Chapter 8: Francis of Assisi

Saint Francis of Assisi (1181/1182 – 3 October 1226), born as Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone and informally named Francesco was an Italian Catholic friar, deacon, and preacher. He founded the men’s Order of Friars Minor, the women’s Order of Saint Clare, the Third Order of Saint Francis and the Custody of the Holy Land. Francis is one of the most venerated religious figures in history.

Pope Gregory IX canonized Francis on 16 July 1228. Along with Saint Catherine of Siena, he was designated Patron saint of Italy. He later became associated with patronage of animals and the natural environment, and it became customary for Catholic and Anglican churches to hold ceremonies blessing animals on his feast day of 4 October. In 1219, he went to Egypt in an attempt to convert the Sultan to put an end to the conflict of the Crusades. By this point, the Franciscan Order had grown to such an extent that its primitive organizational structure was no longer sufficient. He returned to Italy to organize the Order. Once his community was authorized by the Pope, he withdrew increasingly from external affairs. Francis is also known for his love of the Eucharist. In 1223, Francis arranged for the first live nativity scene at Christmas. According to Christian tradition, in 1224 he received the stigmata (marks in his body) during the apparition of seraphic angels in a religious ecstasy, which would make him the second person in Christian tradition after St. Paul (Galatians 6:17) to bear the wounds of Christ’s Passion. He died during the evening hours of 3 October 1226, while listening to a reading he had requested of Psalm 142.

It was November of 2010. My two oldest daughters and I were driving through Italy. For our last night, we stayed in Perugia and decided that our first stop in the morning would be Assisi.

Perugia and Assisi are located on mountaintops, or plateau-type geologic strata. The original reasoning about 3000 years ago was that the height would protect them from an enemy attack. Assisi was probably started around 1000 BC, give or take.

As we ascended Assisi by car, I felt this overwhelming presence of the Holy Spirit, unaware that I would shortly find out why I felt this. We entered the Cathedral Basilica of Francis of Assisi and the presence of the Holy Spirit became even stronger. I discovered that the Franciscan priests, monks, and sisters have been praying consistently over Assisi since early 1200 AD. The answer to what I felt there was God’s almighty presence and the power of the Holy Spirit through centuries of prayer. The visit to Assisi caused me to want to know more about Francis of Assisi,

so I bought a book there that was part of his diary as written by Bernard, his scribe. Bernard would follow Francis around and record his miracles, words, and thoughts. When I returned to the U.S., I bought any book I could find about the history of Francis.

Francis was very wealthy by birth. As he became a teenager, his affluence only caused him to become worldly and immoral. Then, one day Jesus visited him and said he was going to be used by God to reset the Catholic church. After that visit he began studying the teaching of Jesus, and he worked at being obedient to His commands. He immediately started helping the poor. The only problem was that he gave away his father’s possessions and what was to be Francis’ own inheritance. One day his father caught him and warned him that if he ever gave away the family’s wealth again, he would disown Francis. But that did not stop him. The needs of the poor were too great for him to only stand by and watch them suffer. One day, while his father was gone, he gave away significant goods to the poor that belonged to his dad. When his father returned, he found out about his son’s disobedience and immediately disowned him and kicked him out of his home. This began the ministry of Francis of Assisi. He put every ounce of effort into obeying the commands of Jesus. He gave away all of his possessions to the poor and followed Jesus. He sent 5000 men and women out around the world “two by two” in the 20 years he lived to minister. The “two by two” approach followed a command of Jesus. He would not let his “two’s” bring anything as Jesus’ command also said. The two’s were totally dependent on the Lord’s provision. Francis did the greater things that Jesus promised with just a little faith. Why? Because he was obedient to Jesus’ commands, which included being dependent on the Holy Spirit for daily living.

Quotes of Francis of Assisi:

“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”

“Do all you can to preach the gospel and, if necessary, use words!”

“Lord, help me to live this day, quietly, easily. To lean upon Thy great strength, trustfully, restfully. To wait for the unfolding of Thy will, patiently, serenely. To meet others, peacefully, joyously. To face tomorrow, confidently, courageously.”

“The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today.”

The Commands of Jesus (71-80)

Command 71

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)

Command 72

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29-30)

Command 73

Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” (Matthew 14:16)

Command 74

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27)

Command 75

Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” (Matthew 15:10)

Command 76

He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” (Matthew 15:13-14)

Command 77

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. (Matthew 16:24-25)

Command 78

See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. (Matthew 16:10)

Command 79

If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (Matthew 18:15-17)

Command 80

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. (Matthew 18:21-22)