Mt tells the parable of the forgiven, and unforgiving, servant.

Forgetful of the mercy he has received as a gift, he neglects to apply the gratuity he has received to his neighbour in the same - or perhaps less serious - condition.

The Word exhorts us to exercise towards our brothers and sisters in need, what we already had in store.

Francis had many special qualities, but excelled in one: the stable and solid memory of divine Mercy bending over him, to the point of condoning all the errors of his past life.

He had experienced the fatherhood and motherhood of God, absorbed in those bowels of mercy that had visited and healed him inwardly.

For him, pity and forgiveness (as well as correction, when necessary) were two basic attitudes in the fraternal journey.

By now he carried carved in his heart Jesus' answer to Peter's question: how often to grant forgiveness.

The Lord answered him: «I say to you not seven times, but seventy times seven» (Mt 18:22). As if to say: "in every case and always".

Francis of Assisi, in a passage from his Letter to a Minister, explains well the continuous readiness to forgive, and to begin again without tiring. The accents of the passage are moving.

"I say to you [...] that those things that are an impediment to you in loving the Lord God, and every person who will be an obstacle to you [...] all this you must hold as a grace [...] And love those who act with you in this way [...]" (FF 234).

And again: "And in this I want to know if you love the Lord and love me his servant and yours, if you will behave in this way, namely: that there be no brother in the world, who has sinned, as much as it is possible to sin, who, after he has seen your eyes, does not go away without your forgiveness, if he asks for it; and if he does not ask forgiveness, you ask him if he wants to be forgiven. And if, afterwards, he sins a thousand times before your eyes, love him more than me for this: that you may draw him to the Lord; and always have mercy on such brothers" (FF 235).

The letter, a true jewel among those written by the Poverello, continues:

"If any of the brothers, at the instigation of the enemy, has mortally sinned, he is bound by obedience to have recourse to his guardian. And let all the brothers, who have knowledge of his sin, neither shame him nor speak ill of him, but have great mercy on him and keep the sin of their brother very secret, because it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick" (FF 237).

«Should not you also have pitied your fellow man, as I also have pitied you?» (Mt 18:21-35)

Tuesday 3rd wk. in Lent  (Mt 18:21-35)

In the Lk passage, the unbelief and mistrust of the people of Nazareth towards Jesus emerges, the provocations put forward and the Lord's replies emphasising the deaf acceptance of his Message.

Francis of Assisi admired the ordinary holiness of anyone, but especially of his brethren.

He often repeated that the preacher who seeks his own glory in preaching rather than the salvation of souls is to be pitied.

To them would be preferable one who was simple and without a 'tongue', but capable of pushing others to the good.

He rejoiced greatly when he knew that his brothers scattered around the world, with the daily holiness of their lives, induced many to return to the right path.

One day, he went to a church in the hamlet of Assisi and started cleaning.

There he learned that a certain John, a simple man, was ploughing a field of his own near the church.

"And immediately he went to him and found him intent on cleaning. He said to him, 'Brother, give the broom to me, I want to help you.'

He took the broom and finished cleaning.

Then they sat down, and John said: "For a long time I have intended to serve God, especially since I heard about you and your brothers. But I did not know how to join you. But since it pleased the Lord that I should see you, I am willing to do whatever pleases you".

Observing his fervour, Francis rejoiced in the Lord, also because he then had few brothers and because this man with his simplicity gave him confidence that he would be a good religious".

Francis invited him to give the goods he possessed to the poor, as the Gospel says.

John, the simple man, did not let himself be told twice and obeyed the Poverello in everything, selling an ox to give to the poor.

The Sources continue:

"Francis, who always liked pure and holy simplicity in himself and in others, had great affection for John.

And as soon as he had dressed him in the habit, he took him as his companion.

He was so simple that he considered himself obliged to do whatever Francis did.

When the saint was praying in a church or in a secluded place, John wanted to see him and stare at him, to repeat all his gestures: if Francis bent his knees, if he raised his joined hands to heaven, if he spat or coughed, he would do the same.

Although enchanted by such simplicity of heart, Francis began to rebuke him. But John replied: "Brother, I have promised to do all that you do; and therefore I intend to do all that you do".

The Saint was amazed and delighted at such purity and simplicity. John made such progress in all the virtues that Francis and the others were amazed at his holiness.

