In our epistle for today we hear: "...leaving you an example, so that you should follow in [Jesus'] steps." That was the scriptural phrase that grabbed Saint Francis' heart and led him to gather others around him as Jesus did the 12 disciples. Together they pondered the scriptures and focused on following the way of the cross, the way of humility, the way of self giving. As the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Philippians: "...Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited." (Phil.2: 6) Jesus didn't aspire to be in the Sanhedrin nor to be the High Priest in the temple, the power positions of Jerusalem. He was led to be an itinerant preacher, teacher, healer, like the prophets in the Hebrew scriptures. As he acknowledged to a scribe seeking to follow him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." (Mt. 8:20, Lk 9 :15). In other words, the way is not always easy.

These days of self isolation that we have been having as our part of flattening the curve of the COVID-19 outbreak have offered us the opportunity to experience humility in a new way. Staying at home is such a little thing, and yet it makes a difference in the world around us. Skies are bluer, clearer, truly around the world. Can you believe what a difference we have made with so little effort?

Spend some time thinking about and praying for all those who are such tremendous examples of self giving for those of us who are staying in, health care workers and their support staff, sanitation workers, drug store and grocery store employees, newspaper workers and deliverers of all kinds including Postal workers, government employees, and the list goes on. When did you ever stop to think of all those people as following in Christ's footsteps?