Oct. 4, 2017: St. Francis of Assisi
Oct. 4, 2017: St. Francis of Assisi
THE CRUCIFIX SPEAKS
Francis knew that a test was coming, an initiation into something he both feared and reverenced. That this new feeling would not last frightened him. In the past he had experienced so many ups and downs that he was suspicious of any new high. Still, there was a certainty about his Dreams that was more a conviction or a belief than a feeling or mood. As Francis mused on these thoughts, he approached the ramshackle little church of San Damiano. He hesitated a moment, then went in. Above the altar he saw the large Byzantine crucifix of Christ. As though driven by an inner force, he fell on his knees and began to pray intensely.
“Lord Jesus, what do you want me to do? Every day I question my dream at Spoleto and wonder whether or not it was really you who spoke to me, or whether it was just my excitement about my coming baptism of fire as a Knight. Lord, my dreams plague me so. What do they mean? Why do I have such dreams and voices? What kind of man am I, Lord?”
Francis lifted his head from the stone floor and looked searchingly into the eyes of the crucifix that seemed now to have depth, like real eyes. Suddenly, the whole face of the Christ seemed to move, and Francis was afraid. Then as from some faraway place and yet coming surely from the crucifix, a voice clear and resonant pierced Francis’ soul.
“Francis, go now and repair my church which, as you see, is falling down.”
Francis was jubilant. He waited for more, and he searched and searched the face of the crucifix, but there was no movement, no sign that more would come. Francis remained transfixed for a long time, and thanked Jesus over and over again for this clear request He had made of him. He would start rebuilding the church immediately. It never occurred to Francis that Christ was asking anything other than the actual repairing of churches that were falling into ruin.
So he ran from San Damiano and set about collecting stones to rebuild crumbling churches. He would start with San Damiano itself. His whole mind and energy were now focused almost fanatically on this one project. This single-minded obedience to his dreams and voices was to become a bold pattern in Francis’ life that would lead to his total and radical service of the gospel of Christ.
"FRANCIS: The Journey and the Dream" by Murray Bodo
THE CRUCIFIX SPEAKS
Francis knew that a test was coming, an initiation into something he both feared and reverenced. That this new feeling would not last frightened him. In the past he had experienced so many ups and downs that he was suspicious of any new high. Still, there was a certainty about his Dreams that was more a conviction or a belief than a feeling or mood. As Francis mused on these thoughts, he approached the ramshackle little church of San Damiano. He hesitated a moment, then went in. Above the altar he saw the large Byzantine crucifix of Christ. As though driven by an inner force, he fell on his knees and began to pray intensely.
“Lord Jesus, what do you want me to do? Every day I question my dream at Spoleto and wonder whether or not it was really you who spoke to me, or whether it was just my excitement about my coming baptism of fire as a Knight. Lord, my dreams plague me so. What do they mean? Why do I have such dreams and voices? What kind of man am I, Lord?”
Francis lifted his head from the stone floor and looked searchingly into the eyes of the crucifix that seemed now to have depth, like real eyes. Suddenly, the whole face of the Christ seemed to move, and Francis was afraid. Then as from some faraway place and yet coming surely from the crucifix, a voice clear and resonant pierced Francis’ soul.
“Francis, go now and repair my church which, as you see, is falling down.”
Francis was jubilant. He waited for more, and he searched and searched the face of the crucifix, but there was no movement, no sign that more would come. Francis remained transfixed for a long time, and thanked Jesus over and over again for this clear request He had made of him. He would start rebuilding the church immediately. It never occurred to Francis that Christ was asking anything other than the actual repairing of churches that were falling into ruin.
So he ran from San Damiano and set about collecting stones to rebuild crumbling churches. He would start with San Damiano itself. His whole mind and energy were now focused almost fanatically on this one project. This single-minded obedience to his dreams and voices was to become a bold pattern in Francis’ life that would lead to his total and radical service of the gospel of Christ.
"FRANCIS: The Journey and the Dream" by Murray Bodo
