Saturday, November 16, 2013
5 years ago at my Apple group interview I was asked the question,
“Who inspires you?”
To that I replied in a serious but half-jokingly tone,
“My mom. Because she introduced me to Michael Jackson…she told me that ‘It doesn’t matter if you’re black or white’ and that I should ‘Heal the world, make it a better place’…”
The room was silent.
I heard some chuckles and saw some smiles from the people in the interview. I meant it.
I didn’t realize that my mom’s dream for me wasn’t that far fetched…
Today marked the 25th year of my mom’s profession as part of the Third Oder Franciscans.
The Third Order Franciscans is a community of Catholic men and women in the world who seek to pattern their lives after Christ in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi. It includes both congregations of vowed men and women and fraternities of men and women living standard lives in the world.
Growing up I would always wait for the first Sundays of the month because I knew that we were going to Franciscan Friary for Mass. I can recall being surrounded by tall, brown robed priests who celebrated mass, sang with us, and taught us what it meant to see the moon as our sister!
When I was younger, I was curious as to why my mom was so passionate about the Franciscan way. I remember asking her ,
“Mommy…so what does it mean to be a Franciscan?”
And she sang me the Prayer of St. Francis.
When I was younger I would always hear this song. Back then the value of this song didn’t mean much to me.
At that same time in my childhood…I grew up exposed to Michael Jackson and his music. My mom introduced me to Michael Jackson…I fell in love! I would constantly be singing his songs…I would cut out pictures of him and his family from magazines and put it in my scrapbook. Two of my favourite songs were “Black & White” and “Heal the World”.
A few years later…I also asked my mom,
“Mommy…so…what’s so special about St. Francis?”
To that she replied,
“He believed that EVERYONE, EVERY ANIMAL, and EVERYTHING was his sister or brother”
I gave my mom a funny look and asked,
“Even the trees?!??”
She smiled and said,
“Especially the trees!”
This year is my mom’s 25th year as a Third Order Franciscan.
This year also marks my 25th year of life.
As I stood amongst the Franciscan priests and brothers…I was brought back into time when I was growing up. At the end of the Anniversary Mass…they sang the Prayer of Saint Francis once again.
Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there is hatred let me bring your
love.
Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord
And where there’s doubt, true faith in
you.
Oh, Master grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love with all my soul.
Make me a channel of your peace
Where there’s despair in life, let me bring
hope
Where there is darkness, only light
And where there’s sadness, ever joy.
Make me a channel of your peace
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned
In giving to all men that we receive
And in dying that we’re born to eternal
life.
As I listened to the song…I was overwhelmed because I realized that my deep love for nature stemmed from my moms devotion to St. Francis.
How this song was a prayer being lifted up for me by my mom for the past 25 years.
I realized that when I was born…my mom dedicated the rest of her life to live a life like St. Francis. Which encompasses my entire life at this present moment.
I realized that when I was born…my mom dedicated the rest of her life to live a life like St. Francis. Which encompasses my entire life at this present moment.
As I listened to the
Prayer of St. Francis
I realized that this song was the answer to
Michael Jackson’s
“Black & White” and ” Heal the World”.
5 years later on my M.V. blog…I ask myself once again…
“Who inspires me?”
To that I reply,
“My mom. Because she dedicated her life to love God as St. Francis did. She told me to be a ‘Channel of Peace’!”
So…
“What does Michael Jackson & St. Francis have in common?”
“A longing for
PEACE!”
St. Francis, Patron Saint of Animals & Ecology, bearer of Peace,
Pray for Us!
Amen 🙂
Your sincerity, your love for God and your hunger for Him really shines through in this post HanBanan. Thank you for your childlike, simple faith!