Searching for God

Francis of Assisi during the moment when God gave him the stigmata

In a recent reflection Friar Tom Purcell wondered what it means to be a Franciscan person. He pointed out that the Franciscan person defines her or himself by searching for God. God is all around us, which is what Francis of Assisi understood. He loved all of creation – from the worms in the earth to the birds in the air to every man, woman and child walking on the ground. This love stemmed from the fact that within every aspect of creation was the face of God.

Our lives are often rushed

To find God in the way of Francis is to recognize the humanity of the person sitting on the sidewalk of a busy street with his hand stretched out for help; this individual is a complex being with an intricate life story full of emotions. He or she deserves our respect. To find God also means having a sense of awareness of our planet as a whole. Our actions have a direct impact on Earth’s overall wellbeing.

It is important to stop and take in the greatness of creation

Francis best explained God’s presence in the world through his Canticle of the Creatures, a poem in which he pointed out the bond of brotherhood and sisterhood between every creature and object within the realm of creation. Of course, with families to support, jobs to worry about, and the general hustle and bustle of our lives, we often forget about creation and our part in it. The only remedy for this is to take a moment and stop the rush of life. Our breaks do not need to be long, but they must allow us to see the world as it really is.