Archivo del 22 febrero, 2023
Saint Francis de Asis.English.22,2.23.
22 febrero, 2023 Autor: adminSaint Francis was born in Assisi
. The homage of a simple man (LM 1,1)
San Francisco was born in Assisi in the year 1182, of wealthy and bourgeois parents, cloth merchants, Pedro Bernardone and Madonna Pica. In his youth he was brought up in an atmosphere of worldliness and devoted himself, after acquiring a certain knowledge of letters, to the lucrative business of commerce. He was a cheerful young man and fond of parties, but within correctness and honesty, and no matter how much he dedicated himself to profit living among greedy merchants, he never put his trust in money and riches. God had instilled in the depths of the young Francis a certain generous compassion towards the poor, which, growing with him from childhood, filled his heart with such benignity that, having become a non-deaf listener of the Gospel, he decided to give alms to everyone who asks for it, especially if he pleaded for it the reason of God’s love.
The Cloak Donation
Once a noble gentleman met him, but poor and badly dressed. At the sight of that poverty, his compassionate heart was touched, and immediately stripping off his adornments, he dressed the poor man with them, thus fulfilling, at the same time, a double work of mercy: to cover the shame of a noble gentleman and to remedy the need of a poor
Prayer before the San Damiano Crucifix
But, recalling the purpose of perfection that he had made and remembering that to be a knight of Christ he must, above all, defeat himself, he got off the horse and ran to kiss the leper. Since then he sought solitude and devoted himself completely to prayer. He clothed himself with the spirit of poverty, with the feeling of humility and with the affection of a tender compassion towards lepers, beggars, poor priests and all who suffered.
One day Francisco went out to the countryside to meditate, and as he walked by the church of San Damiano, whose ancient factory threatened ruin, he entered it, moved by the Spirit, to pray; and while he prayed prostrate before the image of the Crucified, he suddenly felt flooded with a great spiritual consolation. He fixed his eyes, brimming with tears, on the cross of the Lord, and behold, with his bodily ears he heard a voice coming from the same cross that said to him three times: «Francis, go and repair my house, which, as you see , is about to ruin all of her!» Francisco was shaken, because he was alone in the church, when he perceived such a wonderful voice, and, feeling in his heart the power of the divine word, he was taken away in ecstasy. Returned to himself, he prepares to obey, and concentrates all his efforts on the decision to materially repair the church, although the divine voice was referring mainly to the repair of the Church that Christ acquired with his blood.
So he got up, arming himself with the sign of the cross, took with him various cloths ready for sale and hurried to the city of Foligno, and there he sold everything, including the horse on which he rode. Taking the price from him, he returns to the city of Assisi and goes to the church, the repair of which he had been ordered. He devoutly entered his compound, and, finding a poor little priest there, after paying him a courteous reverence, offered him the money obtained so that he could use it for the repair of the church and the relief of the poor. Then he humbly asked her to allow him to spend some time in his company. The priest agreed to Francisco’s desire to live in his house, but he refused the money for fear of his parents. Then the Saint threw him out of a window.
The relinquishment of assets
hen Francisco’s father found out what his son had done, he ran, all enraged, to San Damiano. Francisco, upon hearing the screams and threats, hid in a cave. A few days later he reproached himself for his cowardice, left his hiding place and marched to the city of Assisi. His fellow citizens, upon seeing him in the strange mood that he presented, took him for crazy. As soon as the father heard the clamor of the crowd, he rushed over and mercilessly dragged him home, whipped him, and locked him up in chains. In the midst of so much adversity, Francisco, filled with profound joy, gave thanks to God and felt more willing and courageous to carry out what he had undertaken. Not long after, the father was forced to leave Assisi, and the mother released the son from prison, letting him go. Francisco returned to the place where he had lived before.
But the father returned, and, not finding his son at home, he ran bellowing to the right place to get, if he could not get him away from his purpose, at least get him away from the province. Francisco, comforted by God, spontaneously went out to meet his enraged father and told her that he was willing to joyfully suffer any evil for the name of Christ. Seeing the father that it was completely impossible for him to change him from his attempt, he directed his efforts to recover the money. And having found it at last in the niche of a small window, his fury subsided somewhat.
