SAINT FRANCIS=THE POOR MAN'S SAINT

 

 

 

 

SAINT FRANCIS---THE POOR MAN’S SAINT

 

 

Have you ever heard the saying

IMITATION is the most sincere form of flattery

 

I have

And if you believe in Jesus Christ

And/or his message

There is one man who stands out

And is considered to be

The closest thing to Christ

That ever walked this earth

 

SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI

 

He grew up in Assisi, Italy

Assisting his father

A wealthy clothing merchant

In the family business

 

He became a soldier

But was taken prisoner

And became ill

 

Eventually he turned his back

On the war

And heard a voice from God calling,

 

“Go and repair my house

Which you see is falling apart”

 

This led

To a prolonged conflict with his father

Culminating with Francis renouncing his inheritance

And even his clothes

 

Francis’ love for the poor

And for the lepers was long renowned

And the first time

He kissed a leper---Francis felt

That he had kissed the face of Christ

 

It is said that Francis

Read the Gospel with such passion

That grown men wept

 

He drew many followers

Both men and women

Most notably---Saint Clare

 

However it must always be remembered

That Francis’ true motivating factor

Was his love for Christ

And to live a life of suffering

Just like Christ

 

He accomplished this too

When on September 17^th, 1224

The stigmata---the 7 wounds of Christ

Appeared on his body

 

If it is true

That we are to become other Christ’s

In this world

And we are

 

We need look no further

Than Saint Francis of Assisi

As our model

 

Francis once said,

“Speak the Gospel at all times

Use words if necessary”

 

Saint Francis

A lover of nature

A lover of the poor

A lover of animals

 

But known mostly for

His ALL pervasive love for God

And his identification with Christ’s suffering

 

Saint Francis

A true lover of the poor

And

 

AN IMITATION of Christ

 

Robert P. Wallman

10-4-11

 

Ps               Saint Francis’ feast day is October 4^th

 

 

10-5-18=10-4-2019