This year, Bishop Barres has granted permission for us to celebrate liturgically the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi on Sunday, October 4, during this Extraordinary Jubilee. It is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the life of a saint whose simple, joyful, and radical faith continues to inspire the Church more than 800 years after his death.

“Here is our rule,” Francis once said, expressing the heart of his vocation: Live by the Gospel. Francis took those words seriously. He wanted to follow Christ not simply in theory, but in the concrete circumstances of everyday life. His simplicity extended to both his ideas and his actions. If there was a simple way to follow the Gospel—even if it seemed impossible—Francis was willing to try.

One of the famous stories about Francis tells how he preached to hundreds of birds, reminding them to be grateful to God for the beautiful “clothing” He had given them, for their freedom, and for His loving care. Whether every detail of the story can be verified is less important than what it reveals about Francis: he saw God’s goodness everywhere and wanted all creation to praise its Creator.

Francis was also a man of action. When he wanted approval for his new brotherhood, he went to Rome to meet Pope Innocent III. Imagine what the pope must have thought when this poorly dressed beggar appeared before him! Francis was initially dismissed. Yet his humility, perseverance, and sincerity eventually won the pope’s approval. From those very humble beginnings grew the great Franciscan family that continues to serve the Church throughout the world.

Although Francis could have been ordained a priest, he chose to remain a deacon, considering himself unworthy to celebrate the Eucharist. Yet he had an extraordinary reverence for the priesthood and for the sacred mysteries entrusted to the Church.

In many ways, Francis’ life mirrored the life of Jesus. Both were seemingly insignificant in the eyes of the world. Neither possessed political power nor commanded armies. They simply went from place to place proclaiming the truth and inviting people to follow God.

And that is precisely how Francis changed the world.

His revolution was not one of power but of holiness. He demonstrated that a life authentically rooted in the Gospel can have an influence far greater than worldly power or prestige. He never imagined that his little band of brothers would become one of the great religious movements in the history of the Church.

We live in a time when many people have rejected their faith, while others have quietly allowed their faith to become less important in their lives. The Gospel can be challenging because Jesus makes extraordinary claims upon us. He asks us to live according to His truth rather than simply following the values of the culture around us. St. Francis shows us that the answer is not to become angry or discouraged, but to become more faithful. When our faith is challenged, we need courage. When Christian values are dismissed, we need conviction. When people are hostile toward the Church, we need patience and prayer. And when the Gospel seems impossible to live, we need to remember that God’s grace makes possible what we cannot accomplish on our own. St. Francis reminds us that changing the world begins with allowing Christ to change us. We do not need power, prestige, or influence. We simply need the courage to live the Gospel faithfully, joyfully, and generously—and to trust that God will do the rest.