And not long afterwards he died in this holy perfection. Francis, filled with joy inwardly and outwardly, told the brothers about his life, and called him "Saint John" instead of "Brother John" (FF 1566).

The onlookers marvelled at the holiness manifested in the ordinary of one who lived the Word concretely and asked: «Is not this the Son of Joseph?» (Lk 4:22).

The simple and transparent life bewilders those who have abstruse ideas of holiness; they believe it to be linked to sumptuous descent, forgetting that God loves and proclaims in the ordinary.

«No prophet is accepted in his own country» (Lk 4:24)

Monday 3rd wk. in Lent  (Lk 4,24-30)

The Gospel of John, on this Sunday of Lent, takes us to Jacob's well where Jesus meets the Samaritan woman and asks her for a drink. In reality, it is He who offers her the opportunity of a Gift: the Water that springs forth for eternal life, an allusion to the Holy Spirit. Jesus calls us to worship the Father in spirit and truth, and all this takes place under the impulse of the Spirit and in the truth of Jesus within the inner sanctuary. 

Francis of Assisi lived this worship wherever he was and taught his companions to do the same.

In fact:

"The brethren asked him insistently to teach them to pray, because, behaving with simplicity of spirit, they did not yet know the liturgical office.

And he replied:

'When you pray, say: Our Father! And: We adore you, O Christ, in all your churches throughout the world, and we bless you, because with your holy cross you have redeemed the world' " (FF 399).

Thus:

"Faithful to Francis' exhortation, whenever they passed by a church, or even saw one from afar, they bowed in that direction and, prostrate in body and spirit, worshipped the Almighty, saying: 'We adore you, O Christ, in all your churches'.

And, no less admirable, they did the same wherever they happened to see a cross or a form of a cross, on the ground, on walls, among trees, in hedges" (FF 401).

The Poverello asked incessantly for the water that springs forth for eternal life, in his secret relationship with God, who did not deny him the abundant lapping of the Spirit who, by his will, became Minister of the Order.

In fact, the Sources attest to what Francis often said:

"With God," he said, "there is no preference of persons, and the Holy Spirit, Minister General of the Order, rests equally on the poor and the simple" (FF 779).

The simplicity of heart of the Minimo was a privileged place for an abundant flooding of the Spirit, which transformed him into an equal source for those who met him.

«[...] the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life» (Jn 4:14b)

3rd Sunday in Lent (A)  (Jn 4:5-42)

Chapter fifteen of Luke is known for its parables of Mercy.

Before the Pharisees and scribes who murmur because he is close to publicans and sinners, Jesus responds with effective parables whose foundation is:

do not reject, but go forth to raise up.

Wherever there is pity for man's lost condition, there Christ rises again.

Francis in his young existence had encountered the paternal and maternal compassion of the Lord.

After a life spent in merry bandits and a bit of debauchery, he was thunderstruck by the Father of Mercies or, as he called him, the Great Helmsman.

Touched by Grace, after his evident change of mentality, before the Crucifix of San Damiano his vocation-mission was revealed to him.

He renounced everything, even his earthly father, to be free to go where the Father in heaven sent him.

The waste of his youthful years translated him into boundless generosity towards lepers and the poor.

The Blessing Embrace of the Almighty had imprinted him with a more solid and precious human and spiritual character.

All his life he wept for his sins, thinking of the Passion of Jesus Christ, who died and rose again for all his lost children.

In the Sources ('Vita seconda' by his biographer Celano) we find a moving passage:

"Once he heard that a sick friar wanted to eat some grapes. He accompanied him to a vineyard and, sitting under a vine, to infuse him with courage, he himself began to eat first' (FF 762).

Mercy for the misfortunes of others is the Franciscan foundation of the spiritual journey.

And again:

"He used to say that it is the duty of the superior, a father and not a tyrant, to prevent the occasion of guilt and not to allow those to fall who would then find it difficult to get up again, once they have fallen.

Oh, how worthy of compassion is our foolishness!

Not only do we not lift or support the weak, but we sometimes push them to fall.

We judge it of no importance to take away from the Supreme Shepherd a sheep, for whom on the Cross he uttered a loud cry with tears.

But quite differently didst thou, holy father, prefer to amend the errant and not to lose them!

[...] the oil and the wine, the rod and the staff, the zeal and the indulgence, the burning and the anointing, the prison and the womb, everything has its time.

All these things require the God of vengeance and the Father of mercies: but he prefers mercy to sacrifice' (FF 763).

