SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI,
DEACON
FEAST DAY: OCTOBER 4TH
Born in Assisi in Umbria in 1181 or 1182, his mother, Pica named him John, yet his father, Pietro Bernardone, a cloth merchant, just returned from France, renamed him, Francesco “the Frenchman.” In his youth, Francis was enamored by the romantic chivalry as propagated by the troubadours of his day. Although Francis showed no interest in his father’s business or formal education, he always had plenty of money and was not afraid to go overboard, living a lavish lifestyle. Francis was on a mission to enjoy himself. He was not, however licentious and would never refuse, for the love of God, anyone who begged an alms from him.
When Francis was about twenty, tensions arose between the cities of Assisi and Perugia. Francis, serving in the military of Assisi, was carried off as a prisoner by the Perugians and held captive for about a year. Although he served his imprisonment with cheerfulness and good temper, he fell into a long and serious illness upon his release. As his body weakened, his spirit grew stronger and the once youthful devote of frivolity became more serious and introspective.
Upon his recovery, Francis was determined to join forces with Walter de Brienne, who was fighting in southern Italy. After having purchased the finest armor, Francis left Assisi as a knight, in order to defend his beloved city. Upon the road, he came upon a gentleman very ill-clad and reduced to poverty. Touched with compassion, Francis changed clothes with him. During that night of sleep, his dreams were marked with that of a magnificent palace, filled with riche arms, all marked with the sign of the cross. Francis heard a voice tell him that the arms belonged to “him” – the voice and his soldiers. Setting out with exaltation for Apulia, Francis never made it to the front. Francis was taken ill once again in Spoleto, where after laying ill for sometime heard a heavenly voice, which seemed to tell him to turn back and return to Assisi, by asking him; “Francis, is it better to serve the master or man?”
In humiliation, Francis returned once again to Assisi, not in victory, but in defeat. Francis returned to his old way of life, but now more quietly and with less enthusiasm and enjoyment. Francis began to give himself much more to prayer and desired to sell his goods in order to buy the precious jewel of the gospel. Certain strong inspirations made Francis understand that the spiritual warfare of Christ was begun through mortification and victory over one’s self. While riding one day in the plain of Assisi, he met a leper, whose sores were so grotesque that at the sight of them, Francis was struck with utter horror. Something prompted Francis to dismount from his horse and give the leper an alms. As the leper stretched out his hand for the alms, Francis reached out and kissed the man. It would be this act of humility that would begin the great revolution that would change the world forever.
Francis would often visit hospitals serving the sick, giving away his clothing and money. When he was not serving the needs of the sick, Francis would spend more time in prayer, especially in the ruined church of San Damiano (St. Damian), which was situated just outside the city walls of Assisi. It was at San Damiano, where Francis seemed to hear a voice coming from the Byzantine crucifix, hanging above the altar. The voice instructed Francis three times, “Francis, rebuild my church, which as you see is falling all around you.” Francis, standing in the midst of the old church, suffering the ravages of various wars, took the Lord seriously and would spend the next three years rebuilding San Damiano and two other churches with stone and mortar.
In order to pray for the needed materials, Francis initially went home and loaded a horse with cloth from his father’s warehouse in order to sell it. Not only did he sell the cloth, Francis also sold the horse. Francis’ father flew into a rage upon learning what Francis had done. Francis was dragged, shackled to Bishop Guido of Assisi, where his father demanded justice. In one of the greatest acts of humility and faith in God, Francis renounced his inheritance and his father’s name, handing everything back to his father, including the clothes on his back. “Hitherto I have called you father on earth, but now I say ‘Our Father, who art in Heaven’.” The bishop quickly moved to cover the naked Francis; an act that symbolized Francis’ relationship with Christ, through the mantle of holy mother church. Pietro Bernardone, left the court of the bishop, full of rage and sorrow.
An old laborer’s cloak was given to Francis to wear, at which he made a cross on the garment with a piece of chalk. Francis went about singing the praises of God, proclaiming that he was the “herald of the great King.” At first, the citizens of Assisi thought Francis mad, at which they would pelt him with rocks and mud as well as spit upon him when he would walk the streets, preaching about the love of God. Francis’ newfound life was a great embarrassment to his father, while his mother painfully looked on, seeming to understand the heart of her son. Francis and his father would never reconcile.
Little by little, Francis attracted many followers to his way of life. One such follower, Bernard da Quintavalle, a rich tradesman of Assisi pressed Francis to stay the night with him to discuss Bernard’s restless discontent. When Bernard seemed to have fallen asleep, Francis got up and began to pray all night, repeating aloud the words, “Deus meus et Omnia,” “My God and my All.” Bernard secretly watched Francis pray through the night. This event would lead Bernard to sell all his belongings, give the money to the poor and follow Francis in his way of life.
