Saint
Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) was
born into a wealthy family at
Assisi, Italy, the son of a cloth
merchant. Francis received little
formal education and during his
youth was mostly preoccupied with
having fun. As a young man, he was
popular, charming, enjoyed practical
jokes and was usually the life of
the party.
Because of
his wealth, he generally picked up
the tab and thus attracted a
following of fun loving, rowdy young
men and promiscuous women.
When armed
conflict broke out between the men
of Assisi and a neighboring city in
1202, Francis eagerly volunteered
for the cavalry but wound up getting
captured
 after the first big
battle and spent a year in
captivity.
Francis
returned to Assisi hailed as a hero,
but unknown to his friends he had
undergone a transformation in his
outlook during his captivity.
Although he was once again the life
of the party, he was now questioning
his reason for existence.
After much
contemplation, including vivid
dreams and mystic visions, he turned
away from the pursuit of all worldly
pleasures, sold all his property and
donated the money to the Church. He
then began a lifelong passion of
caring for society's castoffs, the
sick and poor, including lepers.
His wealthy
father reacted to his son's new
lifestyle by disinheriting him. Thus
Francis lived in utter poverty and
even went without shoes. But his
humbleness, extraordinary kindness
and love for humanity attracted the
attention of other young men and
they also chose to give up worldly
pleasures and follow him to spread
the gospel and serve the poor.
Eventually,
as the brotherhood grew, its members
traveled to other parts of Europe to
preach, including France, Germany,
Spain and England. A separate order
for women was formed, now known as
the Franciscan Nuns or Poor Clares.
Francis had
much love for animals with special
fondness for the birds. He liked to
refer to animals as his brothers and
sisters. Legend has it that wild
animals had no fear of Francis and
even came to him seeking refuge from
harm.
In 1224,
Francis went up onto a mountain and
began a 40-day fast. During that
time he is said to have had a
miraculous vision and received the
marks of the nails and spear exactly
as they appeared on the body of
Jesus during his crucifixion.
After his
death in 1226, Francis was declared
a saint by Pope Gregory IX. For
centuries after his death, his
Franciscan order has experienced
continuous growth and is still
active today caring for the poor,
educating, and continuing many other
good deeds.
My
little sisters, the birds, much
bounden are ye unto God, your
creator, and always in every place
ought ye to praise him, for that he
hath given you liberty to fly about
everywhere, and hath also given you
double and triple rainment;
moreover he preserved your seed in
the ark of Noah, that your race
might not perish out of the world;
still more are ye beholden to him
for the element of the air which he
hath appointed for you; beyond all
this, ye sow not, neither do you
reap; and God feedeth you, and
giveth you the streams and
fountains for your drink; the
mountains and valleys for your
refuge and the high trees whereon
to make your nests; and because ye
know not how to spin or sow, God
clotheth you, you and your
children; wherefore your creator
loveth you much, seeing that he
hath bestowed on you so many
benefits; and therefore, my little
sisters, beware of the sin of
ingratitude, and study always to
give praises unto God.
Saint Francis
of Assisi - c 1220
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