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Secular Franciscans from across the United States gathered online Sunday, Sept. 27, for “The Easter of Francis,” marking the 800th anniversary of the transitus of St. Francis of Assisi, which will be observed Saturday, Oct. 3.

It begins with music and photographs of creation contributed by members, inviting everyone into prayer before a reading of Thomas of Celano’s account of Francis’s final days.

The reading does not overlook Francis’s suffering. Gravely ill and weakened, he acknowledged how painful his condition was while expressing his desire to remain obedient to God’s will. At his request, the brothers read from John’s Gospel the account of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet. That image of humble service became a thread running through the gathering.  Francis’s trust in God was inseparable from his effort to follow Christ.

Members of the centenary task force then shared how Francis’s example has accompanied them through illness, grief, daily frustrations, and changes in their vocations. One panelist speaks of learning to face the deaths of loved ones with greater peace through Francis’s welcome of Sister Death.

Another describes discovering, during a serious illness, that prayer is “about us. It’s about everybody.” Their reflections also show how fraternity offers companionship through difficult times and a place to practice the Gospel together.

In a recorded message, Mother Mary Angela, abbess of the Poor Clare monastery in Roswell, NM, recalls receiving a work assignment of doing the laundry, something she had hoped to avoid.

Accepting it taught her something about Francis’s call to be a servant of all.

“If we take up the cross, it takes us somewhere,” she said. Over the years, she found that humble service, attention to creation, and respect for each person brought her closer to the Franciscan way. Her conclusion was simple: “living the gospel works.”

National minister Jane DeRose-Bamman, OFS,  challenged participants to carry these reflections beyond the webinar.

Remembering the centenaries, she said, should lead to concrete acts of care for people on the margins, forgiveness, peacemaking, and sharing the joy of the Gospel.

“It begins again today for us to figure out what God is calling us to do,” she told the gathering. The event closed in communal prayer, returning to the Tau as a symbol of service and of the continuing conversion Francis asks of his followers.