St. Francis and the Leper

In Serra Gardens, our parish now has a bronze statue depicting St. Francis of Assisi’s encounter with the leper. This statue, dedicated to the memory of our beloved and fondly remembered Fr. Sam Nasada, OFM, will not only remind us of his time at this parish but also of his love and compassion for the most needy, excluded, and marginalized. This passion and love were not only his, but are something we are all called to emulate as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Every time we come to celebrate the Eucharist, the source and summit of our Christian life, and after receiving the Body and Blood of Christ, may we see this image and be reminded of our mission to be agents of transformation in the world; to be “Eucharist” wherever we go—in our homes, at our workplaces, wherever we are and with whomever we meet.

Let us remember that St. Francis of Assisi’s encounter with the leper marks a fundamental turning point in his conversion, transforming his profound disgust and fear into compassion and love. By kissing the leper, Francis overcame his selfishness, seeing in the marginalized and excluded the presence of Christ and thus transforming his bitterness into spiritual sweetness.

St. Francis confessed that seeing lepers was “extremely bitter” to him, but by overcoming this aversion through God’s grace, he embraced the faith, becoming the “saint of mercy.” He learned to see Jesus in the most marginalized and vulnerable, accepting that in them we find God. This act represented a victory over his former life of luxury and his own vanity, compelling him to serve those he had previously avoided.

Dear Mission San Luis Rey community, the embrace, kiss, and service of St. Francis of Assisi to the “leper(s)” invites us to confront our own modern-day “lepers,” such as the rejection of illness, poverty, loneliness, and those who are different in race, language, and social status. May this image of St. Francis and the leper teach us that true spiritual transformation occurs when we move from indifference or fear to active charity and compassion, transforming what is repulsive into a place of spiritual encounter.

As a Catholic community, we are called to be instruments of peace and love to all those we encounter along the way, just as Fr. Sam. Let us ask God that as a parish, we may grow more and more, especially during this jubilee year of St. Francis, in becoming an increasingly intercultural and welcoming community for all, not only when we come to Mass but also when we live the Gospel in our homes, workplaces, and every environment we find ourselves in.

Peace and all good!

Fr. Lalo Jara, OFM