St. Francis of Assisi - September 30

St. Francis and the Parsley

"One night during his last illness Francis had a longing to eat some parsley, so he humbly asked for some.  But when they asked the cook about it, he said it was impossible.  'I have picked so much parsley from the garden that what little might be left I couldn't even find in daylight, leave alone at night.'

But St. Francis replied, 'Don't worry, my brother, just go to the garden and bring me the first herbs you lay your hands on.'

So the brother went out to the garden and picked the first plants he came upon and brought them back into the house.  The brothers then looked over the handful of herbs and found there some leafy and tender parsley.  The saint then ate a little of it and was greatly comforted.  He then said to his brothers:  'My dear brothers, obey a command immediately without waiting for it to be repeated.  And don't say that it is impossible, for if you are commanded something beyond your strength, holy obedience will give you the strength you lack.'"  --Celano, Second Life, 51

In order to do what Francis admonishes we must know when the Lord is speaking to us and when it's just our own thoughts taking over.  This isn't an issue if we are completely given over to the Lord.  However, we must learn to not let the world distract or entice us to be looking elsewhere when the Lord is asking us to do something.  Abiding in Christ means to be continually listening and watching for His voice, His movement in our lives so we can obey.

St. Francis of Assisi -September 29

St. Francis and Brother Fish

"Once St. Francis was sitting in a boat near a port in the lake of Rieti.  A fisherman who had just caught a large carp rowed over to the saint and kindly offered him the fish.  St. Francis accepted it joyfully and gracefully, and immediately began calling it 'Brother.'  Then he placed the fish gently in the water and began praising the name of the Lord.  But all the while Francis prayed, the fish continued to play beside the boat and would not leave until St. Francis finished his prayer and gave it permission to leave.

And so it was that St. Francis's total obedience to God gave him great dignity before creatures, who in turn obeyed him."  --Celano, First Life, 61

Our obedience to God reflects on our relationship with Him and is an example to others--including God's animal kingdom--on how we should serve Him.

St. Francis of Assisi - September 28

St. Francis and the Lambs Bound for Market

"Once when St. Francis and his companion were passing through the Marches of Ancona, he met a man on his way to market carrying two little lambs over his shoulder.  When Blessed Francis heard their bleating, he was filled with compassion.  He went up to the lambs and touched them compassionately like a mother over her weeping child.  Then he said to the man, 'Why are you torturing my brother lambs, binding their feet this way and hanging them over your shoulder?'

'I am taking them to market to sell them because I need the money.'

'And what will happen to them there?' asked Francis.

'Why, whoever buys them will slaughter them and eat them, of course.'

'God forbide!  This must not happen.  Here, take this mantle in exchange, and give me the lambs.'

Then, since the mantle was worth more than the lambs, the man quickly made the exchange.

Now Francis had borrowed the mantle that very day, because it was very cold.  And so when he was trying to determine what to do about the lambs, he consulted with his companion, and then decided to give them to the man who'd lent him the mantle.  He told the man to take care of the lambs and commanded him never to sell them or harm them, but to keep them and feed them and care for them conscientiously."  --Celano, First Life, 79

There were other instances that Francis encouraged his followers to eat meat.  I have not seen where this contradiction has been explained.  Ultimately, I believe it must be between you and God.  I feel animals were given to us as food, but we should treat them humanely.  This is the message, at the very least, that should be gleaned from today's reading.

St. Francis of Assisi - September 27

Brother Flowers

"Francis told the brother gardener not to plant the whole garden with food but to set aside a plot for those plants which in their season would bloom with Brother Flowers.  He said the reason the brother gardener should plant this pretty little flower bed with its sweetly scented herbs and flowering plants was because it would invite all who saw it to praise God; for every creature says, 'God made me for you, oh human!'"  --Writings of Leo, Rufino, and Angelo, 113

When we do not take care of our planet and treat it kindly we are saying to God that we do not appreciate all that He has given us.  Not only does God make plants to be useful (like pollen for the bees in the flowers), He goes a step further and makes them beautiful to our eye.  Our rivers and mountains and the clear, blue sky are all useful and beautiful, yet man pollutes and destroys these resources.

St. Francis of Assisi - September 26

St. Francis and the  Swallows

"It happened once when St. Francis was preaching in Alviano that he could not be heard because of the chattering of a flock of swallows building their nests there.  So St. Francis said to the birds:

'My Sister Swallows, you have had your say.  It is now my turn to speak.  Be quiet now and listen to the word of the Lord.'

Then to the astonishment of the people standing about, the little birds fell silent and did not move until St. Francis finished preaching."  --Celano, First Life, 59

Sometimes we have to tell all the chatter in our minds to be quiet so that we can hear the Lord speak to us.

St. Francis of Assisi - September 25

Brother Rabbit

"Once when St. Francis was staying at the town of Greccio, a little rabbit that had been caught in a trap was brought alive to him by a certain brother.  When the most blessed man saw it, he was moved to pity and said:  'Brother Rabbit, come to me.  Why did you allow yourself to be tricked like this?'  And as soon as the rabbit had been let go by the brother who held it, it fled to the saint, and without being forced by anyone, it lay quietly in his lap as the safest place possible.  After he had rested there a little while, the holy father, caressing it with motherly affection, released it so it could return free to the woods.  But when it had been placed upon the ground several times and had returned each time to the saint's lap, he finally commanded it to be carried by the brothers to the nearby woods."  --Celano, First Life, 60

As I read this I thought about how Jesus released us from our trap and continues to be a safe haven for us.  But just as St. Francis had the rabbit taken back into the woods, God sends us back into the world to do His bidding there.  The difference for us is that we have the Holy Spirit to be with us even in the world.

St. Francis of Assisi - September 24

The Little Sheep

"Once in the Marches of Ancona St. Francis found a certain shepherd feeding a herd of she-goats and he-goats in the fields.  Among the great number of these goats there was one little lamb going along and feeding humbly and quietly.  When blessed Francis saw it, he stopped and, touched inwardly with sorrow of heart, then groaning deeply, he said to the brother who was with him:  'Do you see this sheep that walks so meekly among the goats?  I tell you that our Lord Jesus Christ walked in the same way meekly and humbly among the pharisees and chief priests.  There I ask you, my son, for love of him, to have pity with me on this little sheep.  Let us pay the price and lead her away from among these goats.'"  --Celano, First Life, 77

Just a Jesus's compassion knew no bounds St. Francis's compassion knew no bounds.