St. Francis of Assis
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St. Francis of Assisi enjoyed a very rich easy life growing up because of his father's wealth and the permissiveness of the times. He did poorly in school and was very rebellious. His rollercoaster life led him through extravagant times of chasing idols all the way to living on the streets.
In St. Francis' younger years he made a few mistakes. Some say he sinned. The Greek word for sin is hamartia. But did you know that the word is derived from the Greek ἁμαρτία, from ἁμαρτάνειν hamartánein, which means "to miss the mark" or "to err." It is so comforting to know that if we "miss the mark" we are still welcomed to make amends and join Jesus. We are still loved and accepted. St. Francis went on to do great things. He ended up rebuilding a church and creating a religious order. He was able to rebuild a healthier personal life as well and his love for creation blossomed. His contemplative prayers helped him to share compassion with those of two and four legs! His prayer is a comfort to many. He just asks, "Lord make me an instrument of PEACE." Our Sunday School lesson this week includes videos, crafts, games and snacks. We have bird feeders to share compassion with the animals of the air; palm-frond animals to create; exercises incorporating animal sounds; and animal sandwiches for lunch fun! We also share St. Francis’ wonderful prayer: … Where there is hatred, let me sow love ❤❤❤… Godly Play author, Jerome Berryman, has not written a story about St. Francis but the link below offers a script that aligns with Berryman's philosophy. |
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