St Francis, a model for evangelism

As is appropriate today on this wonderful feast, I want to talk to you about St. Francis of Assisi. But
not the St. Francis who only sat passively in the woods with all the animals. I want to talk to you
about the St. Francis who transformed the Church. For Francis, the Church was not only the priests
and beautiful buildings but the people of God- women and men, poor and rich, sinners and saints.
The whole world was his cloister and, as one Franciscan said, “the marketplace was his cathedral.”
The bishop made it clear that the Church exists to evangelize. Therefore, we cannot talk about the
Church without talking about evangelization. St. Francis changed the Church by the way he
evangelized. Francis always looked to Jesus of the Gospels as his guide. Jesus did not just wait
around in the Temple and synagogues for people to come to him, he went to where the people were
to share his message of a God who loved all people, especially the poor and outcasts of society. The
central message of Jesus was of mercy, reconciliation and liberation.
People listened to him because he practiced mercy, encouraged reconciliation, and promoted
liberation. St. Francis knew that people would not listen to the preachers if they did not first live
the message of the Gospel they proclaimed. He made this clear to them when he wrote: “Let the
brothers preach by their example.” As you well know, our world still needs to hear the Gospel
message of mercy, reconciliation, and liberation. Let us arise and evangelize.