FRANCIS OF ASSISI The Wednesday before the Fifth Sunday in Lent! April 6, 2011

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1 FRANCIS OF ASSISI The Wednesday before the Fifth Sunday in Lent! April 6, 2011 This Sundayʼs Lessons Ezekiel 37:1-14 Psalm 130 Romans 8:6-11 St. John 11:1-45 Pastor David J. Risendal facebook Dave Risendal Twitter: drisendal Saint Peter Lutheran Church 9300 East Belleview Avenue Greenwood Village, Colorado voice: 303/ fax: 303/ facebook Saint Peter Lutheran Church Prayer of the Day Almighty God, your Son came into the world to free us all from sin and death. Breathe upon us the power of your Spirit, that we may be raised to new life in Christ and serve you in righteousness all our days, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. A Prayer from Saint Francis Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. St. Francis of Assisi Giovanni Francesco di Bernardone was born in Assisi either during 1181 or 1182 nobody seems quite sure. He was one of seven children born to Pietro di Bernardone, a wealthy cloth merchant, and his wife Pica, about whom little is known except that she was originally from France. Pietro was in France on business when Francis was born, and Pica had him baptized as Giovanni in honor of Saint John the Baptist, in the hope he would grow to be a great religious leader. When his father returned to Assisi, he took to calling him Francesco, possibly in honor of his commercial success and enthusiasm for all things French.

2 The Saints: St. Francis of Assisi (April 6, 2011)! 2 As a youth, Francesco or Francis in English became a devotee of troubadours and was fascinated with French culture. However, according to an ancient story, he was selling cloth and velvet in the marketplace on behalf of his father one day when a beggar came to him and asked for alms. At the conclusion of his business deal, Francis abandoned his wares and ran after the beggar. When he found him, Francis gave the man everything he had in his pockets. His friends quickly chided and mocked him for his act of charity. When he got home, his father scolded him in rage. In 1201, he joined a military expedition and was taken as a prisoner, spending a year in captivity. It is possible that his spiritual conversion was a gradual process rooted in this experience. Upon his return to Assisi in 1203, Francis returned to his carefree life until 1204, when a serious illness led to a spiritual crisis. On February 24, 1209, Francis heard a sermon that changed his life. The sermon was based on St. Matthew 10:9, where Christ tells his followers they should go forth and proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven was upon them, and they should take no money with them, nor even a walking stick or shoes for the road. Francis was so inspired that he devoted himself to a life of poverty. His father tried to change his mind, first with threats and then with beatings. After legal proceedings before the bishop, Francis renounced his father, laying aside even the garments he had received from him. For the next couple of months he lived as a beggar in the region of Assisi. Clad in a rough garment, barefoot, and without staff or money, he began to preach repentance. He was soon joined by his first follower, a prominent fellow townsman, who contributed all that he had to the work. Within a year Francis had eleven followers. These brothers lived a simple life in a house near Assisi; but they spent much of their time wandering through the mountainous districts, always cheerful and full of songs, yet making a deep impression upon their hearers by their heartfelt sermons. Francis eventually founded a religious order, with the intent: To follow the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ and to walk in his footsteps. The group, then known as the "Lesser Brothers, preached on the streets and had no possessions. They were centered in Porziuncola, and preached first in Umbria, before expanding throughout Italy. Francis died on October 3, 1226 while singing Psalm It has been argued that no one in history was as dedicated as Francis to imitate the life, and carry out the work, of Christ in Christ s own way. He and his followers practiced and even venerated poverty. Poverty was so central to his character that in his last written work, the Testament, he said that absolute personal and corporate poverty was the essential lifestyle for the members of his order. He believed that nature itself was the mirror of God. He called all creatures his brothers and sisters, and even preached to the birds and supposedly persuaded a wolf to stop attacking some locals if they agreed to feed the wolf. In his Canticle of the Creatures ( Praises of Creatures or Canticle of the Sun ), he mentioned the Brother Sun and Sister Moon, the wind and water, and Sister Death. He referred to his chronic illnesses as his sisters." His deep sense of brotherhood under God embraced others, and declared that he considered himself no friend of Christ if he did not cherish those for whom Christ died. Francis is often remembered these days because of his love for the animals. Yet even a brief study of his life reveals that his greater passion was for those who lived in poverty. He understood Christ as 1 Most portions of this biography were gleaned from the following internet sites: The Catholic Encyclopedia ( and and