Then the father tried to take the son before the bishop of the city, so that in his hands he would renounce the rights of the paternal inheritance and return everything he had. Francisco was very willing to do so and, arriving in the presence of the bishop, he does not stop or hesitate for anything, he does not wait for orders or utter a word, but immediately strips off all his clothes and returns them to the father. In addition, drunk with a wonderful fervor of spirit, he takes off even his pants and appears before everyone completely naked, saying at the same time to his father: «Up to now I have called you father on earth, but from now on I can say with absolute confidence: Our Father, who art in heaven, in whom I have deposited all my treasure and all the security of my hope»
Upon contemplating this scene, the bishop, amazed at the extraordinary fervor of the servant of God, immediately got up and, crying, welcomed him into his arms and covered him with the mantle that he himself was wearing. He then ordered his own to provide him with some clothing to cover the members of that body.
The dream of Innocent III
It didn’t take long for many companions to join Francisco. The first was Bernardo de Quitaval, followed by Pedro Cattani, Gil, Silvestre and others. Seeing that little by little the number of brothers was growing, the servant of Christ wrote in simple words a small form of life or rule, in which he placed the observance of the Holy Gospel as an unshakable foundation, and inserted a few other things that seemed necessary. for a uniform way of life. Wishing, however, that his writing would obtain the approval of the Supreme Pontiff, he decided to appear with that group of simple men before the Apostolic See, trusting only in divine protection.
In Rome they found the Bishop of Assisi, Guido, who, learning of what they proposed to achieve, was very pleased with him, and pledged his word to help them with his advice and resources. The bishop had already spoken to Cardinal Juan de San Pablo, an important man in the papal curia, about the life of blessed Francis and his brothers, and this news had given rise to the cardinal’s desire to see the man of God and some of his brothers. your brothers. So, when he found out they were in Rome, he summoned them, put them up in his house and, edified by his words and examples, he recommended them to the pope.
When they were introduced to the presence of the Supreme Pontiff, Francisco explained his objective, humbly and earnestly asking him to approve the said way of life. Innocent III observing the admirable purity and simplicity of soul of the man of God, the determined purpose and fiery fervor of his holy will, he felt inclined to piously accede to his requests. However, he deferred complying with the plea of the poor little Christ, since to some of the cardinals it seemed a new thing and so arduous that it was beyond human strength. Cardinal John of Saint Paul intervened, warning them: «If we reject the demand of this poor man who only asks for confirmation of the evangelical way of life, let us be careful not to inflict an insult on the very Gospel of Christ.» Hearing these considerations, the successor of the Apostle Peter turned to the poor man of Christ and said: «Pray, my son, to Christ that through you he may manifest his will to us, so that, when it is more clearly known, we can more safely access your pious wishes.»
In addition, Pope Innocent told them a heavenly vision that he had had those same days, assuring that it would be fulfilled in Francisco. In fact, he reported having seen in a dream how the Lateran basilica was about to collapse and that a poor little man, small in stature and despicable in appearance, was holding it up by hugging his shoulders so that it would not fall to the ground. And he exclaimed: «This is, truly, the man who with his works and his doctrine will sustain the Church of Christ»
The approval of the Rule by Innocent III
For this reason, full of singular devotion, Innocent agreed in everything to the request of the servant of Christ, and since then he always professed a special affection for him. So he gave her everything he had asked for and promised that he would give her much more. He approved the Rule, granted the servant of God and all the lay brothers who accompanied him the faculty to preach penance and ordered them to be tonsured so that they could freely preach the word of God.
The vision of the chariot of fire
At about midnight, it suddenly happened that, while Francisco was physically absent from his children, some of whom were resting and others persevering in prayer, a chariot of fire of admirable splendor entered through the door of the brothers’ shack, which gave three laps throughout the stay; On the same cart was raised a luminous globe, which, displaying the appearance of the sun, illuminated the darkness of the night.
