(originally published 2016 - updated 2023)
The most famous stories about St. Francis were written by St. Bonaventure in a book titled The Life of St. Francis. Here is one story that is very familiar to many people:
On a certain day, when Francis had gone out into the fields to meditate, he was walking near the church of Saint Damian, which because of its very old age was threatening to fall, and, at the movement of the Spirit, he went into the building to pray. Prostrating himself before an Image of Christ Crucified, he was filled with great consolation of spirit. And while, with eyes full of tears, he gazed upon the Lord’s Cross, he heard with his bodily ears a Voice coming from that Cross, saying three times: “Francis, go and repair My House, which, as you see, is falling into ruin.” Francis, being alone in the church, trembled and was astonished at the sound of such a wondrous Voice, and, knowing in his heart the power of the divine speech, he was transported in spiritual ecstasy. When he came to himself again, he obeyed, and totally devoted himself to repair the physical church building; however, the principal intent of the message regarded that Church which Christ had purchased with His own blood (p. 14-15).
St. Francis learned that the Church is more than bricks and mortar. God called St. Francis to ‘go and repair’ his House; but the house God was talking about was not, first, a Church building but a Church made of people. You see, when many people say “Church” they think about a building where they go to Mass. This is the same thought St. Francis had when he went to repair the church of St. Damiano. Brothers and Sisters, we are the inheritors of St. Francis’ commission to ‘go and repair’ God’s house; but the house we are to repair is not first a stack of bricks but a community of people.
And, though, our parish is more than bricks and mortar, the physical building is held in high, very-high, esteem, in the liturgy of the Church. In fact, in the Roman Missal, there is a section called “Commons”, that are prayers associated to specific feasts such as Martyrs, Doctors of the Church, or Virgins. This section is listed in rank of liturgical importance. Most highly ranked, even higher than the “Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” is the “Common of the Dedication of a Church.” Why? Because the physical building of a Church is a visible, material, reminder of the spiritual reality of the people of God. As St. Peter says, “You also, like living stones, are being built into his spiritual house.” (1 Peter 2:5)
So, bricks and mortar of Church are the visible image of the Spiritual house of God. Consider this: mortar is made of two elements: cement and sand? So, too, the mortar of God’s ‘spiritual house’ is made up of two things: love of God and love of neighbor. Thus the mortar of the spiritual house made up of the worship of God (cement) and the service of neighbor (sand). We are the People of God and love is what connects us to God and to one another.
So, even as we repair our own Church buildings, let us imitate St. Francis by responding in obedience to the voice of God in prayer and repairing God’s ‘spiritual house’: the People of God gathered in worship and service. Then, after we have worked on repairing our ‘spiritual house’ we will be even more renewed when we enter the confines of our newly renovated church, next month. Not only will our floors, pews, and walls be shiny and new, but the spiritual structure of our congregation will be revitalized, as well.
Father Jarrod Lies, Pastor