3 The Saints: St. Francis of Assisi (April 6, 2011)! 3 having a deep sense of compassion for those who were hungry and thirsty, and he believed that to be a follower of Christ meant to work at supporting and relieving them. A Prayer of Self Giving Love I beg you, Lord, let the fiery, gentle power of your love take possession of my soul, and snatch it away from everything under heaven, that I may die for love of your love as you saw fit to die for love of mine We note a similar theme in The Prayer of St. Francis a prayer that is prayed in his memory by believers of many different backgrounds and allegiances. In this prayer, as in the example of his own life, St. Francis calls us to join him in a holy love for all who struggle in this world, that through our compassion, they might be able to glimpse the compassion of God. You ll find the words to this prayer on page 5 of your worship folders. Let s pray this together, and then take a few moments to consider the example of this peace-filled and compassionate man from the thirteenth century. David J. Risendal, Pastor A Prayer from St. Francis ( The Canticle of Brother Sun ): Most high, all-powerful, all good, Lord! All praise is yours, all glory, all honor and all blessing. To you alone, Most High, do they belong. No mortal lips are worthy to pronounce your name. All praise be yours, my Lord, through all that you have made, And first my lord Brother Sun, who brings the day; and light you give to us through him. How beautiful is he, how radiant in all his splendor! Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness. All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Moon and Stars; In the heavens you have made them, bright and precious and fair. All praise be yours, My Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air, And fair and stormy, all the weather's moods, by which you cherish all that you have made. All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Water, So useful, lowly, precious and pure. All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brother Fire, through whom you brighten up the night. How beautiful is he, how gay! Full of power and strength. All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Earth, our mother, Who feeds us in her sovereignty and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs. All praise be yours, my Lord, through those who grant pardon For love of you; through those who endure sickness and trial. Happy those who endure in peace, By you, Most High, they will be crowned. All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Death, from whose embrace no mortal can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Happy those She finds doing your will! The second death can do no harm to them. Praise and bless my Lord, and give him thanks, and serve him with great humility. Gospel Lesson; English Text: Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, Lord, he whom you love is ill. 4 But when Jesus heard it, he said, This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it. 5 Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her 2 A list of Bible lessons for the coming weeks is available at

4 The Saints: St. Francis of Assisi (April 6, 2011)! 4 sister and Lazarus, 6 after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, Let us go to Judea again. 8 The disciples said to him, Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again? 9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. 10 But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them. 11 After saying this, he told them, Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him. 12 The disciples said to him, Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right. 13 Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, Lazarus is dead. 15 For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him. 16 Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. 17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. 21 Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him. 23 Jesus said to her, Your brother will rise again. 24 Martha said to him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day. 25 Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? 27 She said to him, Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world. 28 When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, The Teacher is here and is calling for you. 29 And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. 34 He said, Where have you laid him? They said to him, Lord, come and see. 35 Jesus began to weep. 36 So the Jews said, See how he loved him! 37 But some of them said, Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying? 38 Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39 Jesus said, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days. 40 Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God? 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, Father, I thank you for having heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me. 43 When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come out! 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, Unbind him, and let him go. 45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. 3 Gospel Lesson; Greek Text: 11.1 Η ν δέ τις ἀσθενω ν, Λάζαρος ἀπὸ Βηθανίας, ἐκ τη ς κώµης Μαρίας καὶ Μάρθας τη ς ἀδελφη ς αὐτη ς. 2 ἠ ν δὲ Μαριὰµ ἡ ἀλείψασα τὸν κύριον µύρῳ καὶ ἐκµάξασα τοὺς πόδας αὐτου ται ς θριξὶν αὐτη ς, ἡ ς ὁ ἀδελφὸς Λάζαρος ἠσθένει. 3 ἀπέστειλαν οὐ ν αἱ ἀδελφαὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν λέγουσαι κύριε, ἴδε ὃν φιλει ς ἀσθενει. 4 ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Ἰησου ς εἰ πεν αὕτη ἡ ἀσθένεια οὐκ ἔστιν πρὸς θάνατον ἀλλ ὑπὲρ 3 St. John 11:1-45, New Revised Standard Version Bible ( 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America).