The renunciation of goods (LM 2,4)
Cuando el padre de Francisco se enteró de lo que había hecho su hijo, corrió, todo enfurecido, a San Damián. Francisco, al oír los gritos y amenazas, se escondió en una cueva. Unos días más tarde se reprochó su cobardía, abandonó el escondite y marchó a la ciudad de Asís. Sus conciudadanos, al verlo en el extraño talante que presentaba, lo tomaron por loco. Tan pronto como el padre oyó el clamor del gentío, acudió presuroso y sin conmiseración lo arrastró a casa, lo azotó y lo encerró encadenado. En medio de tanta adversidad, Francisco, lleno de profunda alegría, daba gracias a Dios y se sentía más dispuesto y valiente para llevar a cabo lo que había emprendido. No mucho después se vio precisado el padre a la madre libró al hijo de la prisión, dejándole partir. Francisco retornó al lugar en que ausentarse de Asís, y había morado antes.
Pero volvió el padre, y, al no encontrar en casa a su hijo, corrió bramando al lugar indicado para conseguir, si no podía apartarlo de su propósito, al menos alejarlo de la provincia. Francisco, confortado por Dios, salió espontáneamente al encuentro de su enfurecido padre y le manifestó que estaba dispuesto a sufrir con alegría cualquier mal por el nombre de Cristo. Viendo el padre que le era del todo imposible cambiarle de su intento, dirigió sus esfuerzos a recuperar el dinero. Y, habiéndolo encontrado, por fin, en el nicho de una pequeña ventana, se apaciguó un tanto su furor.
Intentaba después el padre llevar al hijo ante la presencia del obispo de la ciudad, para que en sus manos renunciara a los derechos de la herencia paterna y le devolviera todo lo que tenía. Se manifestó muy dispuesto a ello Francisco y, llegando a la presencia del obispo, no se detiene ni vacila por nada, no espera órdenes ni profiere palabra alguna, sino que inmediatamente se despoja de todos sus vestidos y se los devuelve al padre. Además, ebrio de un maravilloso fervor de espíritu, se quita hasta los calzones y se presenta ante todos totalmente desnudo, diciendo al mismo tiempo a su padre: «Hasta el presente te he llamado padre en la tierra, pero de aquí en adelante puedo decir con absoluta confianza: Padre nuestro, que estás en los cielos, en quien he depositado todo mi tesoro y toda la seguridad de mi esperanza».
Al contemplar esta escena el obispo, admirado del extraordinario fervor del siervo de Dios, se levantó al instante y llorando lo acogió entre sus brazos y lo cubrió con el manto que él mismo vestía. Ordenó luego a los suyos que le proporcionaran alguna ropa para cubrir los miembros de aquel cuerpo. En seguida le presentaron un manto corto, pobre y vil, perteneciente a un labriego que estaba al servicio del obispo. Francisco lo aceptó muy agradecido.
Después, desembarazado ya de la atracción de los deseos mundanos, deja Francisco la ciudad de Asís y se retira a la soledad para escuchar solo y en silencio la voz misteriosa del cielo.
* * * * *
- El sueño de Inocencio III (LM 3,10)
Asentado ya Francisco en la humildad de Cristo, trae a la memoria la orden que se le dio desde el Crucifijo de reparar la iglesia de San Damián, y, como verdadero obediente, vuelve a Asís, dispuesto a someterse a la voz divina, al menos mendigando lo necesario para dicha restauración, a la que siguió la de otra iglesia, dedicada a San Pedro, y la de Santa María de la Porciúncula.
No tardaron en unirse a Francisco muchos compañeros. El primero fue Bernardo de Quitaval, al que siguieron Pedro Cattani, Gil, Silvestre y otros. Viendo el siervo de Cristo que poco a poco iba creciendo el número de los hermanos, escribió con palabras sencillas una pequeña forma de vida o regla, en la que puso como fundamento inquebrantable la observancia del santo Evangelio, e insertó otras pocas cosas que parecían necesarias para un modo uniforme de vida. Deseando, empero, que su escrito obtuviera la aprobación del sumo pontífice, decidió presentarse con aquel grupo de hombres sencillos ante la Sede Apostólica, confiando únicamente en la protección divina.
