The seventh day of Christmas (December 31st) remembers Pope Sylvester I (a 4th century pope), but since this pope was the one who converted Constantine, who began to persecute non-Christians in the Roman Empire in the name of God, I am choosing to focus on someone I hold in higher regard: St. Francis of Assisi. Now St. Francis lived in the 1100s and 1200s. The patron saint of ecologists is fittingly known for his love of nature and animals, as well as for his vow of poverty.
Scripture: Psalm 96:11-13
Devotion:
Today's song was chosen more for the chorus than for the verses since it seemed fitting to "go tell it on the mountains" when discussing St. Francis. Now, this song creates some cognitive dissonance for me. Christians are fond of singing this song within the confines of the church, surrounded by other Christians, but I don't see much evidence (in myself included) of Christians actually going out and telling people about Jesus. We have been tasked with carrying this Good News into a hurting world, but we seem to mostly spend time with other Christians complaining about the state of the world. This condemnation is aimed at myself as much as at others. When was the last time I shared the Gospel with a non-Christian? Do I go beyond sharing a Christian meme on social media that gets lots of "likes" from other Christians? People aren't being converted because they saw our Christian-themed post on social media. People come to know Christ through relationships with Christ-followers. It takes personalization, intentional time, and vulnerability. Witnessing about Christ's power is more than posting "You need God." on a social media platform; witnessing involves a conversation WITH a person instead of a lecture AT your friends. Consider it a discussion instead of a monologue.
I could have chosen Mark 16:15 as today's reading since St. Francis reportedly preached to birds and other animals. Mark's gospel commands people to preach the Gospel to all creation and St. Francis is said to have taken that instruction quite literally. However, we will focus on Psalm 96:11-13 instead. It calls upon heaven to rejoice and the earth to be glad as the sea (and all that's in it) resounds. It tells the fields (and everything in them) to be jubilant and the trees to sing for joy. It calls all of creation to rejoice before the Lord who is coming to judge the earth in righteousness and faithfulness.
Challenge:
Get out in nature. If it's cold (most likely the case now), bundle up. Find a city, state, or national park to walk through. Notice God's marvelous designs in nature. Embrace the silence as you listen for God's voice.
Prayerfully consider how you've done over the past year (or few years since 2020 kinda threw a wrench in normal gatherings and Gospel-sharing plans) at sharing the Gospel. What is the Good News we are to proclaim? What is your (BRIEF) testimony of your life before Jesus, the way you met Jesus, and the ways you have changed since you submitted to Jesus? What has Christ been doing in your life over the past year?
Read up on the Franciscan movement (here, here, and here). When I set out to write this post, I had planned to focus on his vow of poverty and the importance of choosing to live simply (to borrow from the Mennonites' amazing book Living More with Less), but the Gospel message demanded its due place on center stage. Consider what ways we can simplify and reduce our usage of resources so we can give more, share more, and focus on God more. Challenge yourself to only buy essentials for a week (or longer) as you carry out this challenge. Take the money you would have spent on non-essentials and donate it to a worthy cause or charity.
