St. Francis of Assisi
As I studied the life of Francis of Assisi and Franciscan Spirituality in general, I befriended this great saint also. I was really challenged by the realization that because I did not understand the rise of urban life, the birth of the universities, the crusades, the reforming councils and the culture of mercantilism that were all prevalent in St. Francis’s era (1181-1226); I really did not understand him at all.[1] As I reflected on the fact that I had accepted the romanticized view of Francis as the flower child from the film, Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1970’s) as the St. Francis I knew, I was really challenged. I love the garden statues that depict him as the animal and nature lover promoting peace, joy and love, but had never connected his peace with the animal world as a sign of his purity and holiness.[2] I was shocked to find out the beautiful prayer of St. Francis which I have prayed many times cannot be traced to his writings.
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. Amen.
Instead his “peaceable kingdom” message indicates that the created world is good and makes a polemical point against pessimism expressed by heretics of his day who saw the material world as evil.[3]
Prior to my studies at Creighton University, my main contact to Franciscan exposure had been Fr. Richard Rohr. I have been drawn to Fr. Rohr for years always viewing him as someone who speaks directly to my heart and pushes the envelope in promoting social justice, but never really knowing the profound depth coming from his founder with his emphasis on poverty and the humility of Christ as part of the Incarnation itself.[4] As I befriended Francis of Assisi and pondered the following words, “Preach the Gospel, use words only when necessary” which are often attributed to him; I realized that I had a distorted view of St. Francis. He really was a very humble man and attempted to live as closely to Christ crucified as possible. I remember being challenged because my previous views were so romanticized, but at the same time I am overjoyed to realize that St. Francis’s message of peace and joy were desperate cries to end the violence that filled the streets of Assisi during his time and clearly are still relevant in our desperate times. To be able to promote peace as he did particularly to the Islamic world and being willing to risk martyrdom in the name of the gospel is something that I view as very pertinent to the modern world in the promotion of unity amongst the great religions. Now I have a new found appreciation for Fr. Rohr’s passion for promoting the “One” church and am left challenged by my own discernment about what I am called to do in relation to promoting world peace as well as peace within my local community.
Questions to Ponder:
- How might befriending Francis of Assisi help you to see that the material world itself is not evil but how our misuse of the gifts given to us by God can lead to evil?
- What is it in the created world that reminds you of God’s care for you and all of mankind?…..
- How might St. Francis’s message of peace and joy which I believe are being portrayed and exemplified so vividly by Pope Francis today be a desperate cry to end the violence and injustices that fill our streets today?
- Are you aware of and appreciating how God reveals Himself in the ordinary and simple as well as the extraordinary and spectacular?…………
- How might St. Francis help you to see the created world as a source for realizing the divine?
[1] Lawrence S. Cunningham, Francis of Assisi: Performing the Gospel Life (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2004), 127.
[2] Ibid., 97.
[3] Ibid., 105.
[4] Ibid., 74.
Please let me hear how these reflections speak to you….
“Taken from the The Hopeless Romantic: Falling in Love with God site of Patti Clement. www.patticlement.wordpress.com Used with Permission.”
The Hopeless Romantic: Falling in Love with God 