Today is the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi who is perhaps the most well-known and best-loved saint in both the Catholic and non-Catholic world. He was born into a wealthy family since his father was a cloth merchant and his mother a member of the nobility. Living the life of the carefree rich, he was among the singing troubadours of the young nobles in Assisi. He delighted in fine clothes and showy display of the excesses which the rich and famous could afford.
A turning point in his life occurred when he entered, out of curiosity, a rundown village church of San Damiano. As he looked around the dilapidated building, he heard a voice coming from a crucifix, "Go, Francis, repair my house which you see is
falling in ruins." Moved to action, he sold some of his father's merchandise and donated the proceeds to the priest who initially hesitated to accept the offering. Then he slowly, brick by brick repaired the church out of the sweat of his brow- by begging. He was totally convinced that the message was for the physical repair of the church. Little did he knew then that it also, in fact really meant, the "repair" of the organizational life of the Catholic Church in which he eventually played a significant role. Poverty, Chastity and Obedience became the Rule of the community he founded which is now known as Franciscan Friars.
Slowly the Gospel message especially of humility and helping the poor found a place in his heart. He nourished his greatest desire to walk in the way of Truth. To him, Love was the truest of all truths. He claimed, "What a man is in the sight of God - so much is he and no more!" Peace became his watchword. His passion was to restore tranquility to those hearts torn asunder by civil strife. He went to Egypt in 1219 and met with Sultan Melek El Kamel and his subjects offering peace. Though he was not able to convert the Sultan, his visit with him had a far-reaching effect since after the fall of the Crusader Kingdom, it would be the Franciscans, of all Catholics, who were allowed to stay in the Holy Land and be recognized as the "Custodians of the Holy Land" on behalf of the Christian world.
At this point, I remember, "The Prayer of St. Francis." Do you remember the lyrics?
Make me a channel of your peace
Where there is hatred, let me bring you love
Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord
Where there is doubt, true faith in you.
Oh, Master, grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love with all my soul.
Make me a channel of your peace
It is in giving of ourselves that we receive
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned
In dying we are born to eternal life.
Assisi, Italy is a place where the spirit of St. Francis is so mysteriously present that mere words cannot express. One has to be physically present there to feel the ambiance of the place and thereby be enveloped with the embrace of the Franciscan stigmatist. A pilgrim's visit will almost always be followed by a second one. In my case, I had to have a third visit and the desire to be back still lingers at the back of my mind.
The long white-washed row of arches that form the back of the St. Francis Monastery perched on the verdant Umbrian hill first greets the pilgrims to Assisi. The enchanting, tranquil scene against the meandering clouds of the breathtaking blue of the sky evokes the chorus of "Ohs and Ahs" of every visitor- first-timers and second-timers,etc. alike. Pastoral scenery can and are often seen in different places of the globe especially in Europe but somehow this scene in Assisi belongs to a class all its own. Could it be that it is so because of the blessing of Assisi given by St. Francis weeks before his death?
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