SAINT FRANCIS

OF ASSISI, CONFESSOR

(1226)

Saint Francis of Assisi is one of the most sweet and beloved of all saints. He is the saint universally known, talking to flowers, preaching birds, and taming a wolf. He was the inventor of the “Christmas crib”, and the author of the popular “Prayer of St. Francis”. He was born when his father was away from home in France, the reason he gave him the name Francesco, to mean a ‘French man’, and the name John was added at his baptism. The father was a cloth merchant of a cruel and tough character. John Francis spent his youth assisting his father in running his business. He was cheerful, in pursuit of pleasure and of glory of war. When Assisi went to war with a neighboring country (Perugia), he was involved, captured, and imprisoned for a year. He suffered a long serious illness, by the time he was released. On his recovery, he became a different man.

His regard for the poor and the sick, especially the leper was obvious. On his way to join another fight, he heard a voice telling him to turn back and serve the master rather than the man’. Fully dressed up, he met a poor man. He was touched by his poverty, and at once he gave him his clothes. Then he met with a leper, whose sores were so horrible. As the leper stretched his hand to receive a charity, Francis kissed the man. Henceforth he often visited the hospitals to serve the sick, and gave to the poor all what he can. One day while he was praying in St. Demian church, gazing at the crucifix, he heard a voice coming from it, which said three times: “Francis, go and repair my house, which you see falling down.”

Francis believed what he heard. He went to his father’s business while he was out, had a big load of clothes, and sold it to repair the old church, or give the poor. When his father knew, he beat him severely, demanding to pay the money back or renounce all his inheritance. He summoned him to the bishop of Assisi, where he gladly renounced his entire share in the inheritance. Not only that, but he literally said ‘the clothes I wear are also his. I will give them back’, and stripped off himself of the clothes. The bishop found him the dress of one of his worker. Francis made a cross on the garment and put it on. He left in search for shelter, and turned to a life of total poverty and simplicity, wondering through the world begging or calling people for penance and charity. It did not take him long to attract followers who were called, “Friars Minor”. His movement spread quickly throughout the world. In 1219, he sailed with friars to Egypt, and Palestine, trying to evangelize the Moslems. He was successful to meet the ‘sultan’, Malik El-Kamil, who admired Francis but did not convert.

In 1224, while praying on Mount La verna, he received the miracle of the ‘stigmata’, the five wounds of Christ‘s Passion on his hands, feet and side. It left him weak and suffering. His health deteriorated in the remaining two years of his life, with his sight failing. Under severe discomfort and pain, he accomplished the famous ‘Canticle of the Sun’. Then he died at age forty-five, in 1226.

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Page Written By  H. G. H.     ãCopyright  2001