Bro. Alex C.

Henon, RCJ
BEC
Seeing for the first time the animated interpretation of St. Francis of Assisi together with
animal and insect friends give me an impression of awe on how the message of the film
disseminated in a simple and concrete way. For me, the message of the film is all about building
a united community in the midst of differences and diversity. It was obvious in the film that
each characters has their own differences and uniqueness. Yet, it was not a hindrance for St.
Francis to fulfill a task for a day because every character shares their differences and uniqueness.
Relating this to our ordinary experiences in life, I realize that there’s a reason why God created
us unique. Our uniqueness has a purpose for building up a better and supporting community.
Our differences is not a hindrance for us to fulfill our duties and responsibilities inside the
community. Hence, our differences is meant for sharing.
Another realization that I got in the film is the concept of giftedness. Our giftedness,
although different from others, has a specific role for making a community firm and great.
Again, we cannot know the specific role of our giftedness inside the community if we will not
share it wholeheartedly. God is really wise in creating us differently because from our
differences God entrusted an ability to extend our differences to others. That ability will only be
realized by ourselves if and only if we are open to our differences to others differences.
St. Francis is really a very good community leader. Out of the animals and insects’
differences he let them discover on their own their role in fulfilling a responsibility for a day.
But, what is wonderful about the character of St. Francis in the film is his attitude of being open
to the uniqueness of each animals and insects in the film. He consider each animals and insects’
uniqueness as God’s gift which has a particular purpose for making a day wonderful and
meaningful. St. Francis in the film has an eye of a good community leader who sees the
potentialities of each insects and animals’ uniqueness as God’s grace and blessing for building
up a united community out of diversity.
The animated film about St. Francis is an eye-opener for me to see in the perspective of
God what a community is all about. From the perspective of the animated film, a community is
all about Unity in Diversity and also putting God as the center of that unity out of diversity.
Hence, without the presence of God in the community, how a community will survive out of its
diversities?