5 The Saints: St. Francis of Assisi (April 6, 2011)! 5 τη ς δόξης του θεου, ἵνα δοξασθῃ ὁ υἱὸς του θεου δι αὐτη ς. 5 ἠγάπα δὲ ὁ Ἰησου ς τὴν Μάρθαν καὶ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτη ς καὶ τὸν Λάζαρον. 6 ὡς οὐ ν ἤκουσεν ὅτι ἀσθενει, τότε µὲν ἔµεινεν ἐν ᾡ ἠ ν τόπῳ δύο ἡµέρας, 7 ἔπειτα µετὰ του το λέγει τοι ς µαθηται ς ἄγωµεν εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν πάλιν. 8 λέγουσιν αὐτῳ οἱ µαθηταί ῥαββί, νυ ν ἐζήτουν σε λιθάσαι οἱ Ἰουδαι οι, καὶ πάλιν ὑπάγεις ἐκει ; 9 ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησου ς οὐχὶ δώδεκα ὡ ραι εἰσιν τη ς ἡµέρας; ἐάν τις περιπατῃ ἐν τῃ ἡµέρᾳ, οὐ προσκόπτει, ὅτι τὸ φω ς του κόσµου τούτου βλέπει 10 ἐὰν δέ τις περιπατῃ ἐν τῃ νυκτί, προσκόπτει, ὅτι τὸ φω ς οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν αὐτῳ. 11 Ταυ τα εἰ πεν, καὶ µετὰ του το λέγει αὐτοι ς Λάζαρος ὁ φίλος ἡµω ν κεκοίµηται ἀλλὰ πορεύοµαι ἵνα ἐξυπνίσω αὐτόν. 12 εἰ παν οὐ ν οἱ µαθηταὶ αὐτῳ κύριε, εἰ κεκοίµηται σωθήσεται. 13 εἰρήκει δὲ ὁ Ἰησου ς περὶ του θανάτου αὐτου, ἐκει νοι δὲ ἔδοξαν ὅτι περὶ τη ς κοιµήσεως του ὕπνου λέγει. 14 τότε οὐ ν εἰ πεν αὐτοι ς ὁ Ἰησου ς παρρησίᾳ Λάζαρος ἀπέθανεν, 15 καὶ χαίρω δι ὑµα ς ἵνα πιστεύσητε, ὅτι οὐκ ἤµην ἐκει ἀλλὰ ἄγωµεν πρὸς αὐτόν. 16 εἰ πεν οὐ ν Θωµα ς ὁ λεγόµενος Δίδυµος τοι ς συµµαθηται ς ἄγωµεν καὶ ἡµει ς ἵνα ἀποθάνωµεν µετ αὐτου. 17 Ἐλθὼν οὐ ν ὁ Ἰησου ς εὑ ρεν αὐτὸν τέσσαρας ἤδη ἡµέρας ἔχοντα ἐν τῳ µνηµείῳ. 18 ἠ ν δὲ ἡ Βηθανία ἐγγὺς τω ν Ἱεροσολύµων ὡς ἀπὸ σταδίων δεκαπέντε. 19 πολλοὶ δὲ ἐκ τω ν Ἰουδαίων ἐληλύθεισαν πρὸς τὴν Μάρθαν καὶ Μαριὰµ ἵνα παραµυθήσωνται αὐτὰς περὶ του ἀδελφου. 20 ἡ οὐ ν Μάρθα ὡς ἤκουσεν ὅτι Ἰησου ς ἔρχεται ὑπήντησεν αὐτῳ Μαριὰµ δὲ ἐν τῳ οἴκῳ ἐκαθέζετο. 21 εἰ πεν οὐ ν ἡ Μάρθα πρὸς τὸν Ἰησου ν κύριε, εἰ ἠ ς ὡ δε οὐκ ἂν ἀπέθανεν ὁ ἀδελφός µου 22 [ἀλλὰ] καὶ νυ ν οἰ δα ὅτι ὅσα ἂν αἰτήσῃ τὸν θεὸν δώσει σοι ὁ θεός. 23 λέγει αὐτῃ ὁ Ἰησου ς ἀναστήσεται ὁ ἀδελφός σου. 24 λέγει αὐτῳ ἡ Μάρθα οἰ δα ὅτι ἀναστήσεται ἐν τῃ ἀναστάσει ἐν τῃ ἐσχάτῃ ἡµέρᾳ. 25 εἰ πεν αὐτῃ ὁ Ἰησου ς ἐγώ εἰµι ἡ ἀνάστασις καὶ ἡ ζωή ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐµὲ κὰν ἀποθάνῃ ζήσεται, 26 καὶ πα ς ὁ ζω ν καὶ πιστεύων εἰς ἐµὲ οὐ µὴ ἀποθάνῃ εἰς τὸν αἰω να. πιστεύεις του το; 27 λέγει αὐτῳ ναὶ κύριε, ἐγὼ πεπίστευκα ὅτι σὺ εἰ ὁ χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς του θεου ὁ εἰς τὸν κόσµον ἐρχόµενος. 28 Καὶ του το εἰπου σα ἀπη λθεν καὶ ἐφώνησεν Μαριὰµ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτη ς λάθρᾳ εἰπου σα ὁ διδάσκαλος πάρεστιν καὶ φωνει σε. 29 ἐκείνη δὲ ὡς ἤκουσεν ἠγέρθη ταχὺ καὶ ἤρχετο πρὸς αὐτόν. 30 οὔπω δὲ ἐληλύθει ὁ Ἰησου ς εἰς τὴν κώµην, ἀλλ ἠ ν ἔτι ἐν τῳ τόπῳ ὅπου ὑπήντησεν αὐτῳ ἡ Μάρθα. 