Feast of St. Francis of Assisi
On October 4th the Gnostic Church celebrates the life of Saint-Francis of Assisi.
It may seem strange to readers to find that the Gnostic Church has adopted this day in its Liturgical Calendar since he is a much beloved and venerated Saint in the Roman Church.
But the Gnostic Church does not exclude a Saint simply because he is venerated by another Church, even if that Church is responsible for the centuries old persecution of Gnostics.
What we celebrate today is St. Francis’ amazing courage to leave his former princely life after having an authentic experience of Gnosis. This experience led to a profound transformation in his heart which continues to shed its light upon millions today. One cannot help but to stand in awe of his closeness to the Our Lord, the Aeon Christ, and to His boundless compassion.
It may truly be said that the Inner Christ dwelt in this remarkable man.
He is truly an example to Mystics all over the world, Gnostic or not, Christian or not.
His boundless transformative compassion, which was so strong as to encompass all of creation, initially led him and his followers to be rejected by the Roman Church as heretics. During these episodes of conflict one truly gets a sense that even the Exoteric Church, as powerful as it was in the medieval period, could not help but to give way to the Divine Presence in this man.
The writings of St-Francis included in the readings for today extol us to work on ourselves that same transformation: “Make us O Lord, instruments of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon, where there is doubt, faith; etc.”
We can rest assured that if we follow his method to be poor in spirit toward the Divine Light we will be transformed and may experience that Indwelling Christ more fully within us.
Let us therefore pray as One United Gnostic Community, and One Universal Gnostic Church, that by Saint Francis’ Holy Example we may be so transformed as to shine our compassion onto all of creation and thus, like him, become repairers of the world. Amen.
It may seem strange to readers to find that the Gnostic Church has adopted this day in its Liturgical Calendar since he is a much beloved and venerated Saint in the Roman Church.
But the Gnostic Church does not exclude a Saint simply because he is venerated by another Church, even if that Church is responsible for the centuries old persecution of Gnostics.
What we celebrate today is St. Francis’ amazing courage to leave his former princely life after having an authentic experience of Gnosis. This experience led to a profound transformation in his heart which continues to shed its light upon millions today. One cannot help but to stand in awe of his closeness to the Our Lord, the Aeon Christ, and to His boundless compassion.
It may truly be said that the Inner Christ dwelt in this remarkable man.
He is truly an example to Mystics all over the world, Gnostic or not, Christian or not.
His boundless transformative compassion, which was so strong as to encompass all of creation, initially led him and his followers to be rejected by the Roman Church as heretics. During these episodes of conflict one truly gets a sense that even the Exoteric Church, as powerful as it was in the medieval period, could not help but to give way to the Divine Presence in this man.
The writings of St-Francis included in the readings for today extol us to work on ourselves that same transformation: “Make us O Lord, instruments of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon, where there is doubt, faith; etc.”
We can rest assured that if we follow his method to be poor in spirit toward the Divine Light we will be transformed and may experience that Indwelling Christ more fully within us.
Let us therefore pray as One United Gnostic Community, and One Universal Gnostic Church, that by Saint Francis’ Holy Example we may be so transformed as to shine our compassion onto all of creation and thus, like him, become repairers of the world. Amen.