Now that our current Pope has taken the name of St. Francis of Assisi, perhaps it would be good to remind ourselves of certain teachings of this great saint!
Saint Francis of Assisi,
“the little beggar” is perhaps the most popular saint in history.
"Francis
was born in 1182 in Assisi, Italy and his baptismal name was
John, but his father renamed him Franceso, in h
onor
of his
love for France. The s
on of a
wealthy merchant,
Francis had time and m
oney
to host lavish banquets for young nobles who proclaimed him "King
of Feasts."
Parties and selling cloth left
Francis little time for
God.
A handsome, charming and educated
young man, he spent his early life leading young nobles to parties. He
dreamed
of knighthood and l
onged
for the adventurous life
of chivalry. In pursuit
of that
dream, he joined in the war between Assisi and Perugia at the age
of 20.
In
that war,
Francis fought with
youthful enthusiasm, but was wounded and taken pris
oner.
Spending the next year in a dunge
on, he c
ontracted
malaria. Ransomed by his father, a more reflective
Francis
returned to Assisi. Sickness overtook him and in that
languishing experience he heard the first stirrings
of a
vocati
on to peace and justice.
The
military victories
of Count Walter
of Brienne
revived
Francis' desire for
knighthood. Under Brienne's command, he hoped to win his favor and
become a knight.
On his way to join
Brienne,
Francis stopped in
Spoleto and heard the shocking news
of his death. Overcome by
depressi
on, his malaria returned.
One
night a mysterious voice asked him, "Who do you think can best reward
you, the Master or the servant?"
Francis Answered, "The
Master." The voice c
ontinued, "Why do you
leave the Master for the servant?"
Francis realized the
servant was Count Walter. He left Spoleto c
onvinced
God had spoken to him.
From that moment
on,
Francis began to care for the sick and the poor -- especially the
lepers -- c
onvinced that this was what
God had called him to do.
A further call came
in 1205, when, in a dramatic moment
of prayer in the aband
oned
Church
of San Damiano,
Francis heard a voice coming from the crucifix which
challenged him to rebuild the church. At first he thought it meant that
he should rebuild San Damiano, so he sold some
of his
father's cloth to raise m
oney to build the Church at
San Damiano. His father, who was already upset about the life he was
leading, took him to court, where was ordered him to pay back the m
oney.
Francis complied with a dramatic gesture, renouncing his
inheritance and handing his expensive clothing to him as well. Dressed
only
in a workman's smock, he left town and spent the next two years as a
hermit, taking a vow
of poverty and dedicating
his life his life to God.
Francis begged
for his food, wore old clothes, and preached peace. He began to attract
followers, and in 1209 with the papal blessing he founded the Friars
Minor (
Franciscans). Then in 1212
with
St. Clare
of Assisi
he founded the foundati
on of the
Order
of "Poor Ladies," now known
as the "Poor Clares." He also founded the "Third Order
of Penance"
(the Third Order) which included lay people. He was the first pers
on (recorded)
to receive the stigmata (the five wounds
of Christ)
in 1224. Out
of humility
Francis
never accepted the priesthood but remained a deac
on all
his life. He had a great love for animals. His ardent love
of God
merited him the name Seraphic.
Francis died
at the age
of 44
on October
4, 1226 at Portiuncula, Italy. He was can
onized
by Pope Gregory IX less than two years later." H/t to
http://catholicfire.blogspot.co.uk
He had a great devotion to the Mass (Traditional Mass of course) and on the Real Presence. On matters liturgical, St. Francis of Assisi stated:-
Epistola ad clericos
"Let us all consider, O clerics, the great sin and ignorance of which
some are guilty regarding the most holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus
Christ and His most holy Name and the written words of consecration.
For we know that the Body cannot exist until after these words of
consecration. For we have nothing and we see nothing of the Most High
Himself in this world except [His] Body and Blood, names and words by
which we have been created and redeemed from death to life.
But let all those who administer such most holy mysteries, especially
those who do so indifferently, consider among themselves how poor the
chalices, corporals, and linens may be where the Body and Blood of our
Lord Jesus Christ is sacrificed. And by many It is left in wretched
places and carried by the way disrespectfully, received unworthily and
administered to others indiscriminately. Again His Names and written
words are sometimes trampled under foot, for the sensual man perceiveth
not these things that are of God. Shall we not by all these things be
moved with a sense of duty when the good Lord Himself places Himself in
our hands and we handle Him and receive Him daily? Are we unmindful that
we must needs fall into His hands?
Let us then at once and resolutely correct these faults and others;
and wheresoever the most holy Body of our Lord Jesus Christ may be
improperly reserved and abandoned, let It be removed thence and let It
be put and enclosed in a precious place. In like manner wheresoever the
Names and written words of the Lord may be found in unclean places they
ought to be collected and put away in a decent place. And we know that
we are bound above all to observe all these things by the commandments
of the Lord and the constitutions of holy Mother Church. And let him who
does not act thus know that he shall have to render an account
therefore before our Lord Jesus Christ on the day of judgment. And let
him who may cause copies of this writing to be made, to the end that it
may be the better observed, know that he is blessed by the Lord."
Or as St. Francis would have said/written at the time (in Latin):-
"Attendamus, omnes clerici, magnum peccatum et ignorantiam, quam
quidam habent super sanctissimum corpus et sanguinem Domini nostri Jesu
Christi et sacratissima nomina et verba eius scripta, quae sanctificant
corpus. Scimus, quia non potest esse corpus, nisi prius sanctificetur a
verbo. Nihil enim habemus et videmus corporaliter in hoc saeculo de
ipso Altissimo, nisi corpus et sanguinem, nomina et verba, per quae
facti sumus et redempti de morte ad vitam (1 Joa 3,14). Omnes autem illi
qui ministrant tam sanctissima ministeria, considerent intra se, maxime
hi qui indiscrete ministrant, quam viles sint calices, corporalia et
linteamina, ubi sacrificatur corpus et sanguis Domini nostri. Et a
multis in locis vilibus relinquitur, miserabiliter portatur et indigne
sumitur et indiscrete aliis ministratur. Nomina etiam et verba eius
scripta aliquando pedibus conculcantur; quia animalis homo non percipit
ea quae Dei sunt (1 Cor 2,14). Non movemur de his omnibus pietate, cum
ipse pius Dominus in manibus nostris se praebeat et eum tractemus et
sumamus quotidie per os nostrum? An ignoramus, quia debemus venire in
manus eius? Igitur de his omnibus et aliis cito et firmiter emendemus;
et ubicumque fuerit sanctissimum corpus Domini nostri Jesu Christi
illicite collocatum et relictum, removeatur de loco illo et in loco
pretioso ponatur et consignetur. Similiter nomina et verba Domini
scripta, ubicumque inveniantur in locis immundis, colligantur et in loco
honesto debeant collocari. Et scimus, quia haec omnia tenemur super
omnia observare secundum praecepta Domimi et constitutiones sanctae
matris Ecclesiae. Et qui hoc non fecerit, sciat, se coram Domino nostro
Jesu Christo in die iudicii reddere rationem (cfr. Mt 12,36). Hoc
scriptum, ut melius debeat observari, sciant se benedictos a Domino Deo,
qui ipsum fecerint exemplari."
H/t to Fr z at http://wdtprs.com/blog/.