St. Francis, a Man for Our Times

I couldn't let the feast of St. Francis of Assisi pass by without a mention. Today I've been reading a big about his dealings with Islam. In 1215 the fathers of the Fourth Lateran Council expressed "an ardent desire to liberate the Holy Land from the hands of the ungodly." Though they clearly envisioned a military response, which indeed followed shortly, Francis and his followers took a much humbler path. Francis instructed his friars as follows:

The Lord says: "Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. · Therefore be prudent as snakes and simple as doves" (Mt 10:16). …

Indeed the friars, who go, can conduct themselves spiritually among them in two manners. · One manner is, that they cause no arguments nor strife, but be subject "to every human creature for God's sake" (1 Pt 2:13) and confess themselves to be Christians. · The other manner is, that, when they have seen that it pleases God, they announce the word of God, so that they may believe in God the Omnipotent, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, the Creator of all things, (and) in the Redeemer and Savior, the Son, and that they may be baptized and become Christians, because "he who has" not "been reborn of water and the Holy Spirit, cannot enter the Kingdom of God" (cf. Jn 3:5). …

And let all the friars, wherever they are, remember, that they have given themselves and surrendered their bodies to the Lord Jesus Christ. · And on behalf of His love (amor) they ought to confront their enemies both visible and invisible; 165 because the Lord says: "He who will have lost his life for My sake, shall save it (cf. Lk 9:24) for eternal life" (Mt 25:46). · "Blessed are those who suffer persecution on account of justice, since theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven" (Mt 5:10). · "If they have persecuted Me, they will persecute you also" (Jn 15:20). · And: If they persecute you "in one city, flee to another" (cf. Mt 10:23). · "Blessed are you" (Mt 5:11), "when men have hated you" (Lk 6:22) "and cursed you" and do persecute you (cf. Mt 5:11) "and have separated you and reproached you and cast your name out as evil" (Lk 6:22) "and when they have said every evil against you, lying, on account of Me" (Mt 5:11). · "Rejoice on that day and exult" (Lk 6:23), "since your wage is great in heaven" (cf. Lk 12:4), and I "say to you My friends, do not be afraid of them" (cf. Lk 12:4), · "and do not fear those who kill the body" (Mt 10:28) · "and after" this "have nothing more to do" (Lk 12:4). · "See, that you are not disturbed" (Mt 24:6). · For "in your patience you shall possess your souls" (Lk 21:19), · and the one who "will have persevered until the end, he shall be saved" (Mt 10:22; 24:13).  [source]

Francis himself practiced what he preached: In 1219 he and some companions risked their lives to meet with the Sultan at Damiata, Egypt. The details of what exactly happened are a bit sketchy, and legends have grown up around the meeting, such as the trial by fire (above) in which Francis was supposed to have challenged the Islamic clerics to see whom God favoured by walking through fire. Other Franciscans were not so well received by the Islamic conquerers and became the first martyrs of the order. Francis' way of dialogue with Muslims is not without cost, but I suspect it is the only way that can truly be called Christian.

Saint Francis, pray for us.

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Comments

[JLB]

Hi Sylvia! I meant to mention this back when you posted about St. Francis, but got sidetracked and forgot...

I've really been enjoying this book (Father Virgil is a family friend) and I thought you might too:

Padre: The Spiritual Journey of Father Virgil Cordano
by Mario T. Garcia

Thank you for your thoughts,
JLB