God rebuilds St Francis.

(Saint Francis – from a poster in Santiago de Compostello)

God rebuilds the spiritual heart of St Francis.
The start of a Saints journey to the Kingdom of heaven,
as we commorate the 800th anniversary of his pilgrimage this weekend.

When Francis gave up his life as a kind of lad about – when he turned away from drinking, fighting, leading a pack of rebels, it was because he had been brought up sharp by Jesus.
Not for the first time or the last, God had visited the soul of one whose life was going in entirely the wrong direction.
Francis’s soul was sick and needed healing.
So God drew him away to a derelict church of San. Damiano on the edge of Assisi. There he knelt in prayer and looked at the faded crucifix still hanging over the altar. Francis insists that the voice of Christ came to him at that moment. The words he heard were: Francis, rebuild my church, which you see is falling down.
The derelict Church certainly needed repairing, just as Francis’s soul needed rebuilding. Francis was about to begin his ministry and service for God. The words of Jesus to him from the cross where his ‘call’ ~ his response was to be his vocation, not just to physically rebuild the Church of San Damiano, but much more, a renewal of the Church in need of a deeper vision of God.

First, though, he had to get to know the One who called him to this service and to know the love of God flowing into him and through him to others.
As  he knelt in that place of meeting with Jesus, he formed this prayer which was to remain with him throughout the rest of his life.

The Prayer before the Crucifix

Most High, glorious God,
enlighten the darkness of my heart
and give me
true faith,
certain hope,
and perfect charity,
sense and knowledge,
Lord, that I may carry out
Your holy and true command

Another prayer which was to become food for his soul is one in which he prays that the love of the Lord Jesus should enter his heart and absorb him with its fire and sweetness. It is known as the Absorbeat  because God’s loving Spirit possesses him.

May the power of your love, Lord Christ,
fiery and sweet as honey,
so absorb our hearts
as to withdraw them from all that is under heaven.
Grant that we may be ready
to die for love of your love,
as you died for love of our love. Amen

A simple, yet deeply profound prayer was one that he is said to have dictated as he lay dying. It was a prayer which he had used often and wasn’t original but it was so important to him that it was his deathbed prayer. Many will know it in some form.

We adore you, most holy Lord Jesus Christ,
here, and in all your churches throughout all the world;
and we bless you,
because, by your holy cross,
you have redeemed the world.

For Francis his spirituality was totally bound up with the Crucifixion. He is said to be responsible for encouraging the devotion known as The Stations of the Cross, the 14 meditations on our Lord’s journey to His Crucifixion. He himself was to be granted the gift of the stigmata when, after a vision of Christ crucified, the wounds of Jesus, in the form, of scars like nail wounds on his hands, feet and right side appeared on his body and remained with him until his death 2 years later.

[Mr G. 3rd October 2026]

A Spider attracted by Music

A spider rests after web weaving.
Photo of spider in Garden of number 18.
Photo by Mr. G.

Thank you for those who took the time to respond to the blog about the spiders in the Lake District.
It was lovely to get responses.

As I visited the web in my garden I marvelled at what might be called Industrial artistry.
You can just make out the intricate and beautiful web she is making. I then remembered a poem I
wrote about another spider, which made its appearance at a concert in Paris.
I was there as a ‘groupie’ to the Felicitas Choir of Essex. The particular concert took place at the church of
St Germain des prés and as the voices soared, I noticed the spider working itself down from heady heights,
to hover over the sopranos. It was obviously an appreciator of music because it was clearly entranced by
human voices in harmony, weaving song from a gossamer score.

Here’s the poem.

 A Spider listens  to a concert.
 
Down came the Spider  
Abseiling intrepidly,
hanging by its own thread,
precariously from the church roof.
It stops; hovering over music ascending
from collective voices.
Sounds made by practiced singers.
“Look, a Spider”, a soprano points out
between pieces.
but the Concert builds to its
final crescendo.
Hearts of all soar with joy’

As the music fades and
the concert ends,
the Spider is gone.
Not just a Spider at all, but perhaps
an Angel, now taking up the music to heaven,
for God to enjoy!