Francis, knowing that his order was growing, set out to write a simple rule of life, which had to be approved by the Pope. Making his way to Rome with some of his followers, Francis was able to impress upon Pope Innocent III his vision of living the life of the Gospel of Christ, yet not until the Holy Father was convinced through a dream. As the pontiff slept, he saw the Lateran Basilica (the Cathedral of the Bishop of Rome) leaning on its side, as if to fall over. Next to the Basilica, he saw Francis holding the church up, thus keeping it from falling. Pope Innocent was convinced that Francis and his way of life of poverty, chastity and obedience for the love of God, was truly a gift and a calling from God.
Francis would fasted often or would place dirt on his food, as well as through himself, naked, in the snow, whenever he struggled with thoughts of lust. He referred to himself as Brother Ass, yet would apologize to his body, during the last hours of his life, for mistreating his body so. Francis never felt called to the priesthood, yet did submit to being ordained a deacon, so that he could preach in churches, with the local bishops’ permission.
Francis’ love for Jesus was so deep that he would spend hours, lost in prayer, especially while meditating on the crucifix. His heart’s desire was to know Jesus so intimately, that he would immerse himself totally into the life of Christ. Francis especially loved Christmas for his love of the Christ child. In 1223, Francis spent Christmas at Grecchio and preached at all the Masses. He wanted to know all the hardships that the Christ child endured the night of his birth and proceeded to set up what is believed to be the first live nativity scene. Our nativity displays of today can trace their origin to that Christmas night in 1223 and to St. Francis.
Not only did Francis want to know first hand the sufferings of the Christ child, he also wanted to know and feel the pain of Jesus crucified. On September 17, 1224, our Blessed Lord granted Francis his heart’s desire and marked the little poverello (the little poor one) with the stigmata, or the wounds of Christ. Francis would carry the wounds of his Lord’s passion for the last two years of his life. Suffering great pain, yet great happiness at the same time, Francis would try to conceal the wounds on his hands, feet and side with his habit (grey robe) and through the wearing of shoes and stockings.
At the time of his death on Saturday, October 3, 1226, Francis was nearly blind and suffered greatly from stomach ulcers. He had asked his brothers to take him to the Portiuncula (Little Portion) church, where he would welcome “Sister Death.” He blessed Assisi and all her citizens, who for many years had fallen in love with the poverello. Francis wanted to be laid on the ground and covered with an old habit. He exhorted his brothers to love God, poverty and the gospel “before all other ordinances.” Francis told his followers on that blessed Saturday before his death, and he tells each of us; “I have done my part; may Christ teach you to do yours.”
Francis was canonized a saint in 1228, two years after his death by Pope Gregory IX.
READING
A reading from a letter written to all the faithful by Saint Francis of Assisi, deacon
It was through his archangel, Saint Gabriel, that the Father above made know to the holy and glorious Virgin Mary that the worthy, holy and glorious Word of the Father would come from heaven and take from her womb the real flesh of our human frailty. Though he was wealthy beyond reckoning, he still willingly chose to be poor with his blessed mother. And shortly before his passion he celebrated the Passover with his disciples. Then he prayed to his Father saying: “Father, if it be possible, let this cup be taken from me.”
Nevertheless, he reposed his will in the will of his Father. The Father willed that his blessed and glorious Son, whom he gave to us and who was born for us, should through his own blood offer himself as a sacrificial victim on the altar of the cross. This was to be done not for himself through whom all things were made, but for our sins. It was intended to leave us an example of how to follow in his footsteps. And he desires all of us to be saved through him, and to receive him with pure heart and chaste body.
Let us also love our neighbors as ourselves. Let us have charity and humility. Let us give alms because these cleanse our souls from the stains of sin. Men lose all the material things they leave behind them in this world, but they carry with them the reward of their charity and the alms they give. For these they will receive from the Lord the reward and recompense they deserve. We must not be wise according to the flesh. Rather we must be simple, humble and pure. We should never desire to be over others. Instead, we ought to be servants who are submissive to every human being for God’s sake. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on all who live in this way and persevere in it to the end. He will permanently dwell in them. They will be the Father’s children who do his work.
Prayer
Father,
you helped Saint Francis to reflect the image of Christ
through a life of poverty and humility.
May we follow your Son
by walking in the footsteps of Francis of Assisi,
and by imitating his joyful love.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.