Building the Church

As we celebrate today the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, I’m pondering the call he received to “build up the Church.”  So often in his New Testament letters, St. Paul exhorts us to build up the Body of Christ, and certainly the Church is the Body of Christ.

Francis knew what it meant to build others up in small, daily ways.  His mercy shown to a leper, his care for his brothers in community, and his prayers on behalf of those in need were his way of making Christ present. In some ways, what he did was quite “undramatic” and yet it has left a lasting impression on our world.

What may seem insignificant to us is often precisely what another person needs: a smile, an encouraging word, an offer to help. I’m grateful today for all those who “build me up”, and I’m reminded of my call to do the same.

Who has been a “Francis” to you recently by building you up as a member of Christ’s Body, the Church?