By Kirigwajjo Nicholas Kugonza, OFS………………………..
In a world weary of division, greed, and environmental crisis, the quiet voice of a 13th-century saint still speaks with power and clarity. St. Francis of Assisi, affectionately called the poverello— “the little poor man”—lived a life of radical simplicity, love for all creation, and deep spiritual joy. Though born into wealth and privilege, he chose poverty and humility, walking barefoot among lepers, preaching to birds, and rebuilding the Church, both literally and spiritually.
More than eight centuries later, St. Francis remains a relevant and radiant witness for our modern age.
A Saint for the 21st Century
“Praise be You, my Lord, through Sister Earth, our Mother, who sustains and governs us.”
Those are words of St. Francis extracted from his Canticle of Creature which is 800 years this year. Francis’ love for nature was not merely poetic, but it was prophetic. He saw all of creation as a family, united in praise of the Creator. This vision is echoed in Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ encyclical on care for our common home, which draws heavily from the spirituality of the saint from Assisi.
In a time of ecological destruction, St. Francis urges us to live in harmony with creation, to tread lightly, and to honor the Earth not as a resource, but as a sacred gift. St. Francis taught us that we are not masters as we understand it, but siblings with creation.
Simplicity in a Complicated World and a Messenger of Peace
“For it is in giving that we receive.”
Francis lived without possessions so that he could be rich in spirit. In today’s consumer culture, his embrace of poverty stands as a counter-cultural challenge: to live with less, to find freedom in simplicity, and to remember that our worth is not in what we own, but in how we love.
“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.”
St. Francis was a peacemaker in an age of violence. During the crusades, he crossed battle lines to meet the Muslim Sultan Malik al-Kamil—not to fight, but to speak, listen, and share peace. In our polarized world, where conflict often replaces dialogue, his example offers a powerful model of courage, humility, and bridge-building.
A Heart for the Poor and Outcast
“What you are before God, that you are and nothing more.”
Francis saw Christ in the faces of the poor, the sick, and the rejected. He embraced lepers, served the destitute, and insisted that love for the least of these was central to the Gospel. His life reminds us that our faith is not abstract, it is lived by how we treat the most vulnerable.
His Legacy Lives On
“Francis of Assisi… shows us just how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society, and interior peace.”
Today, people of all backgrounds—religious and secular alike—find inspiration in Francis’ message. He speaks to our longings for peace, purpose, and simplicity. He reminds us that holiness can be found in humility, and joy in self-giving love.
We thank Pope Francis as we commemorate him, for bringing St. Francis and his canticle of Creatures to life in the church at the time we most needed to hear it. Like St. Francis, Pope Francis lived his Papacy reminding us of importance of compassion, solidarity and action for the poor. He often called for a world that prioritizes the marginalized and treats those who have nothing with dignity.
How we can live the Message of St. Francis re-echoed by Pope Francis
“Start by doing what is necessary; then do what is possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”
St. Francis of Assisi does not call us to escape the world but to transform it—by how we live, how we give, and how we love. His example is not about becoming perfect but becoming present: present to God, to others, and to creation.
As we face the challenges of our time, may St. Francis, the Little Poverello guide us with his gentle wisdom, and help us become instruments of peace in a world that sorely needs it.
