1. Saint Francis experienced a life changing call, has anything in your journey so far challenged you to alter your lifestyle?In my experience, the call to ministry is nothing BUT life changing. It's all that I am and all that I hope to be each day (but never quite succeed!). Every day I learn more about Christ's call to all people to follow his paths, and every day I have to re-consider where I am following well and where I may fall short. Ah, change.
2. Francis experienced mocking and persecution, quite often in the comfortable west this is far from our experience. If you have experienced something like this how do you deal with it, if not how does it challenge you to pray for those whose experience is daily persecution?
It's taken a while to find my voice to respond to periodic "mocking and persecution". As a Christian, many secular liberals - especially in the lesbian circles I encounter - mock (fear? resent?) an active faith life; as a lesbian/liberal, many other Christians deride and despise who I am as a Christian and as a person. To the one, I've learned to respond with a little self-effacing humor, helping non-churchy-type folks see I don't take myself too seriously (but that I do take my faith seriously). To the other, I try to speak with love for, but disagreement with them: "I am faithful, as are you". This is never a perfected art, and it always takes some humility (God help me!) to try over and over again.
3 .St Francis had female counterpart in St Clare, she was influenced by St Francis sermon and went on to found the Poor Clare's, like the Franciscans they depended on alms this was unheard of for women in that time, but she persisted and gained permission to found the order. How important are role models like St Clare to you? Do you have a particular female role model whose courage and dedication inspires you? If so share their story....
They are SO VERY important to me. Many of them are still living or women who were a part of the church in which I was raised. Nancy, Vicki, Dot, Betty - others whose names have gone but whose words or actions remain vivid. Also, the works of Emily Dickinson and Emily Saliers both speak directly to my soul. Thanks so much for this question!
4. Francis loved nature and animals, how important is an expressed love of the created world to the Christian message today?
How can it not be? God created all, and we are a part of it - not above or beyond it.
5. On a lighter note; have you ever led a service of blessing for animals, or a pet service, was it a success, did you enjoy it, and would you do it again?
Our 2 cats and I have been a part of one - and it was beautiful. A big YES to doing it again.
1 comment:
Thank you for blogging your response to persecution, I am sorry you have had to face it.
Hope you get to lead that pet service soon.
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