Today I was moved to read the story of St Francis of Asis.Here is what i observed and learnt.
Observation
1.St Francis of Asis took the Word of God literally i.e—not in a narrow fundamentalist sense, but
by actually following all that Jesus said and did, joyfully, without
limit and without a sense of self-importance.
2.He was told by Christ ,"Francis, go out and build up my house, for it is nearly falling down." Francis became the totally poor and humble workman.
He gave up all his possessions.
He
was, for a time, considered to be a religious fanatic, begging from
door to door when he could not get money for his work, evokng sadness or
disgust to the hearts of his former friends, ridicule from the
unthinking.
3.During
the last years of his relatively short life (he died at 44), he was
half blind and seriously ill.
4.Two years before his death, he received
the stigmata, the real and painful wounds of Christ in his hands, feet
and side.
5.On his deathbed, he said over and over again the last
addition to his Canticle of the Sun, "Be praised, O Lord, for our Sister
Death." He sang Psalm 141, and at the end asked his superior to have
his clothes removed when the last hour came and for permission to expire
lying naked on the earth, in imitation of his Lord.
Lessons
i)The Grace of God can enable us to do things we would never have done by ourselves;good and great things.
ii)To have genuine faith in God and be willing to do just what the Lord says in his Word without minding much of what others are saying or thinking of you.
iii)When he was told to go and build the Church,it had a deeper meaning so we all need to be praying and asking God to show us ways and how he actually wants us to serve him.
iv)As believers we can sometimes be faced with physical illnesses and pains of which God allows for his own good and meaningful reasons.
v)To be persistence in prayer (with praise and thanksgiving) even when in deep troubles and pains as he continued to pray regulary the 141 Psalms and the praises he sang.
vi)To be humble always and guide our mouth especially when we pass through great troubles and pains and sorrows.(Ps 141)
Prayer:
Lord,now I can somehow see why at sometime you gave us St Francis of Asis as our Patron for the ministry you have given us.You have called us to rebuild broken walls while following your Word.Help us to do your will always,in Jesus Name,Amen.
