Preach

Yesterday we celebrated St. Francis of Assisi, one of the most popular and admired saints. Known for his love of animals and dedication to Lady Poverty, St. Francis is known for his devotion to the teachings of Christ. The Society of Saint John the Evangel, in their Word of the Day email blast yesterday, reflected on the word “Preach” using St. Francis’ famous quote  “preach always, using words only when necessary.” Their reflection on his quote spoke to the importance of our actions in our everyday life as they mirror the teachings of Jesus to those who we meet throughout our day, and echo the message of the Gospel in the world.

On Monday, at Theology on Tap, we looked at a recent article from the Episcopal Cafe, “The Shadows that Follow Us” by Robert Azzi (an American-Arab-Muslim columnist, photojournalist, and active in interfaith worker, especially with the Episcopal Church). The article covered the history of racism in America, and our need for repentance instead of avoidance. As we reflected on Azzi’s words and the recent tragedies in our country, surrounding issues of race, we asked ourselves “what could we do?”. How do we respond as Christians seeking to fulfill our Baptismal covenant within our community and the world?

Reading the SSJE Word of the Day on “Preach” I was reminded of exactly what we could do. We can, and our called to, act as Christ in the world. We are living testaments to the good news of the Gospel as we share Christ’s love, peace, and grace with all whom we meet and encounter. St. Francis life is a testament to the fact that we are all called to preachers, both in our actions and our words. What are you called to preach today? How will you spread the good news in your actions, and when necessary with your words?