St. Francis of Assisi, a Most Unlikely Saint

From the desk of Deacon Gregg:

When I was a boy learning about saints, characteristics like “holy”, “pious”, “pure of heart”, “prayerful” and “unwavering faith in God” were used.  And rightly so!  Saintly women and men of God be it comes with the territory.  But our beloved St. Francis of Assisi got to a rough start, he looked more like “an unlikely saint” than saintly material.

Born into extreme wealth Francis was spoiled.  Rich parents, rich friends, lavished lifestyle…and quite the ladies’ man.  Indulged by his parents, the handsome Francis was witty, strived to be the center of attention.  One day he encountered a beggar.  Francis was struck with compassion, followed the beggar, and gave him all the money he made selling cloth for his father.  His father scolded him fiercely.  But a “crack” opened in his playboy lifestyle and the Holy Spirit crept in.  It was the beginning of discernment. 

Francis became torn between his party lifestyle and the compassion he felt for the poor.  He denied his calling for a while, went off to war, twice, seeking military glory for even more fame, which left him unsatisfied; empty. He was struggling with one foot in God’s camp and one foot in the world of pleasure.  Eventually a decision was made!  Francis cut ties with his father and lifestyle and answered God’s calling.  

In 1209, Francis heard a sermon on Matthew 10:9; “do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belt; no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep.” It made such an impression on him that he decided to devote himself wholly to a life of apostolic poverty.  He chose to emulate Christ, loving his neighbor, feeding the poor, nursing lepers and a profound affinity for the Eucharist.  Francis began preaching saying “your God is of flesh, He lives in your nearest neighbor, in every man.”   

Eventually he traveled to Rome seeking approval from Pope Innocent III to form a new religious order.  Actually several Franciscan orders were founded, including the Capuchins…the order of our Blessed Solanus Casey.  In 1220 Francis set up what was the first nativity scene and used live animals in the manager, using the manager as a simple altar.  His love for wildlife and the poor is admired by many cultures and faiths around the world.  All because he found worldly desires dissatisfying, empty, and shallow.

Question, where are you today in peace, joy, and contentment?  Are you truly at peace in your life choices?  Or do you feel a restlessness that something is lacking; or you are somewhere in-between?  Do not be too hard on yourself, St. Francis was the same way for quite a while.  It was only when he acted on God’s purpose for him did, he came to peace.

I believe God endows everyone with “purpose”: teacher, husband, single, wife, mechanic, mother, and just maybe…priest, religious, or saint.  I also believe “purpose” or “calling” may change through our lifetime.  Example, I was single, a vocation; then married, another vocation; then raised children, ran a small business…all great vocations.  But there was at least one more vocation, “purpose”, God had for me.  In 1996 I felt a calling to the diaconate but was not ordained until 10 years late.  As I look back, I was content in each phase of my vocational callings, my purpose.  It has taken my whole life to finish each part of God’s separate callings for me.

So, where are you today, in your life, responding to God’s calling for you; God’s purpose for you?  Struggling some to find that calling?  I suggest a little scripture verse to follow; “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”  Matthew 7: 7-8.  

Are you asking for the purpose God is calling you to do?  Knock a little louder, seek deeper into yourself, ask for discernment.  

In closing, we may not all be called to be a saint.  But we are all called to share the Gospel.   This is purpose for all of us who believe.  A wonderful way to share the Gospel is summed up in one of St. Francis’ quotes: “We are all called to preach the Gospel, if necessary, use words.”  In this time of maintenance to mission for the church, maybe some of the best evangelizing you do will be with your actions.