[Mr G .28.September 2026]

Spiders leave their calling cards

A spider leaves a calling card. Photo taken in the Lake District by Gill Henwood

Autumn is the season for spiders both inside the house and also in the countryside and garden.
Recently, two medium sized spiders took up residence in my garden and, separately, wove large webs that in the early morning catch the light. Though not quite as spectacular as the one my friend, Gill Henwood, has captured in her  photo taken in the Lake District, there is something amazing about the work they do. I’ve been feeling quite protective  towards them this week.

Not everyone is a fan of spiders and there are many species, from tiny mites to large, slightly threatening ones. Only a very few tend to bite human beings. According to the Natural History Museum, only about 12 species have been recorded as inflicting a bite on humans and of those, only three have left an unpleasant or painful sensation. As there are over 650 types of spider the risks are minimal. Mind, if you insist on picking them up they will defend themselves!

The evidence of spiders in our gardens and in the fields can be found on a low misty morning when the ground is strewn with gossamer webs, highlighted by frost. These can be found often in their hundreds. This is the work of one species particularly – the Common sheetweb spider or to give its posh name, Linyphia triangularis. It’s a very common species and its presence easily seen – the name sheetweb – may provide a clue!

On Sunday October 4th, many in the UK will be keeping Animal Welfare Sunday. Perhaps we could spare a thought and a prayer for these tiny creatures of God’s creation. I suspect that He had a lot of fun making them!

[Mr G 26th September 2026]

A Christian Prayer for Animal Welfare
by Judy Carman

Almighty God, we come together to thank you
for the beauty and glory of your creation;
to praise you for your holiness and grace;
to acknowledge our responsibility to animals
and for our use of the created world.
But, first of all, we pray for your forgiveness
because of our part in sins of thoughtlessness
and cruelty towards animal life.

Almighty God, you have given us
Temporary lordship of your beautiful creation.
But we have misused our power, turned away
from responsibility and marred your image in us.

Forgive us, true Lord, especially for
our callousness and cruelty to animals.
Help us to follow the way of your Son,
Jesus Christ,
who expressed power in humility
and lordship in loving service.
Enable us, by your Spirit,
to walk in newness of life,
healing injury, avoiding wrong
and making peace with all your creatures.
God of everlasting love, who is eternally forgiving;
in your new creation.
Amen.

From “Peace to All Beings”
by Judy Carman
www.lanternbooks.com

Recognizing God in Creation

Photo of The Ridge, Lake District, by my friend, Gill Henwood.

The future of humanity depends on each person’s commitment to collaborate with God and with their brothers and sisters, in building up a more humane world   (Pope Leo, September 2026)

POPE LEO’S Prayer of Creation.

Let us pray, that inspired by St Francis,
we might experience our interdependence
with all creatures who are loved by God
and worthy of love and respect.

Lord, you love everything you have created
and nothing exists outside the mystery of your tenderness;
every creature, no matter how small,
is the fruit of your love and has a place in this world.
Even the simplest life is surrounded by your care.

Like St Francis of Assisi,
today we want to say “Praise be to you My Lord!”
Through the beauty you reveal yourself as the source of goodness.

We ask you to open our eyes to recognize You,
learning from the mystery of Your closeness to all Creation,
that the world is infinitely more than a problem to solve.
It is a mystery to be contemplated with gratitude and hope.
Help us to discover Your presence in all creation,
so that, in fully recognizing it, we may feel and know ourselves to be
responsible for this common home
where You invite us to care for, respect, and protect
life in all its forms and possibilities.

Praised be You, Lord!
Amen.

~Pope Leo~

(On October 4th the Christian Church celebrates the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis.
The Roman Catholic Church is celebrating a special Jubilee Year until January 10th 2027)

[Mr G. 20th September 2026]