En Roma encontraron al obispo de Asís, Guido, quien, enterado de lo que se proponían conseguir, se alegró mucho, y empeñó su palabra de ayudarles con sus consejos y recursos. El obispo había hablado ya al cardenal Juan de San Pablo, hombre importante en la curia papal, de la vida del bienaventurado Francisco y de sus hermanos, y estas noticias habían hecho nacer en el cardenal el deseo de ver al varón de Dios y a algunos de sus hermanos. Así que, cuando se enteró de que estaban en Roma, los hizo llamar, los hospedó en su casa y, edificado de sus palabras y ejemplos, los recomendó ante el papa.
Cuando fueron introducidos a la presencia del sumo pontífice, Francisco le expuso su objetivo, pidiéndole humilde y encarecidamente le aprobara la sobredicha forma de vida. Al observar Inocencio III la admirable pureza y simplicidad de alma del varón de Dios, el decidido propósito y el encendido fervor de su santa voluntad, se sintió inclinado a acceder piadosamente a sus peticiones. Con todo, difirió dar cumplimiento a la súplica del pobrecillo de Cristo, dado que a algunos de los cardenales les parecía una cosa nueva y tan ardua, que sobrepujaba las fuerzas humanas. Intervino el cardenal Juan de San Pablo advirtiéndoles: «Si rechazamos la demanda de este pobre que no pide sino la confirmación de la forma de vida evangélica, guardémonos de inferir con ello una injuria al mismo Evangelio de Cristo». Al oír tales consideraciones, volvióse al pobre de Cristo el sucesor del apóstol Pedro y le dijo: «Ruega, hijo, a Cristo que por tu medio nos manifieste su voluntad, a fin de que, conocida más claramente, podamos acceder con mayor seguridad a tus piadosos deseos».
Se retiraron de la presencia papal Francisco y los suyos, y el Santo, entregado a la oración, llegó al conocimiento de lo que debía decirle al papa. Y en efecto, cuando se presentaron de nuevo al sumo pontífice, Francisco le narró la parábola de un rey rico que se complació en casarse con una mujer hermosa pero pobre, de la que tuvo muchos hijos, añadiendo su interpretación: «No hay por qué temer que perezcan de hambre los hijos y herederos del Rey eterno…». Escuchó con gran atención el Vicario de Cristo esta parábola y su interpretación, quedando profundamente admirado; y reconoció que, sin duda alguna, Cristo había hablado por boca de aquel hombre.
Además les manifestó el papa Inocencio una visión celestial que había tenido esos mismos días, asegurando que habría de cumplirse en Francisco. En efecto, refirió haber visto en sueños cómo estaba a punto de derrumbarse la basílica lateranense y que un hombre pobrecito, de pequeña estatura y de aspecto despreciable, la sostenía arrimando sus hombros a fin de que no viniese a tierra. Y exclamó: «Éste es, en verdad, el hombre que con sus obras y su doctrina sostendrá a la Iglesia de Cristo».
* * * * *
- La aprobación de la Regla por Inocencio III (LM 3,10)
Innocent III had been impressed by the words of Cardinal Juan de San Pablo in favor of Francisco’s project: «If we reject the demand of this poor man as something completely new and extremely arduous, when he only asks for confirmation of the form of evangelical life, let us guard against inferring with it an insult to the very Gospel of Christ. Well, if anyone were to affirm that within the observance of evangelical perfection or in the desire for it there is something new, irrational or impossible to fulfill, he would be convicted of blaspheming against Christ, author of the Gospel ». Then, the pontiff was amazed when he heard from Francis the interpretation of the previously mentioned parable of the children of the king and the poor woman: «There is no reason to fear that the children and heirs of the eternal King will perish from hunger, who -born, by virtue of the Holy Spirit, of a poor mother, in the image of Christ the King- must be engendered in a poor religion by the spirit of poverty. For if the King of heaven promises his followers the eternal kingdom, with how much more reason will he provide them with all that he commonly grants to good and bad? Finally, recognizing in Francis the man who supported the ruined basilica, the pope was convinced that the hand of God was there.
