Reflection by Sister Mercedes Rojo, OSF (Spiritual Assistant of St. Francis Fraternity, Milmont Park, PA)
My dear Friends,
Happy Feast of St. Francis!!!
As I wrote this reflection, the trees are shedding their leaves in a magnificent song of joyful surrender. This is what St. Francis practiced so well all his life!! So yesterday, I prayed for all of you that, like him, we may learn to let go of what no longer serves us trusting our loving God to fill those spaces with the gifts of freedom, peace, and full trust in God’s Abundant Grace!
Blessings,
Mercedes
October 4, 2025 – The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi
My Dear Friends,
Last month I reflected on the daily surprises that life brings us daily. As I write to you, we have already arrived at the fall equinox, this magical time when the world around us naturally shifts into equilibrium. Day and night stand in perfect harmony, reminding us of the Beauty and Gift of BALANCE.
What a wonderful opportunity to take time for reflection and renewal — a chance to examine whether or not there is balance in our life, to reflect on what no longer serves us … letting it go, and making SPACE for GOD’S GIFT OF GRACE – the HARVEST of the many gifts received!
Just as night and day move into balance, and trees move into surrender mode releasing their leaves, we too can embrace this time as an opportunity to simplify, realign, and balance. To give thanks for the many graces that have brought us to this point, and then, in deep trust, to let go and ALLOW GOD’S GRACE to do the work that is still needed in us.
What keeps me in balance and aligned with God’s wisdom and grace?
What helps me live each day more open, attuned to God’s voice, and at peace?
What helps me see what no longer serves me and let go?
Letting go is hard!!! Yes, it is, but let us remember that Autumn is also HARVEST time! When wheat and grapes ARE RIPE ENOUGH TO FEED US!!
Autumn: so many fruits top harvest, so many surprises to explore within and around us. Think of the gifts received throughout spring’s growth and summer rest. How can we cultivate them and allow to grow in strength within us? What daily practices can help us do this?
This month we celebrate the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, a man so in touch with God’s presence in all creation. His life his personal transformation connects us to the lessons of the autumn season, emphasizing the importance of personal surrender and balance which leads to the beauty of transformation, and the call to embrace God’s presence in our HERE and NOW.
Francis valued and faithfully practiced letting go of the parts of himself that did not serve him any longer, and in the process, finding FREEDOM, PEACE AND FULL TRUST in GOD’S GRACE.
So what does Francis and Autumn teach us? As you look around, the leaves are letting the green go, but the beauty is not gone, only becomes stronger and deeper… transformed into multiples shades of fiery red and gold!!
Having taught photosynthesis to my students long ago, I asked myself, how do the trees live without their leaves? How do they find the food they need?
And the trees answered me: “We now FEED FROM WHAT WAS STORED INSIDE of us… what lives now INSIDE!!
Remember the words of Jesus… Every disciple to the Kingdom is like the householders, bringing forth OUT OF THEIR TREASURE things both new and old, Mt 13,
At the end of his life, Francis gathered his friends and told them: “I HAVE DONE WHAT IS WAS MINE TO DO. NOW, GO AND DO WHAT IS YOURS.”
SO, WHAT IS OURS TO DO? What is God asking of ME, NOW?
For myself, I want to look at the trees as I imagine Francis did when he lived in the beautiful Rieti Valley… … I want to watch how they surrender – not in sadness- but in a multicolor song of freedom and joy! And I want to be open to God’s grace to have that same freedom and joy!
I want to learn from them how to let go of what no longer serves me and in freedom and Joy follow God’s call to me NOW?
I want to learn how do I bring forth what’s inside me, unlocking the energy of the treasures I’ve been given? And then, to go and do what is mine to do!
One of the great messages of Autumn for me is that life is a continuous cycle of birth, growth, harvest, and letting go, and in the process learn from God’s amazing creation the natural flow and rhythm of birth, death and rebirth.
So let us take time to appreciate the abundance of what has been given by God’s GRACE, as well as the wisdom life has given us…
YES, THE FRUITS OF OUR HARVEST! AND — Give THANKS! ALLOW OUR LOVING AND GRACIOUS GOD to continue His work in us!!
Peace and All Good, Mercedes
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