Don’t Misunderstand St. Francis

Last updated on: October 4, 2013 at 7:40 am by Kathryn Jean Lopez

Don’t Misunderstand St. Francis 2013-10-04T07:40:36-05:00 Kathryn Jean Lopez

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Pope Francis Friday morning in Assisi on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi touched upon the common misunderstanding of the radically holy man: That “Peace was flowing” in some kind of sing-songy way in his life. Whoa, it runs so much deeper, as Pope Francis talked about this morning.

During a Good Friday homily, Dominican Fr. Thomas Joseph White, O.P., beautifully described how St. Francis was wounded by the Cross of Christ:

Francis was radical. The word has a Latin origin: radix: it means that which pertains to the root. This saint was affected to the root of his being, by the mystery we celebrate today, the mystery of the Cross. After his conversion, Francis lived in barns, with mud floors. He forced himself to care for lepers. He disdained honors, and fled the order that he founded twice, to avoid being made the superior. When he was tempted he threw his body onto thorn bushes or into cold lakes. When he preached, to make a fool of himself, he would sing in broken French, in public places. He caused Popes and Cardinals who heard him preach to cry with compunction. He ordered his own friars to lead him by a rope through public places, deriding him and putting ashes on his head, to humiliate himself. The last homily of his life was given to the nuns of his order. When they asked him somewhat spontaneously to preach, he recited Psalm 51, after which he sat on the ground and poured ashes on his own head. A sign of repentance. That was his final word to the world. What was going on with this man? Was he mentally unbalanced, as his own father thought, or was he passive aggressively seeking spiritual power, as some bishops at the time feared? Was he simply trying harder than the rest of us, a kind of Pelagian moral hero? No, it was none of these. Francis of Assisi was a weak person like the rest of us, but he was wounded by the Cross at the core of his being. What St. Francis discovered was that the love of Christ crucified was his only real riches, and he became fanatical to let nothing of his own weakness separate him from the pearl of great price. And so he made of himself a fool in the eyes of the world, to teach us all the wisdom of the Gospel. That the love of the sacred heart alone suffices, and that this love alone fulfills.

St. Francis, pray for us, that we may live by Trinitarian love alone. That we may be wounded by the Cross and live in this reality.

Uncategorized

Pope Francis

St. Francis of Assisi

Previous Post

October 3, 2013

The Nuns Who Topped Billboard

Next Post

October 6, 2013 Blessed Rolando!

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category B16 Christian Persecution Christianity Today Culture Good Links/Must Read HHS Mandate Holy Land Must Reads Prayer Religious Liberty Uncategorized

Select a Month July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What was the name of Noah's three sons?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Shem, Ham, Japheth Benjamin, Joseph, Judah Jacob, Esau, Ishmael Cain, Abel, Seth