Making Room - some thoughts for next week
Francis saw his life as one of penance. We often think of
penance as some kind of action or punishment we inflict on ourselves as an
outward expression of our repentance for wrongdoing. It’s not very fashionable
today. In “The Art of Letting Go” Franciscan priest and writer Richard Rohr
suggests Francis understood penance as “making room for God”. That is a very
different thing. Making room for God is the letting go of all that distracts us
from seeing God in our everyday lives. And as Francis shows, the more we
practice making room the more we see God. In the end Francis saw God at work in
all people, even thieves, lepers and Muslims; all creatures, even a ferocious
wolf; and all creation, including the birds who he commanded to “beware of the
sin of ingratitude and be always eager to praise God”. As a result he saw and
treated all creatures as brothers and sisters.
The Gospel reading from Luke (17:11-19) of the ten
lepers healed, invites us to make room for God to teach us through those
outside our faith community, or through those we might see as enemies. An
accursed Samaritan is the one who turns back, breaks the law, and gives praise
to God. He loves God with all his heart and soul and mind. It is also the
accursed “good” Samaritan who shows how to love our neighbour. Can we make that
much room for God?
As we reflect on the invitation to make room for God, how
might that shape our relationship with those we struggle with; with our pets
and those animals who provide our food; and with God’s creation where because
of our actions, and inaction, the web of life is unravelling and we see the
pain and suffering in God’s creation.
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