Saint Francis of Assisi

He was born in Assisi, Umbria, Italy as Francis Bernardone, He died on the 3rd of October 1226 in Portiuncula, Italy.

 

His father was a rich cloth merchant but Francis despised riches and wanted to become poor like the Lord. He left home and dressed in shepherd clothes, he began to preach about the goodness of God, about purity and about being detached from the riches of the world.

He met Christ when he embraced a leper, then he knew that God would be found in the poor and the outcast, since then his life was dedicated to the poor and the sick.

 

He attracted a group of young people who followed him all the way to Rome. He obtained permission from the Pope to found the Franciscans, a community based on Francis principles.

He praised God the Creator and wanted everyone to praise Him. He loved creation so much that he would talk to all creatures, he composed canticles to God and the Canticle of Creation. When he addressed the sun and the moon he would call them brother sun and sister moon. He used to call his body brother donkey because the body is very stubborn.

In 1212 he met Clare and assisted her to found the religious order of the Poor Clares. One day while praying in profound meditation before the crucifix he received the stigmata in 1224.

 

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi:

Lord, make me an instrument of your Peace,
where there is hatred, let me sow love,
where there is injury, pardon,
where there is doubt, faith,
where there is despair, hope,
where there is darkness, light,
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek
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,
in pardoning that we are pardoned
and in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

Saint Francis blessing:

May the Lord bless us and keep us,
may He show his face to us and have mercy on us,
may He turn his countenance towards us
and give us Peace.

The Work of God Apostolate
www.theworkofgod.org

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Saint Francis of Assisi