brother Wind’ in true Franciscan fashion!
Lucy then read out the ‘Prayer for the Earth’ from Pope Francis’ encyclical ‘Laudato Si’ On Care for our Common Home’. She ended by giving us a Blessing.
Then we all walked back to the Conservatory for a social time and refreshments.
Lucy Blows, Curate: Pill, Easton in Gordano and Portbury
Chaplain to the Mission to Seafarers on Mondays
Shelagh Layet, Editor