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Text Content

LORD, make us instruments of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let us sow love;


Where there is injury, pardon;


Where there is discord, union;


Where there is doubt, faith;


Where there is despair, hope;


Where there is darkness, light;


Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that we may not seek to much
to be consoled as to console;


to be understood as to understand;


to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardonning that we are pardoned;


and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen



-- Attributed to John Bernardone ("Francis of Assisi"), 13th Century



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Francis of Assisi

Most people know Francis as a middle-ages ascetic who loved animals. The
complete story is even more interesting.

He was born John Bernardone, the son of successful merchant Peter Bernardone.
Peter made his living travelling to and from France, and importing their fine
fabrics. The early sources say that Peter nicknamed his son "Francis"
("Frenchy"). Or perhaps John acquired the name because as a teen and adult, he
liked to play the French instrument -- an early form of the guitar, and the
subject of some ecclesiastical disapproval. ("These kids nowadays and their
music!")

We read that in his youth, Francis used to organize parties for the upper-class
kids. Whether he had any romantic involvements will never be known. An early
liturgy honoring him as a saint stated that he "surpassed all the other young
people in debauchery". A few years later, it was changed to say that "he was
himself restrained by God's grace."

Two neighboring towns had a war and Francis was a P.O.W. for a year. This was
the beginning of a new interest in religion. There are stories of mystical
experiences, vigils, and finally a vision of a talking crucifix in an abandoned
chapel: "Francis, rebuild my church." The young Francis took this literally, and
started doing repairs on dilapidated, out-of-use chapels and raising money for
materials by doing odd jobs and asking for donations.

Exactly what happened between Francis and his father will never be known, but
Francis admitted stealing some cloth and selling it for building funds. During
the hearing, Francis told his father he could have back everything he'd ever
given him. He stripped naked, and said that he was a religious ascetic. The
bishop, who was holding the hearing, gave him something to wear, and Francis
went to live on his own. His father never accepted reconciliation, although his
mother never broke with him.

Francis was mugged for the first time within a few hours. He worked for a while
as kitchen help for the Benedictines, but ended up hiring himself as a
day-laborer. On Saint Matthias's day, Francis heard the gospel lession, about
being mendicant preachers of the Good News of Christ. He felt called to this,
and began preaching as the way he was really supposed to "rebuild the church".
Although he preached, he continued to support himself by working, and did not
pass a collection during his sessions. He never became a priest, though
eventually he was made deacon.





Francis acquired a number of like-minded friends, and they obtained recognition
from the Bishop of Rome (the Pope) as an order, outside the jurisdiction of the
local authorities. Francis probably welcomed this, as a help to keep his
movement out of local politics. Rome was glad to have these people who were
dedicated to living the Gospel and to Bible preaching, as its special
associates.



We might think that the savvy leaders of Rome, foreseeing the Protestant
Reformation, intentionally promoted a crypto-Protestant like Francis who
professed loyalty to the established church institutions. Francis talked a great
deal about his reverence for ordained people, his fidelity to the medieval
church, and so forth. His actions show that this was selective. He established
the order of the Poor Clares himself, and dedicated its first members -- a
function which by law was the bishop's prerogative. He read and quoted the Bible
and preached boldly and powerfully from it. He emphasized personal repentance,
the personal relationship with Jesus as Lord, and gratitude for the blessings of
life and the sacrifice of Christ by which our salvation is obtained.

Everybody knows the stories about birds seeming to listen as Francis told them
about their Creator, and how they should be grateful and happy. There are all
manner of anecdotes about this curious, engaging hermit-preacher. At one point,
the young Francis bought a lamb which was being taken to slaughter, and raised
it as a pet. It grew up. People think the same things in all eras, and one early
biographer mentions his being questioned about this by the bishop. Also
mentioned is an incident in which Francis overcame sensual temptation by
stripping naked and making eight snowmen. The first represented himself, able to
do what he liked best -- preach, pray, and live simply. The second represented
the wife he would need if he could not be contented, and he reminded himself of
how much more complicated his life would become. After four children, a school
teacher, and a baby sitter, and the host of responsibilities, he was able to
find inner peace.



Within a decade, Francis had so many imitators that they organized at the
"Chapter of Mats". Francis proved incapable of adminstering a movement, and
there were soon divisions over how strict the asceticism of the movement should
be. Seeking a new direction, Francis stowed away on a ship, and traveled to
North Africa to try to stop the crusades. He crossed to Moslem territory got
himself arrested on the presumption of being a spy. Of course the Moslems knew
who he was, and found him fascinating. The Sultan in particular professed
amazement at meeting a Christian who was also a person of peace and goodwill.
Francis offered to be set on fire as a no-lose test -- if he lived, it would be
proof of the merits of the Christian religion but if he died, it would be
because of his sins. Instead, the Sultan let him tour the historical sites in
the Holy Land, which were off-limits to Christians. To this day, many of these
sites are maintained by Franciscans. The only gift Francis accepted from his
Moslem friends was a prayer horn, which he sounded at the beginning of his
sermons for the rest of his career. He gave specific orders that while Moslem
areas were targets for evangelization, no Franciscan had any reason ever to
speak ill of Mohammed or the Koran.



