When I was studying theology, a lot of people assumed that feminist theology would be my focus, since I am a woman and was trying to enter an, at the time, largely male-dominated world. But I discovered Liberation theology, William Wilberforce, who worked so hard to abolish slavery throughout the British Empire, and St Francis of Assisi.
Liberation theology is a Christian theological approach emphasising the liberation of the oppressed. It engages in socio-economic analyses, with social concern for the poor and political liberation for oppressed peoples and addresses other forms of inequality, such as race or caste.
Liberation theologians popularised the term "preferential option for the poor". The option for the poor indicates an obligation, on the part of those who would call themselves Christian, first and foremost to care for the poor and vulnerable.[1] In other words, the church should move beyond simple charity work towards promoting social justice: addressing the factors, like oppression and discrimination,
which cause people to live on the margins of society and rely on charity.[2]
It was this social justice aspect of Liberation Theology that appealed to me: giving voice to those who had none, and listening to what they had to say. Or, in terms of the 5 Marks of Mission:
• Tend - To respond to human need by loving service
• Transform - To transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and pursue peace and reconciliation
Today we celebrate the life and ministry of Francis of Assisi: social reformer, itinerant preacher, social worker, lover of nature, and celebrant of poverty.
Francis had a vision, and heard God say, "Francis, Francis, go and repair My church which, as you can see, is falling into ruins." Initially, he believed that God wanted him to restore the church in which he was praying, and he set about doing just that. However, after restoring three churches or chapels, he realised that his mission was to help repair the institution, the Church.
Francis of Assisi felt God calling him to fully embrace the teachings of Jesus and to walk in his footsteps.[3] He took to heart Jesus’ instructions to his disciples, ‘Proclaim the good news, “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for labourers deserve their food.’[4] And that is how he lived and expected his followers to live.
Francis travelled around preaching the gospel message. He preached in villages and towns, to poor and wealthy, men and women; and he preached in the language of the people, making it easier for them to understand his message. He also encouraged people to pray in their own language. It was as a result of his preaching that people began following him.
He overcame his fear of leprosy and spent some time living in a leper’s colony, caring for them. Caring for lepers became an ongoing ministry for Francis and his followers. He believed himself brother to all, under Christ, and considered himself “no friend of Christ if he did not cherish those for whom Christ died".[5]
Francis treated all nature as the mirror of God; as a magnificent book in which God speaks to us and grants us a glimpse of his infinite beauty and goodness.[6] He called all creatures his “brothers” and “sisters,” and is quoted as saying, “God requires that we assist the animals, when they need our help. Each being (human or creature) has the same right of protection. If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men.”[7]
Pope Francis wrote, in 2015, in his Laudato Si’,[8] at 218 ‘In calling to mind the figure of Saint Francis of Assisi, we come to realise that a healthy relationship with creation is one dimension of overall personal conversion, which entails the recognition of our errors, sins, faults and failures, and leads to heartfelt repentance and desire to change. The Australian bishops spoke of the importance of such conversion for achieving reconciliation with creation: “To achieve such reconciliation, we must examine our lives and acknowledge the ways in which we have harmed God’s creation through our actions and our failure to act. We need to experience a conversion or change of heart”.’ [9 AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS’ CONFERENCE, A New Earth – The Environmental Challenge (2002).]
As we celebrate the life and ministry of Francis, we realise that the 5 Marks of Mission are not separate parts of answering God’s call to ministry and mission, but different facets of sharing God’s love. To remind you, they are:
• Tell - To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom (expressed in some contexts as to tell people about the Way of Jesus)
• Teach - To teach, baptise and nurture new believers (expression in some contexts as to teach, incorporate, and nurture people in the Way of Jesus)
• Tend - To respond to human need by loving service
• Transform - To transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and pursue peace and reconciliation
• Treasure - To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth
I’d like to finish with a Franciscan Benediction:
May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in the world so that you can do what others claim cannot be done. To bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.