WALKING THROUGH THE LIFE OF FRANCIS
Images: The Water Colors of Pedro Subercaseaux
(These paintings are at St. Francis Prayer Center, Stoneville, NC)
1: Going to War – Francis becomes a prison during a war between Assisi and Perugia. This humbles Francis because war causes suffering, hardships, destruction and lost of life (it makes enemies of people who should be living in peace).
What life event is your humbling moment? What makes you need something greater than yourself and it drives you towards creating friendships instead of hatred? There has to be a moment when you desire to change direction, to find more purpose because love brings together what indifference divides a part. There has to be something that can transform human selfishness, hate, greed, malice and pure lust for power into a gentle peace that is beyond all understanding. It is Christian love for all.
What life event is your humbling moment? What makes you need something greater than yourself and it drives you towards creating friendships instead of hatred? There has to be a moment when you desire to change direction, to find more purpose because love brings together what indifference divides a part. There has to be something that can transform human selfishness, hate, greed, malice and pure lust for power into a gentle peace that is beyond all understanding. It is Christian love for all.
2: Changing Clothes with A Beggar – Francis was born into a life of privilege, but he made a life decision to identify with the stranger, the undesirable, and the unpleasant and the forgotten people in his society.
The best way to understand someone who is different than you is to walk in their shoes and emotionally live as they live. There is no power or status for people who are poor or sick or elderly or forgotten. Can you have apathy with those who are not like you? Can you help those in need? Can you give to people when they cannot return your generosity?
The best way to understand someone who is different than you is to walk in their shoes and emotionally live as they live. There is no power or status for people who are poor or sick or elderly or forgotten. Can you have apathy with those who are not like you? Can you help those in need? Can you give to people when they cannot return your generosity?
3: Francis Kisses the Leper – This was the dividing line moment between Francis’ old life and his new life. He was moving from a materialistic life towards a more spiritual life.
What is God calling you to embrace but you cannot do it? What is the leper in your life (or that thing that repulses your inter humanity because it produces fear or indifference from within you)?
4: God Speaks through the Crucifix of San Damiano – Francis was praying before the crucifix when he heard a voice or had a vision of God asking him to rebuild his church.
Is God speaking to you to rebuild your life? Can you be still and quiet enough to hear the soft voice of God inspiring you into action?
Is God speaking to you to rebuild your life? Can you be still and quiet enough to hear the soft voice of God inspiring you into action?
5: The Bishop’s Judgment – Francis is in a dispute with his father. They go before their bishop to resolve Francis giving away his father’s wealthy processions to the needy. Francis takes off his clothing given by his father to stand naked.
Nothing that we buy or receive can go with us to eternity. We stand naked before God with only what we have given away. Can you be stripped of all your pretensions, processions and ambitions that disguise your true existences? For the good of others, can you make a faith decision that may be uncomfortable or take you away from your personal security?
Nothing that we buy or receive can go with us to eternity. We stand naked before God with only what we have given away. Can you be stripped of all your pretensions, processions and ambitions that disguise your true existences? For the good of others, can you make a faith decision that may be uncomfortable or take you away from your personal security?
6: Becomes a Servant of God – Francis joins a monastery to work in the kitchen. He wants to be a servant for the Lord.
Are you called to love others as Christ? No matter what your situation in life is, there is a way you can care for others. How can you uniquely reach out to others? By helping others, you build up your soul and your ability to understand God’s loving ways.
Are you called to love others as Christ? No matter what your situation in life is, there is a way you can care for others. How can you uniquely reach out to others? By helping others, you build up your soul and your ability to understand God’s loving ways.
7: Francis Works at A Leper Hospital – Francis becomes a caretaker for those with an incurable and contagious disease.
Can you love the unforgotten in your life? Can you show God’s love to those that society avoids or fears as untouchable – unacceptable?
Can you love the unforgotten in your life? Can you show God’s love to those that society avoids or fears as untouchable – unacceptable?
8: Francis Repairs San Damiano Church – Believing that God literally wanted him to rebuild San Damiano Church, Francis and a few companions repaired that church.
Francis later understood that God was asking him to rebuild the spiritual foundation of the extended church. Are you in need of spiritual repair, of rebuilding the foundation of your faith? Francis followed Jesus by caring about the physical, moral, mental and spiritual poverty of others. Will you care too?
Francis later understood that God was asking him to rebuild the spiritual foundation of the extended church. Are you in need of spiritual repair, of rebuilding the foundation of your faith? Francis followed Jesus by caring about the physical, moral, mental and spiritual poverty of others. Will you care too?
9: Francis Consults Sacred Scripture – Francis finds God also in scripture. He and his companions move from scripture to life and from life to scripture. He makes his scriptural life physical prayer offered up to God.
Can you make your life a scriptural life offered up to God as prayer itself? Through the poverty of Jesus can you find the riches of a scriptural life?
Can you make your life a scriptural life offered up to God as prayer itself? Through the poverty of Jesus can you find the riches of a scriptural life?
