St. Anthony of Padua Fraternity Bulletin
Vol. 13 No. 9   September 2008

Franciscan column
by Julie

Brothers and sisters in Francis,

September marks the start of change, from summer to fall and winter. Many are dreading the thought of winter. The cold, the expense of heating our houses, the feeling of being homebound, the ice on the sidewalks, all of these things are on our minds as the weather cools and the days shorten.

BUT, nature thinks differently than we do. It embraces this change! The ground needs to rest, to rebuild its energy and start the new supply of moisture and minerals. Flowers and plants have also used up their energy to bloom and reproduce and shed their seeds. They need to have their tops die back and rest for the winter. Birds have mated and had their young. They are filling up their stomachs to fly back to warmer areas. Squirrels are burying their nuts to dig up later. All of nature in this northern climate is preparing, in essence, for the next spring.

We are so blessed here in Minnesota, because in watching nature and its seasonal changes, we are more aware of how God designs creation . Francis was so fascinated by this movement of nature and the richness and order in it.

All of life follows God’s direction, except man. We need to see how important it is to rest, and take time to listen and ponder what He wants us to do. By waiting for His direction, order and purpose come into our lives. The seasons allow us this time to get ready for change. We go from picnicking and vacations to sitting quietly reading a book or watching a fire. We start making hot meals instead of grilling and cold salads. In the church we finish the calendar and move toward preparing for the birth of Christ.

For many of us, we are in the autumn of our lives. People around us are feeling the effects of aging with achy bones and diminished energy. Our children are older and not needing us as much in their lives. Do we still have purpose? YES, as long as we still are breathing and moving, God has a use for us. Lets listen then, as we watch the leaves turning color and see what that purpose is, and until we know what He wants, lets just wait, watch, and be ready.

Your sister,
Julie