Returning home, Francis remained in public life. He negotiated one important
peace settlement, and completed his "Song of Brother Sun", which he urged his
emulators to play on the still-controversial guitar. On retreat, he had a vision
of a crucified seraph (a theological impossibility, as he well knew), which
flashed bolts of light which left him with wounds mirroring Christ's. He tried
to hide these from his associates, but they reported seeing and feeling
blackened, painful areas on each hand and foot and on one side of the chest. He
was the first known Christian, except perhaps Paul, to bear the supposed
"stigmata".

Francis died a few years after returning from the Near East. His symptoms
suggest schstosomiasis, which as a visitor to Egypt he would have been a serious
risk. He also suffered from an eye problem, probably trachoma, which was also
endemic in Egypt. His request to be buried beneath the town gallows was honored,
but the gallows was torn down and a basilica erected. Infighting in the order
has blackwashed the name of Brother Elias, who did the building. The body was so
well-hidden from relic-seekers that it was not found until the 1800's. Although
he was not a vegetarian, forensic osteologists determined that Francis suffered
from osteomalacia, from his ascetic diet.





Why remember Francis? He was a powerful, authentic Bible preacher in an era when
this was rare. His message of love and gratitude goes beyond all Christian
sectarianism, so that his "Song of Brother Sun" was chosen at one major
interfaith gathering as the single song that everyone present -- Christian and
non-Christian -- could sing together.

And Francis is special in another way, not really separate. Francis's era saw
feudalism replaced by capitalism, the profit motive, and a wealthier and
healthier society. Not everybody can or should be a holy hermit. Francis gave a
resounding "No!" to the preoccupation with getting rich, but without advancing
any political agenda or urging people to license or irresponsibility. Lenin,
dying, is said to have spoken of Francis, and saying that his was the right way
after all. In our day, when we see Francis's picture in a birdbath, let's
remember both the goodness of nature and creation, and how much better life is
when we let go of our focus on wealth and status, and seek first the Kingdom of
God.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The Divine Praises"
Francis of Assisi



You are holy, Lord, the only God,
and Your deeds are wonderful.
You are strong.
You are great.
You are the Most High.
You are Almighty.
You, Holy Father are King of heaven and earth.
You are Three and One, Lord God, all Good.
You are Good, all Good, supreme Good,
Lord God, living and true.
You are love. You are wisdom.
You are humility. You are endurance.
You are rest. You are peace.
You are joy and gladness.
You are justice and moderation.
You are all our riches, and You suffice for us.
You are beauty.
You are gentleness.
You are our protector.
You are our guardian and defender.
You are our courage. You are our haven and our hope.
You are our faith, our great consolation.
You are our eternal life, Great and Wonderful Lord,
God Almighty, Merciful Saviour.
 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Links:

"What holy man transcends our sad theological barriers?" by Bill McNamara. From
SouthCoastToday.com; link is now down.
Saint Francis -- a passion for the Gospel
The Little Flowers is an early biography, obviously semi-fictionalized and
written partly to promote the strict "Spiritual" faction after his death. My
link to it is down.
Francis of Assisi -- Catholic encyclopedia
Sermon to the Birds -- great speeches collection
Daily Office Lectionary
Anglican.org
Third Order
Franciscans of the Divine Compassion
Society of St. Francis -- European Province
Ecumenical Franciscans -- interfaith


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"And not for us only, but for the whole world..."

Christianity
Rosary
Islam -- Franciscans are generally Islamophiles.
Judaism
Hinduism
Buddhism
The Seven Deadly Sins
Humanism
Swami Vivekananda -- Hindu preacher, ascetic, and proponent of religious
tolerance
Yahoo Index



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



About the Episcopal Church

This story might be apocryphal. One day an elderly Kansas farmer from a small
community was referred to one of the big Kansas City hospitals. Asked about his
religion, he answered, "I'm an Episcopalian." The local parish priest came to
visit him.

"I see you are an Episcopalian."

"Yessir. Have been all my life."

"Which parish do you belong to?"

"Well, sir, I don't think I belonged to a parish."

"Which bishop confirmed you?"

"Well, now, sir, I don't rightly think I ever saw a bishop."

"But you listed yourself as an Episcopalian."

"Well, once when I was a young man, I went into a church, and all the people in
that church were saying all together, 'We have left undone those things which we
ought to have done; and we have done those things which we ought not to have
done'. And ever since then, I knew I was an Episcopalian."







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ed's Handouts and Notes


Belief in God
Jesus of Nazareth


Bible Texts
used by the Episcopalian Franciscans.


Kathleen Brady
has a special interest in the Episcopal Franciscans and a series of podcasts on
the young Francis. I was very pleased to learn of her project and see the
results.


Francis of Assisi



If you had a java-capable browser, you could see the Episcopalian Calendar
applet here.





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