St Francis of Assisi a Gospel way of life
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St. Francis of Assisi was first and foremost a man of the Gospel. Wholly devoted to the Gospel message, Francis founded an order dedicated to living a life of poverty and preaching the message of salvation. He did this in the midst of a world obsessed with wealth and material prosperity.
Francis’ faithfulness to Christ and the Gospel brought about great reform in the Church and reminded Christians that their treasure lies in heaven not in the material world. St. Francis is known for his love for God’s creation and his ability to recognize beauty in nature.
It is said that whenever Francis experienced a spiritual consolation, he would stop in his tracks to be in the moment, at times even when it meant leaving his companions to continue walking on ahead of him. Francis had a rich interior life regardless of his external circumstances:
St. Francis of Assisi was first and foremost a man of the Gospel. Wholly devoted to the Gospel message, Francis founded an order dedicated to living a life of poverty and preaching the message of salvation. He did this in the midst of a world obsessed with wealth and material prosperity.
Francis’ faithfulness to Christ and the Gospel brought about great reform in the Church and reminded Christians that their treasure lies in heaven not in the material world. St. Francis is known for his love for God’s creation and his ability to recognize beauty in nature.
It is said that whenever Francis experienced a spiritual consolation, he would stop in his tracks to be in the moment, at times even when it meant leaving his companions to continue walking on ahead of him. Francis had a rich interior life regardless of his external circumstances:
“For, whether walking or sitting,
within doors or without, in toil or at leisure,
he was so absorbed in prayer
as that he seemed to have devoted thereunto
not only his whole heart and body,
but also his whole labor and time.”
– Life of St. Francis by St. Bonaventure
In addition to his prayer and faithfulness, Francis was also a man of great courage, seeking to spread the message of Christ without concern for his own comfort or safety, desiring to give his life for Christ if the opportunity presented it.
When captured during the Crusades, Francis boldly preached the Gospel of Christ to the Sultan, hoping to either bring about his conversion or die a martyr for Christ. The fruits of St. Francis of Assisi’s work in the thirteenth century are still seen today, with countless saints and apostolates inspired by his work and spirituality.
In today’s world, it is harder than ever to quiet our hearts and pray, but we can learn from St. Francis’ faithful example to develop interior lives that are not subject to the distractions and vanities of the world. With the help of the wisdom of Franciscan spirituality, we can learn to be totally dependent on the grace of God and nothing else.
When captured during the Crusades, Francis boldly preached the Gospel of Christ to the Sultan, hoping to either bring about his conversion or die a martyr for Christ. The fruits of St. Francis of Assisi’s work in the thirteenth century are still seen today, with countless saints and apostolates inspired by his work and spirituality.
In today’s world, it is harder than ever to quiet our hearts and pray, but we can learn from St. Francis’ faithful example to develop interior lives that are not subject to the distractions and vanities of the world. With the help of the wisdom of Franciscan spirituality, we can learn to be totally dependent on the grace of God and nothing else.
Very inspiring!
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