For this reason, full of singular devotion, Innocent agreed in everything to the request of the servant of Christ, and since then he always professed a special affection for him. So he gave her everything he had asked for and promised that he would give her much more. He approved the Rule, granted the servant of God and all the lay brothers who accompanied him the faculty to preach penance and ordered them to be tonsured so that they could freely preach the word of God.
Orally approving a rule, as Innocent did on this occasion, did not then mean a kind of simple tolerance. It came to be a true approval, thanks to which the prohibition against the drafting of new monastic rules, dictated by the Lateran Council in 1215, did not affect the younger brothers, a prohibition that did affect, for example, the Order of Santo Domingo. On the other hand, the tonsure of the brothers constituted them clerics, removing them from the jurisdiction of princes and placing them under the tutelage of the Church.
* * * * *
The vision of the chariot of fire (LM 4,4)
Having obtained the approval of the Rule, Francis undertook with great confidence the return trip to the valley of Spoleto, already ready to practice and teach the Gospel of Christ. Along the way he was talking with his companions about how to faithfully observe the Rule received, about how to proceed before God in all holiness and justice and how they could be of benefit to themselves and serve as an example to others.
Already in the valley of Spoleto, they began to deliberate on the question of whether they should live in the midst of people or rather retire to solitary places. Francis went to prayer and, enlightened by God, he came to understand that he had been sent by the Lord so that he might win for Christ the souls that the devil was trying to snatch from him. That is why he preferred to live for the good of all the others rather than for himself alone, encouraged by the example of the One who deigned to die alone for all.
Consequently, he withdrew with his companions in an abandoned slum, Rivo Torto, near the city of Assisi. There they remained under the dictates of holy poverty and continually gave themselves to divine prayers. The brothers begged Francis to teach them how to pray, and he told them: «When you pray, say: «Our Father», and also: «We adore you, Christ, in all the churches throughout the world and we bless you, because by your holy cross you redeemed the world.» He also taught them to praise God in and for all creatures, to honor priests with special reverence, to firmly believe and simply confess the truths of faith as upheld and taught by the Holy Roman Church.
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While the brothers were living in that place, one Saturday the holy man went to Assisi to preach, according to his custom, on Sunday morning in the cathedral church. He spent the night, as other times, devoted to prayer, in a hovel located in the orchard of the canons.
At about midnight, it suddenly happened that, while Francisco was physically absent from his children, some of whom were resting and others persevering in prayer, a chariot of fire of admirable splendor entered through the door of the brothers’ shack, which gave three laps throughout the stay; On the same cart was raised a luminous globe, which, displaying the appearance of the sun, illuminated the darkness of the night.
Those who were awake were stunned, those who were asleep woke up full of terror, and everyone understood that it had been the Saint himself, absent in body but present in spirit and transfigured in that image, who had been shown to them by the Lord in the shining chariot of fire
The vision of the heavenly thrones
And since, both in himself and in all his subjects, Francis preferred humility to honor, God, who loves the humble, judged him worthy of the highest positions, as revealed to a brother in a heavenly vision. , Fray Pacífico, a man of notable virtue and devotion. Said brother was accompanying the Saint, and while praying with him very fervently in an abandoned church in Bovara, he was carried away in ecstasy, and saw many thrones in heaven, and among them one more important, adorned with precious stones and all resplendent with glory. Admired of such splendor, he began to find out with anxious curiosity who would occupy that throne. In this he heard a voice that told him: «This throne belonged to one of the fallen angels, and now it is reserved for the humble Francisco».
The trial by fire before the Sultan
In fact, observing the admirable fervor and virtue of the man of God, the sultan listened to him with pleasure and insistently invited him to stay with him. But the servant of Christ, inspired from on high, answered him: «If you and your people resolve to convert to Christ, I will very gladly remain in your company for his love. But, if you hesitate to abandon the law of Mohammed in exchange for the faith of Christ, order a great bonfire to be lit, and I will enter it together with your priests, so that you may know which of the two beliefs must be held, without a doubt. , as more secure and holy». The sultan replied: «I do not believe that among my priests there is any who, in order to defend his faith, wants to expose himself to the test of fire, or who is willing to suffer any other torment.» He had observed, in fact, that one of his priests, a man of integrity and advanced in age, as soon as he heard of the matter, disappeared from his presence. Then, the Saint made him this proposition: «If in your name and in the name of your people you want to promise me that you will convert to the cult of Christ if I emerge unharmed from the fire, I will enter the bonfire alone. If the fire consumes me, impute it to my sins; but, if divine power protects me, you will recognize Christ, strength and wisdom of God, true God and Lord, savior of all men».
