Eight centuries ago, a young dreamer from Assisi named Francesco di Bernardone heard a voice say to him, “Francesco, va’, ripara la mia casa che, come vedi, è tutta in rovina.” The voice of the Creator was telling Francis of Assisi to “Go, repair my house which, as you can see, is all in ruin.‘ At first Francis thought the voice was referring to the chapel of San Damiano, so he and his friends rebuilt its walls.
Then, he sensed that the Catholic church needed to be revitalized to heal and help the most wounded and marginalized people in its midst, so he founded an order of poverelli who went out to restore hope among humankind. Finally, he urged his followers to care for all of Creation, not just humankind.
This is the first of what I hope will be many daily reflections to see how natural science and faith can come together to heal the world, its many people and species at a time when so much is at risk. I pray that you can share in these reflections and make your own comments in response to them every day. Pace e bene.
Brother Coyote, OEF
