St. Francis

[Akita Suggagaki]

Yes, a thread about St Francis. I think he is that significant. Unfortunately he is commonly only thought of as a dreamy, poetic nature lover. The truth is that he was rather rugged. His commitment to social change, poverty, justice, penance and preaching was extreme and difficult. And yet, as difficult as it was, he inspired others to join him. His spirituality was as Christ centered as possible. He still inspires me even though my life and time is very different than his.

"How much interior patience and humility a servant of God may have cannot be known so long as he is contented. But when the time comes that those who ought to please him go against him, as much patience and humility as he then shows, so much has he and no more."

#13

The Writings of St. Francis of Assisi: Part I. Admonitions, Rules, etc.: I. Words of Admonition of Our Holy Father St. Francis

The Writings of St. Francis of Assisi, tr. by Paschal Robinson, [1905], full text etext at sacred-texts.com

sacred-texts.com

 

[RileyG]

I need to study him more! I find him very inspiring. Ever been to Assisi? It's a very beautiful place

 

[FireDragon76]

I actually find his nature mysticism intriguing. I remember listening to a lecture by a Zen roshi and he talked about how he was impressed studying the life of St. Francis, and his "Canticle of the Creatures". His vision was unique among western Christian figures, and perhaps points a way for Christians to relate to ecological crisis in more helpful ways, than viewing the creation as an inert artifact.

 

[Ceallaigh]

I just realized that J.R.R. Tolkien, who was a devout Catholic, probably based his animal living wizard character Radagast on St. Francis.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

I am puzzled as to why Thomas of Celano's 1st Life of Francis can be found a couple places on the internet The First Life of St. Francis

But I cannot find his 2nd life. I have googled everywhere and only found a Latin Portuguese link that did not work.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Chapter 11: Of St. Francis' spirit of prophecy and his admonitions
26. Now the blessed father Francis was being filled day by day with the comfort and grace of the Holy Ghost; and with all watchfulness and care was fashioning his new sons by a new education, teaching them to tread with undeviating steps the way of holy poverty and blessed simplicity.

And one day when he was marveling at the Lord's mercy in regard to the benefits He had bestowed upon him, and was longing that the future course of his own and his disciples' life might be shown him by the Lord, he sought the place of prayer, as he was wont very often to do, and as he continued there for a long time, waiting upon the Ruler of the whole world with fear and trembling, thinking in the bitterness of his soul of the years ill spent, and often repeating the words, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner," by degrees a certain unspeakable joy and surpassing sweetness began to overflow his inmost heart.


So, how do we also come to experience this "comfort and grace", "unspeakable joy and surpassing sweetness"?

Does it require " new education to tread with undeviating steps the way of holy poverty and blessed simplicity"

 

[Lost4words]

I need to study him more! I find him very inspiring. Ever been to Assisi? It's a very beautiful place

I have been there, about 7 years ago. Its a stunning place.

 

[RileyG]

I have been there, about 7 years ago. Its a stunning place.

Beautiful! I even saw the body of St. Clare!!

 

[Lost4words]

Beautiful! I even saw the body of St. Clare!!

I went to see St Padre Pio's body in southern Italy.

After see him i did think that he shouldnt be on display but left to rest in peace...

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

In the Chapel of San Gregorio in the lower church at Subiaco can be found the earliest portrait of St Francis.
This fresco represents him without halo and stigmata, therefore it was probably made before 1224, when he received the stigmata.

St Francis of Assisi by ROMANESQUE PAINTER, Italian

Page of St Francis of Assisi by ROMANESQUE PAINTER, Italian in the Web Gallery of Art, a searchable image collection and database of European painting, sculpture and architecture (200-1900)

www.wga.hu

 

[prodromos]

View attachment 335482
In the Chapel of San Gregorio in the lower church at Subiaco can be found the earliest portrait of St Francis.
This fresco represents him without halo and stigmata, therefore it was probably made before 1224, when he received the stigmata.

St Francis of Assisi by ROMANESQUE PAINTER, Italian

Page of St Francis of Assisi by ROMANESQUE PAINTER, Italian in the Web Gallery of Art, a searchable image collection and database of European painting, sculpture and architecture (200-1900)

www.wga.hu

The Church has never been in the habit of adorning the walls of her temples with images of those who were still breathing.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

The Church has never been in the habit of adorning the walls of her temples with images of those who were still breathing.

