Feast of the Stigmata of Saint Francis ~~ September 17 ~~

( Saint Francis painted by Federico Barocci , an Italian Renaissance painter )
Just a few days ago we celebrated the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Today, the Holy Church celebrate the mystery of the Cross made visible in the flesh of the Poor and Holy Man Francis of Assisi . St. Francis bore on his hands, feet, and side the signs of the Passion of Christ.
St. Francis of Assisi, after spending many nights in prayer on the mountain, offered one final prayer. “My Lord Jesus Christ, I pray You to grant me two graces before I die: the first is that during my life I may feel in my soul and in my body, as much as possible, that pain which You, dear Jesus, sustained in the hour of Your most bitter Passion. The second is that I may feel in my heart, as much as possible, that excessive love with which You, O Son of God, were inflamed in willingly enduring such suffering for us sinners.”
Praying for many hours afterwards, he suddenly saw a Seraph coming down from Heaven with six flaming and glorious wings. It came close to St. Francis so he could see him up close. When the Seraph did this, St. Francis noticed the image of our Lord Jesus Christ. In those moments, he experienced what Christ thought, felt and experienced during the crucifixion and he felt profound grief for His suffering.
And in an instant, the Seraph struck St. Francis and he was immediately imprinted with the stigmata, the wounds of Christ. The light from the vision was said to be so bright that many people saw Mount Alverna aglow most of the night.
Therefore let us glorify the Feast of Saint Francis receiving the Stigmats of our Crucified Lord Jesus Christ and let us faithfully pray :

Almighty God, You renewed the marks of the sufferings of Your Son in the body of our holy Father Francis in order to inflame our hearts with the fire of Your Love. Through his prayers may we be conformable to the death of Your Son and thus share also in His Resurrection.
Lord, may the humble and devout prayer of Saint Francis sustain us.
Through this offering may we always experience within us the saving benefit of the sufferings of Your only begotten Son , our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ . Amen

St. Francis, the little poor man of Assisi, we invoke you as the admirable mirror you were of our Divine Master. You imitated Christ the Lord in your humility and obedience. You faithfully followed Him in poverty and weakness. With joy you accepted suffering, contempt, and trials for the sake of His Name. In your goodness, help us, then, to imitate your example. By your power with God, obtain for us the special favor we now seek through your intercession
(here our prayer intention )
Please pray for us, gentle and Holy Saint of the poor, that we may always be loyal followers of Our Savior, Jesus Christ, and filled always with divine riches. Amen.