The months of August, September, October are months of harvest and full of important Feasts for the Holy Catholic Church or Memorials for great Saints , between them Saint Francis of Assisi ( the 4th of October )
St. Francis is one saint whom both Catholics and non-Catholics have united in honoring for his unique simplicity and a pure grace of spirit.His tenderness for and his power over animals were noted again and again.
St. Francis is one of the most beloved of all the Saints, yet one of the most misunderstood. Many people, some not even Catholic, have appropriated him for sentimental and symbolic reasons, for the animals rights movement, the environment, etc . Saint Francis is one of the Saints of the Passion ( he received sacred stigmata , as well beloved Padre Pio , Saint Rita of Cascia or many others great stigmatists saints ) .Two years before he died, his identification with the suffering of Jesus manifested itself physically. While he was caught up in prayer in a mountain retreat, he had a vision of a six-winged seraph that penetrated his very being and left him with the stigmata, the five wounds of Christ, in his feet, hands, and side. For the rest of his life he tried to hide these marks so as not to draw attention to himself.
Prayer was as natural as breathing for him. His prayer was almost always praise and gratitude . When he died he had given himself to God, and now it was complete.
Let us faithfully pray a franciscan prayer :
Loving God,
bring light to the darkness of my heart.
Give me right faith, certain hope,
and perfect charity.
Lord Jesus,
give me insight and wisdom,
so I might always discern
your holy and true will.
Amen.
-- St. Francis of Assisi, Prayer before the Cross (in San Damiano Church )
St. Francis is one saint whom both Catholics and non-Catholics have united in honoring for his unique simplicity and a pure grace of spirit.His tenderness for and his power over animals were noted again and again.
St. Francis is one of the most beloved of all the Saints, yet one of the most misunderstood. Many people, some not even Catholic, have appropriated him for sentimental and symbolic reasons, for the animals rights movement, the environment, etc . Saint Francis is one of the Saints of the Passion ( he received sacred stigmata , as well beloved Padre Pio , Saint Rita of Cascia or many others great stigmatists saints ) .Two years before he died, his identification with the suffering of Jesus manifested itself physically. While he was caught up in prayer in a mountain retreat, he had a vision of a six-winged seraph that penetrated his very being and left him with the stigmata, the five wounds of Christ, in his feet, hands, and side. For the rest of his life he tried to hide these marks so as not to draw attention to himself.
Prayer was as natural as breathing for him. His prayer was almost always praise and gratitude . When he died he had given himself to God, and now it was complete.
Let us faithfully pray a franciscan prayer :
Loving God,
bring light to the darkness of my heart.
Give me right faith, certain hope,
and perfect charity.
Lord Jesus,
give me insight and wisdom,
so I might always discern
your holy and true will.
Amen.
-- St. Francis of Assisi, Prayer before the Cross (in San Damiano Church )
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