Seeing in this holy man such a perfect despiser of the goods of the earth, the sultan was greatly amazed at this and felt attracted to him with greater devotion and affection.
The miracle of the fountain
On a certain occasion Francisco wanted to move to the hermitage on Mount Alverna to dedicate himself there more freely to contemplation; but, as he was already very weak, he was carried away in the donkey of a poor peasant. It was a hot summer day. The man was going up the mountain following the servant of Christ, and, tired by the rough and long walk, he felt faint from burning thirst. In this he began to shout insistently behind the Saint: «Hey, I’m dying of thirst, I’m dying if I don’t immediately have something to drink for refreshment!»
Without delay, the man of God got off the donkey, and kneeling on the ground and raising his hands to heaven, he did not stop praying until he understood that he had been heard. Finished the prayer, he said to the man: «Run to that rock and you will find there living water, which Christ has mercifully taken out of the rock for you to drink.»
The thirsty man drank the water that spouted from the stone by virtue of the Saint’s prayer and extracted the liquid from a very hard rock. There was no stream there before; nor, for more diligences that have been made, has it been possible to find it later.
preaching to the birds
Approaching Bevagna, he came to a place where a great multitude of birds of all kinds had gathered. When the saint of God saw them, he rushed to that place and greeted the birds as if they were endowed with reason. They all remained in an expectant attitude, with their eyes fixed on him, so that those who had perched on the trees, tilting their little heads, looked at him in an unusual way when they saw him approaching them. And, addressing the birds, he strongly exhorted them to listen to the word of God, and said to them: «My sister birds, you must praise your Creator very much, who has clothed you with feathers and has given you wings to fly, has given you the pure air and sustains and governs you, without any concern on your part.
The death of the knight of Celano
On a certain occasion, after having returned, in the spring of 1220, from his journey to Syria and Egypt, he came to Celano to preach; and there a devout gentleman insistently invited him to stay and eat with him. So he came to his house, and the whole family was overjoyed at the arrival of the poor guests. But, before starting to eat, San Francisco, following his custom, stopped a little with his eyes raised to heaven, directing supplications and praises to God. At the end of the prayer, he confidently called aside the kind gentleman who had hosted him and spoke to him thus: “Look, brother guest; defeated by your pleas, I have entered your house to eat. Now, then, listen and quickly follow my advice, because it is not here, but in another place, where you are going to eat today. Confess your sins immediately with a spirit of sincere repentance and that there is nothing left in your conscience that has to be manifested in a good confession. Today the Lord will reward you for the work of having welcomed his poor people with such devotion ».
That gentleman immediately put the Saint’s advice into practice: he made a sincere confession of all his sins with his companion, put all his things in order, and prepared himself as best he could to receive death. Finally, they all sat down at the table. Hardly had the others begun to eat, when the owner of the house, with a sudden death, breathed out his spirit, as the man of God had told him.
One of his brothers and disciples, James of Assisi, saw how that blessed soul went straight up to heaven in the form of a very bright star, carried by a small white cloud over many waters.
Checking the sores
he emigrated from this world, blessed Francis left imprinted on his body the signs of the passion of Christ. One could see in those blissful members nails of her own flesh, marvelously manufactured by divine power and so inherent to her that, if pressed on one side, they would instantly protrude from the other, as if they were hard nerves of one kind. single piece. The sore on his side also appeared very visible on his body, similar to the one on the wounded side of the Savior. The appearance of the nails was black, similar to iron; but the wound on the side was reddish and formed, due to the contraction of the flesh, a kind of circle, presenting itself to the eye as a beautiful rose. The rest of his body, which before, both because of the disease and because of his natural way of being, had been brown in color, now shone with an extraordinary whiteness. The members of his body were so soft and flexible to the touch that they seemed to have returned to being as tender as those of childhood.
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