That puzzles me also. I am a little skeptical. But it identifies him and yet no stigmata.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

So although I am attracted to St Francis and to Christ, I find their challenges unappealing, crosses and penance.

At a younger more naïve time in my life I though I was on board...until I saw all the thing that can happen to any body.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

PM me if interested in a Franciscan Spirituality study group

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Chapter 7
16. “He who formerly wore scarlet array was now going clad in scanty garments, and as he was singing praises to the Lord in French in a certain wood, some robbers suddenly rushed upon him.10 On their asking him in no friendly tone who he was, the man of God answered confidently with a loud voice, "I am a herald of the great King. What is that to you?" But they beat him and cast him into a pit filled with deep snow, saying, "Lie there, you clownish herald of God!" But he turned himself this way and that to shake off the snow, and when they went away he jumped out of the pit, and exhilarated by great joy began with loud voice through the grove to utter praises to the Creator of all things. At length he reached a cloister monastery where he spent several days as a scullion, wearing nothing but a wretched shirt, and desiring to be filled at least with broth. But when, meeting with no pity there, he could not even get any old clothing, he left the place (not moved by anger but urged by need) and came to the city of Gubbio where he got himself a small tunic from a former friend of his.” Celano I

At this early stage in his religious life, before anyone recognized his sanctity or appreciated what he was about, Francis had “great joy”. It reminds me of when I first had an awakening to faith. I just got a bachelor's degree in accounting and yet my heart was far from such a career. I was still figuring out what my path would be and people thought I was foolish, lost. But there was a deeper peace in knowing that God was with me.

Francis was beaten and treated like a bum. His own father beat him and disowned him. He had become an outcast. He had no followers yet, no influence. All he had was an intimacy with God that would be the foundation of his love of poverty. May we all discover such a foundation.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

I Celano Chapter 28
77. "He overflowed with the spirit of charity, pitying not only men who were suffering need, but even the dumb brutes, reptiles, birds, and other creatures with and without sensation. But among all kinds of animals he loved little lambs with a special love, and a readier affection, because the humility of our Lord Jesus Christ is, in Holy Scripture, most frequently and aptly illustrated by the simile of a lamb. So too especially he would embrace more fondly and behold more gladly all those things wherein might be found some allegorical similitude of the Son of God."
https://dmdhist.sitehost.iu.edu/francis.htm#1.27

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Chapter 19
"For oftentimes while all men were paying him honor he was wounded by exceeding grief, and, casting out the favor of men, he would, contrariwise, get someone to rebuke him. He would call one of the brethren to him and say, "On your obedience I bid you revile me harshly and tell me the truth in opposition to the lies of these men." And when that brother, though unwillingly, called him a boor, and a venal and unprofitable wretch, he would answer smiling and heartily applauding him, "The Lord bless you, because you are saying what is most true, for such things it is meet for the son of Peter di Bernardone to hear." Speaking thus he would recall his humble origin."

I have got to say when anyone even hints at a shortcoming of mine, I get defensive, offended and lose my peace. In honor of his Feast I will try to remember to respond, ""The Lord bless you, because you are saying what is most true, for such things it is meet for me to hear."

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

A clip from Roberto Rossellini’s The Flowers of St. Francis (1950).

"Francis, why you?"

Flowers Of St. Francis, The (1950) -- (Movie Clip) Here Is Francis...

The first appearance of Francis (Nazario Girardi) and his followers, narration by Gianfranco Bellini, from a screenplay by Federico Fellini and director Roberto Rossellini, in Flowers of St. Francis, 1950.

www.tcm.com

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

I am loving some if this Franciscan artwork.

"Life of Francis of Assisi" by Josep Benlliure Gil

"On the Way to Rome" by Pedro Subercaseaux.

 

[Leona_firefly]

I recently read Omer Englebert's biography of St. Francis, and it seemed to me that he took the asceticism aspect and turned it into a sort of idol. As in, poverty became his gospel rather than Jesus. i got the sense that Francis's message wasn't the only way to the Father is through Jesus, but the only way to the Father is through Jesus AND poverty. It struck me as so counterproductive to have his disciples go and beg for food instead of finding work and using their earnings to help the poor. They could have done more that way. I just felt he turned his lifestyle into the object of his faith.