10: Francis & His Companions Go to Rome to be accepted by the Pope – They seek to form a simple community of love and fellowship through Christ.
We can be isolated islands; but instead, our humanity requires encouragement, fellowship and sharing our talents with others – we require relationships within a community. Do you require relationships with fellow believers? Do you find comfort, support and strength when you share your common faith with others?
We can be isolated islands; but instead, our humanity requires encouragement, fellowship and sharing our talents with others – we require relationships within a community. Do you require relationships with fellow believers? Do you find comfort, support and strength when you share your common faith with others?
11: Pope Innocent Gives His Approval – The Church blesses Francis’ mission. God’s Holy Spirit is moving through Francis and into the world. It is his Christ centered obedience to God’s will that inspires his Franciscan companions.
Is it your desire to obey God’s will through the example of Francis? Do you have a love for animal, all human life, the environment, simplicity, Gospel living and for Lady Poverty?
Is it your desire to obey God’s will through the example of Francis? Do you have a love for animal, all human life, the environment, simplicity, Gospel living and for Lady Poverty?
12: Clare & Francis - Clare was young when Francis inspired her to follow Christ the Franciscan way.
How can we be sensitive and open to inspire the youth & young adults with the mission of Francis? The Franciscan movement has no future if the young do not push us forward with their energy and wiliness to adapt to new way of experiencing Christ in our hearts.
How can we be sensitive and open to inspire the youth & young adults with the mission of Francis? The Franciscan movement has no future if the young do not push us forward with their energy and wiliness to adapt to new way of experiencing Christ in our hearts.
13: Clare's Profession – Profession (Clare taking religious vows) was a life time commitment to the mission of Francis. She gave herself to poverty, charity (love) and Obedience.
Cugh you to others.
Cugh you to others.
Is your presence a representation of peace or of conflict? Can your example be an example for conciliation or of indifference? Do you build up with love or do you break down through personal dislikes?
15: Francis Meets Dominic – Both Francis and Dominic embraced with their first meeting in 1215AD. Both represent new spiritual movements within the church to revitalized Christianity. Both transformed the Christian heart their unique way.
What does it take to transform your Christian heart in new revitalized ways?
What does it take to transform your Christian heart in new revitalized ways?
16: Francis Sees the Sultan in Egypt Both the sultan and Francis listen to one another. They both showed goodwill towards the other. There was respect for the different cultures, ethnicities, religions, and philosophies. They supported one another through their love for their mutual creator.
Can you conduct yourself in a peaceful manner because of your love for the creator of all? Since we all are children of the one God – can there be brotherly love with your enemy?
Can you conduct yourself in a peaceful manner because of your love for the creator of all? Since we all are children of the one God – can there be brotherly love with your enemy?
17: The Wolf of Gubbio & Francis – The wolf was devouring the inhabitants of the town. Francis reasoned with the people of the town to feed the wolf and then the wolf would have no need to eat the people. To discover the reasoning behind negative situations can help create understanding and solutions to problems.
Can you act like an angry animal when you are not understood? What will it take for you to be able to see the need behind the negative behavior of others?
Can you act like an angry animal when you are not understood? What will it take for you to be able to see the need behind the negative behavior of others?
18: Christmas At Greccio – In 1223, Francis arranged the first known live nativity scene. Francis always had to focus on Jesus. Christmas is a time where we remember that we too give birth to the Christ Spirit from within us and that we nourish that spirit to maturity.
How do you nourish the Christ Spirit from within you so it will mature for the whole world to see?
How do you nourish the Christ Spirit from within you so it will mature for the whole world to see?
19: The Stigmata – – Francis was the first person to show the wounds of Christ (the stigmata). When we suffer for others we too are united with Christ’s suffering.
How can I better imitate Christ (his life, his sacrifice, his death and his resurrection)?
How can I better imitate Christ (his life, his sacrifice, his death and his resurrection)?
20: The Death of Francis – Francis would welcome his sister Death because he would be with his Lord.
How can you better understand that death is a part of life and there is life after death?
QUESTIONS:
1 Why would kissing a leper be the major event for Francis' conversion?
2 Could you be as literal about Franciscan Spirituality as Francis did?
3 How can the story of Francis and the wolf help explain Francis' ideals about peaceful existence?
4 How can we too "Rebuild the church"?
5 Can God's will speak to you (in your life) like God spoke to Francis?
6 What would God ask to change about you if he spoke to you?
How can you better understand that death is a part of life and there is life after death?
QUESTIONS:
1 Why would kissing a leper be the major event for Francis' conversion?
2 Could you be as literal about Franciscan Spirituality as Francis did?
3 How can the story of Francis and the wolf help explain Francis' ideals about peaceful existence?
4 How can we too "Rebuild the church"?
5 Can God's will speak to you (in your life) like God spoke to Francis?
6 What would God ask to change about you if he spoke to you?
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