31 οἱ οὐ ν Ἰουδαι οι οἱ ὄντες µετ αὐτη ς ἐν τῃ οἰκίᾳ καὶ παραµυθούµενοι αὐτήν, ἰδόντες τὴν Μαριὰµ ὅτι ταχέως ἀνέστη καὶ ἐξη λθεν, ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῃ δόξαντες ὅτι ὑπάγει εἰς τὸ µνηµει ον ἵνα κλαύσῃ ἐκει. 32 Ἡ οὐ ν Μαριὰµ ὡς ἠ λθεν ὅπου ἠ ν Ἰησου ς ἰδου σα αὐτὸν ἔπεσεν αὐτου πρὸς τοὺς πόδας λέγουσα αὐτῳ κύριε, εἰ ἠ ς ὡ δε οὐκ ἄν µου ἀπέθανεν ὁ ἀδελφός. 33 Ἰησου ς οὐ ν ὡς εἰ δεν αὐτὴν κλαίουσαν καὶ τοὺς συνελθόντας αὐτῃ Ἰουδαίους κλαίοντας, ἐνεβριµήσατο τῳ πνεύµατι καὶ ἐτάραξεν ἑαυτὸν 34 καὶ εἰ πεν που τεθείκατε αὐτόν; λέγουσιν αὐτῳ κύριε, ἔρχου καὶ ἴδε. 35 ἐδάκρυσεν ὁ Ἰησου ς. 36 ἔλεγον οὐ ν οἱ Ἰουδαι οι ἴδε πω ς ἐφίλει αὐτόν. 37 τινὲς δὲ ἐξ αὐτω ν εἰ παν οὐκ ἐδύνατο οὑ τος ὁ ἀνοίξας τοὺς ὀφθαλµοὺς του τυφλου ποιη σαι ἵνα καὶ οὑ τος µὴ ἀποθάνῃ; 38 Ἰησου ς οὐ ν πάλιν ἐµβριµώµενος ἐν ἑαυτῳ ἔρχεται εἰς τὸ µνηµει ον ἠ ν δὲ σπήλαιον καὶ λίθος ἐπέκειτο ἐπ αὐτῳ. 39 λέγει ὁ Ἰησου ς ἄρατε τὸν λίθον. λέγει αὐτῳ ἡ ἀδελφὴ του τετελευτηκότος Μάρθα κύριε, ἤδη ὄζει, τεταρται ος γάρ ἐστιν. 40 λέγει αὐτῃ ὁ Ἰησου ς οὐκ εἰ πον σοι ὅτι ἐὰν πιστεύσῃς ὄψῃ τὴν δόξαν του θεου ; 41 ἠ ραν οὐ ν τὸν λίθον. ὁ δὲ Ἰησου ς ἠ ρεν τοὺς ὀφθαλµοὺς ἄνω καὶ εἰ πεν πάτερ, εὐχαριστω σοι ὅτι ἤκουσας µου. 42 ἐγὼ δὲ ᾔδειν ὅτι πάντοτε µου ἀκούεις, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸν ὄχλον τὸν περιεστω τα εἰ πον, ἵνα πιστεύσωσιν ὅτι σύ µε ἀπέστειλας. 43 καὶ ταυ τα εἰπὼν φωνῃ µεγάλῃ ἐκραύγασεν Λάζαρε, δευ ρο ἔξω. 44 ἐξη λθεν ὁ τεθνηκὼς δεδεµένος τοὺς πόδας καὶ τὰς χει ρας κειρίαις καὶ ἡ ὄψις αὐτου σουδαρίῳ περιεδέδετο. λέγει αὐτοι ς ὁ Ἰησου ς λύσατε αὐτὸν καὶ ἄφετε αὐτὸν ὑπάγειν. 45 Πολλοὶ οὐ ν ἐκ τω ν Ἰουδαίων οἱ ἐλθόντες πρὸς τὴν Μαριὰµ καὶ θεασάµενοι ἃ ἐποίησεν ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτόν. 4 First Lesson; English Text: 37:1 The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. 3 He said to me, Mortal, can these bones live? I answered, O Lord God, you know. 4 Then he said to me, Prophesy to these bones, and 4 St. John 11:1-45, The Greek New Testament, Aland, Kurt, Black, Matthew, Martini, Carlo M., Metzger, Bruce M., and Wikgren, Allen, ( 1983, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft Stuttgart).

6 The Saints: St. Francis of Assisi (April 6, 2011)! 6 say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord. 7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. 10 I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. 11 Then he said to me, Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely. 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. 14 I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord. 5 5 Ezekiel 37:1-14, New Revised Standard Version Bible ( 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America).