Brother Pheasant
"A certain nobleman from the commune of Siena sent a pheasant to the blessed Francis while the latter was sick. He accepted it with alacrity, not with the desire of eating it, but, in the way he always rejoiced over such things, out of love for the Creator. And he said to the pheasant: 'May our Creator be praised, Brother Pheasant!' And to the brothers he said: 'Let us see now if Brother Pheasant will stay with us, or if it will go back to its usual and more suitable haunts.' One of the brothers took it, as the command of the saint, and placed it at a distance in the vineyard. Immediately, however, it came directly back to the saint's cell. Again Francis ordered it place even father away; but it came back with the greatest speed to the door of his cell and entered almost by force under the habits of the brothers who were standing at the door. The saint then ordered it to be fed diligently, embracing it and caressing it with soft words." --Celano, Second Life, 170
I see this as an example of how we should be concerning God's gifts to us. Francis was willing to give up the pheasant, and he was rewarded with its return to him--twice. His unwillingness to eat it was another matter. The nobleman had sent it because Francis was ill and he probably figured Francis needed the food for his health. But Francis, a lover of animals, did not view the gift in that light. Because I believe God gave us animals for work and food, I will eat meat, but I know if I made an acquaintance with the animal I could not eat it either. Francis's love for the creature and the Creator allowed him to receive it without claiming it for himself only.
"A certain nobleman from the commune of Siena sent a pheasant to the blessed Francis while the latter was sick. He accepted it with alacrity, not with the desire of eating it, but, in the way he always rejoiced over such things, out of love for the Creator. And he said to the pheasant: 'May our Creator be praised, Brother Pheasant!' And to the brothers he said: 'Let us see now if Brother Pheasant will stay with us, or if it will go back to its usual and more suitable haunts.' One of the brothers took it, as the command of the saint, and placed it at a distance in the vineyard. Immediately, however, it came directly back to the saint's cell. Again Francis ordered it place even father away; but it came back with the greatest speed to the door of his cell and entered almost by force under the habits of the brothers who were standing at the door. The saint then ordered it to be fed diligently, embracing it and caressing it with soft words." --Celano, Second Life, 170
I see this as an example of how we should be concerning God's gifts to us. Francis was willing to give up the pheasant, and he was rewarded with its return to him--twice. His unwillingness to eat it was another matter. The nobleman had sent it because Francis was ill and he probably figured Francis needed the food for his health. But Francis, a lover of animals, did not view the gift in that light. Because I believe God gave us animals for work and food, I will eat meat, but I know if I made an acquaintance with the animal I could not eat it either. Francis's love for the creature and the Creator allowed him to receive it without claiming it for himself only.
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