Written by Barb Spies, OFS, Director of Mission Services and Pastoral Care

One of the Core Values of Felician Village is Respect for Human Dignity. This value supports believing each person is made in God’s image and likeness and treating everyone with the highest dignity and respect regardless of status or position. In the Gospels, story after story tells us how Jesus helped and healed those in need. They came from all backgrounds: fellow Jews like the man in the synagogue, the mother-in-law of Peter, Jesus’ friend Lazarus, those who were not part of the Jewish tradition like the centurion’s servant, the woman from Canaan, the 10 lepers, one of whom we know was “a foreigner” who thanked him. So many of the miracles don’t tell us the background of the individuals healed, only that they were in need.

God created us all. God loves us all. This is where the value of Respect for Human Dignity comes from. It is the Gospel. St. Francis experienced the love of a generous, self-giving God and wished to imitate that love of God in his following of Christ. Although St. Francis is revered for his love of animals and of all creatures, his life and teachings call us to do more. In his Earlier Rule, Francis exhorts his followers to love all persons as brothers and sisters in Christ. St. Francis’ love of God overflowed in his love for each person. Francis believed in the dignity of each person, depending not on a person’s rank, wealth, or station in life. He sought to live among the poor and the powerless, in whom he found an image of the poor Christ. In his Rule, Francis writes to his friars: “Whoever comes to them, friend or foe, thief or robber, let him be received with kindness. They must rejoice when they live among people considered of little value and looked down upon, among the poor and the powerless, the sick and the lepers, and the beggars by the wayside.” The friars were to serve the poor in humility. This was a testimony to the dignity the poor have as children of God and brothers and sisters in Christ. May we also keep the dignity of each person in mind in all that we do. We have opportunities through Lent to fast and to give to charity.

Let us pray: God of all life, help us to appreciate the great gift that is human life formed in your image, a reflection of your holiness. Help us to recognize you in all whom you have created: children not yet born, families affected by poverty and war, people of different abilities, people from other lands, and all who are victims of hatred and racism. Help us to bear witness to the dignity of all whom you have created, regardless of stage of life, or wealth, or ability, or color, or creed, for every person is fully equal in your loving eyes. Share with us your holy knowledge that we are all your children, each bestowed with inherent dignity. May your justice reign forever! Amen.