Soup for the Soul (Daily Relection)

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Lord what do You want me to do?

In the face of life's uncertainty, many of us wander and wonder how to navigate our lives, but often cannot find the answer. As a last resort, we turn to the Lord to guide us, because we have a deep-seated purpose that only He can satisfy, a spiritual quest that only He can fulfill. The same story was true of Saint Francis of Assisi, who, despite having all the ambitions in life, felt desperate until he knelt before the cross. It was his lowest moment, and he cried out from within, "Lord, what do you want me to do?" he asked. "Show me what you want me to do with my life." And the Lord answered! A voice as clear as day responded: "Francis, go and rebuild my church, which, as you see, is falling down."

Initially, Francis took the Lord's words literally and set out to repair the ruined San Damiano Church. However, as time passed, it gradually dawned on him that his vocation was to rebuild the Church, the human institution that was perilously close to falling apart. Today, the Church is facing yet another crisis and is in need of repair. But amidst all the cries of anguish and anger that we have been hearing lately, there are also firm statements of faith and resolve from people who will not let the betrayals and disappointments distract them from their commitment to Jesus Christ.


Yes, the Church is both divine and human, and Jesus uses human beings in all their fragility and sinfulness to be the sacrament of His love and mercy in a world that seems increasingly unpredictable. Just as Francis knelt before the cross of San Damiano, we need to keep our gaze focused on Jesus, who beckons us to follow Him. Let us continue to do so, in moments of joy as well as sorrow, in the darkness as well as the light.