St Francis of Assisi - October 4

Saint Francis
October 4

Saint Francis was born in 1181 at Assisi, Umbria, Italy the son of a wealthy cloth merchant. After a somewhat misspent youth and some military service, Francis had a conversion of the heart. He gave away all his belongings, future inheritance and founded what came to be called the Order of Friars Minor (also known as the Franciscans). During Christmastide of the year 1223 Francis conceived of the idea of creating a living Nativity and is said to be the originator of the Christmas Crèche. Two years before his death, St. Francis received the image of Christ crucified in the stigmata.

What he is most remembered for is his love of animals. It is said that St. Francis was given a lamb as a gift. This lamb followed him everywhere even to church. He taught his lamb to have such piety in the presence of our Lord in the Eucharist that she would bow onto her knees at the moment the Eucharist was elevated.

The Feast of St. Francis brings back wonderful memories of when our children were in grade school. Each year on the Feast of St. Francis they would “actively discuss” whose turn it was to hold Sam’s leash while she received her blessing from Fr. Gary. A hundred or so animals of all kinds would wildly run back and forth across our playground dragging a young child along for the ride. Eventually we would all gather, Father would give a blessing and each child would walk or carry their pet up to be sprinkled with holy water. It was a grand, glorious and rather noisy celebration. Recess later in the day was always exciting when little deposits were discovered scattered across our playground lawn. I also have fond memories of playground duty.

Saint Francis of Assisi - October 4

Saint Francis of Assisi and the Stigmata

While in supernatural ecstasy, a state where the mind rivets its attention on a religious subject and the activity of the senses are suspended, Saint Francis of Assisi received the stigmata. Marks "fashioned in his members by the hand of the living God," Saint Francis received visible signs of the Passion of Christ on his hands, feet and side.

Saint Bonaventure wrote this in his work, Lengenda Minor (Minor Life). “Two years before Francis, the faithful servant of Christ, gave his soul back to God, he was alone on the top of Mt. Alverna. There he had begun a fast of forty days in honor of the archangel Michael and was immersed more deeply than usual in the delights of heavenly contemplation.

As he was drawn aloft through ardent longing for God one morning near the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, and was praying on the mountainside, he saw what appeared as a seraph with six bright wings gleaming like a fire descending from the heights of heaven. As this figure approached in swift flight and came near the man of God it appeared not only winged but also crucified. The sight of it amazed Francis and his soul experienced joy mingled with pain. He was delighted with the sight of Christ appearing to him so graciously and intimately and yet the awe-inspiring vision of Christ nailed to the cross aroused in his soul a joy of compassionate love.

Because of this new and astounding miracle unheard of in times past, Francis came down from the mountain a new man adorned with the sacred stigmata, bearing in his body the image of the Crucified not made by a craftsman in wood or stone , but fashioned in his members by the hand of the living God.” (From the Legenda Minor of St. Bonaventure [Minor Life of St. Bonaventure])

Heavenly Father,
You gave Your servant Francis
the grace of intimate union with Your crucified Son.
Help us with the cross we bear that, united with You,
we too may know the peace and joy that Francis received.
We ask this in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

  Apostleship of Prayer
The Likeness of Christ Crucified

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Art
St. Francis in Ecstasy – Caravaggio
St. Francis in Ecstasy – Bellini
St. Francis Receiving the Stigmata – Giotto

Saint Clare of Assisi - August 11

Saint Clare

Feast Day August 11

Patron Saint of Television 

"Gaze upon Him, consider Him, contemplate Him, as you desire to imitate Him." (Saint Clare when speaking of Eucharistic Adoration)

  

Cofoundress of the Order of Poor Ladies, or Clares, and first Abbess of San Damiano; born at Assisi, July 16, 1194 and died there August 11, 1253.


From her earliest years Clare was devoted to prayer. At eighteen years of age when Saint Francis came to preach in Assisi at the church of San Giorgio, Clare was inspired by the words of this “poverello” (little poor man). She begged him to help her live a life “after the manner of the holy Gospel”.

On March 20, 1212, the night of Palm Sunday, Clare went to the chapel of the Porziuncula where Francis and his disciples met her. Here Clare traded her rich dress for a rough tunic, cut her hair and covered her head with a veil. She then vowed herself to the service of Jesus Christ.

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Saint Francis of Assisi - October 4

Saint Francis of Assisi
Feast Day
October 4

The Blessing of St. Francis
May the Lord bless you
and keep you;
may the Lord show his face to you
and have compassion on you!
May he turn his face to you
and give you peace!
Amen.

Saint Francis was born in 1181 at Assisi, Umbria, Italy as Francis Bernardone, the son of Pietro Bernadone, a rich cloth merchant. Though he had a good education and became part of his father’s business, he also had a somewhat misspent youth. Street brawler and some-time soldier. Captured during a conflict between Assisi and Perugia, he spent over a year as a prisoner of war. During this time he had a conversion experience, including a reported message from Christ calling him to leave this worldly life. Upon release, Francis began taking his religion seriously.

He took the Gospels as the rule of his life, Jesus Christ as his literal example. He dressed in rough clothes, begged for his sustenance, and preached purity and peace. His family disapproved, and his father disinherited him; Francis formally renounced his wealth and inheritance. He visited hospitals, served the sick, preached in the streets, and took all men and women as siblings. He began to attract followers in 1209, and with papal blessing, founded the Franciscans based on a simple statement by Jesus: "Leave all and follow me." In 1212 Clare of Assisi became his spiritual student, which led to the founding of the Poor Clares.

While in meditation on Mount Alvernia in the Apennines in September 1224, Francis received the stigmata, which periodically bled during the remaining two years of his life. This miracle has a separate memorial on 17 September. Saint Francis died October 3 1226.

THE PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS
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.

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Art
The Sermon to the Birds - Giotto