27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
In our reading, God said that it wasn’t good for man to be alone so he made him go to sleep. When he was sleeping, God took one of his ribs out of his side and made the rib into a woman. He took her to the man and the man called her “woman”. That is why men and women leave their mothers and fathers and belong to each other.
In our Gospel, people were bringing their children to Jesus so he would touch them. The disciples got mad at the people for bothering Jesus. When Jesus saw this, he was angry and he told the disciples to let the children to come to Him. The kingdom of God belongs to people who are like little children. Unless you become like a little child, you will not enter the kingdom of God. Jesus hugged and blessed the children.
Special Saint: St. Francis of Assisi – October 4
Francis was born in 1181 with everything he could possibly hope for as his father was very wealthy. He eventually gave up all of his many possessions and lived for God. He started the Order of the Franciscan Friars with many followers who all lived close to nature and only had what they needed. He preferred to sleep in the open and had a close relationship with God.
Francis had a great love of nature and treated animals the same as people. He was well liked by all who met him. He treated everyone equally whether they were poor or wealthy.
During his final years, St. Francis shared in some of the suffering of Jesus with a happy heart. He never recovered from his illness. He died on October 4, 1226 at the age of 45. St. Francis is considered the founder of all Franciscan orders and the patron saint of animals.
Prayer
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. Amen