Clare herself, a loving mother, had received a generous heart full of compassion, especially towards her needy sisters.

The Sources, through the Rule, attest that as the leader of the community, the First Plant of Francis did not allow herself to be imprisoned by the law, but unmistakable Charity reigned over all.

We read in fact:

"[The abbess] console the afflicted. May she still be the last refuge of the afflicted so that, should the remedies of health fail in her, the disease of despair may not prevail in the sick" (FF 2778).

Francis and Clare, transformed by the Father's mercy, treasured the gift they had received and poured it out freely to all creatures. Never caged by the immovability of codes, they were witnesses of that singular welcome that recovers those who have erred and reintroduces them into the new life of the risen.

"Where there is mercy and discretion,

there is neither superfluity nor harshness" (FF 177).

«While he was still a long way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran to his neck and super kissed him» (Lk 15:20)

Saturday 2nd wk. in Lent  (Lk 15:1-3.11-32)

Jesus narrates the metaphor of the murderous peasants. Only at the end do the priests and Pharisees realise that it was addressed to them, and try to capture him, fearing however the crowd who considered him a prophet.

Francis well knew that Jesus is the cornerstone, discarded by the builders, yet precious and granite before God.

He knew and repeated in his heart the Psalm (118) that captures all this:

«Jesus says to them: You have never read in the Scriptures: the stone which the builders rejected, this one has become a cornerstone [...]» (Mt 21:42).

In the Sources, in fact, we find the Poverello's great respect for the stones that reminded him of the cornerstone: Christ.

Celano, in the Second Life, emphasises:

"He walked reverently over the stones, out of respect for him who is called Stone. And having to recite the verse, which says: on the stone you raised me up, he changed the words thus for greater respect: 'Under the feet of the Stone you raised me up'" (FF 750).

Following the example of Christ and through the work of the Spirit, Francis became a stone in the building of the Church.

The major legend testifies in this regard:

"During the two years that followed the impression of the stigmata he, like a stone destined for the building of the heavenly Jerusalem, had been squared by the blows of trial, through his many and tormented infirmities, and, like a ductile material, had been reduced to ultimate perfection under the hammer of numerous tribulations" (FF 1239).

Together with Francis, Clare was also transformed into the foundation stone for the Order of the Poor Ladies.

We read: "The first work Francis set about [...] was to rebuild a temple to the Lord. He does not think of building a new one, but restores an ancient and crumbling church; he does not undermine the foundations, but builds on them, thus unknowingly leaving the primacy to Christ. For no one could create another foundation apart from the one that has already been laid: Jesus Christ.

Returning therefore to the place where, as has been said, the church of San Damiano had formerly been built, with the grace of the Most High he repaired it with all diligence in a short time" (FF 350).

"This is the blessed and holy place in which the glorious Order of the "Poor Ladies" and holy virgins, almost six years after his conversion, had its happy origin through the work of Francis himself.

It was there that Lady Clare, also a native of Assisi, a most precious and strong stone, became the cornerstone for all the other stones of this religious family" (FF 351).

On the cornerstone of Christ, the One whom the murderous vinedressers persecuted and killed, were placed (there finding place and meaning) stones made alive by Him to build the Kingdom of God by the power of the Spirit.

Friday, 2nd wk. in Lent  (Mt 21:33-43.45-46)

The Gospel proposed by today's liturgy sets before us three important existential dimensions, which Francis held in high regard.

The parable of poor Lazarus and the immoderate rich man evokes the diligent use of riches, care for the needy, and is a call to conversion, since after death, individual judgement will be irreversible.

Francis, the Poor Man of Assisi, always had this Gospel picture before his eyes, which led him to better direct his heart towards God and the poor.

The Sources attest, from the very beginning of his journey:

"(Francis) had always benefited the needy, but from that moment on he firmly resolved never to refuse alms to the poor who asked for them for the love of God, and on the contrary to make spontaneous and generous donations.

To every poor man who asked for charity, when Francis was away from home, he provided with money; if he lacked it, he gave him his hat or belt, so as not to send him back empty-handed.

Or if he lacked these, he would withdraw to the sidelines, take off his shirt and secretly give it to the indigent, begging him to take it for the love of God.

He bought utensils that the churches needed and secretly gave them to poor priests' (FF 1403).

And again, the Legend of the Three Companions informs us:

"Divine Grace had profoundly changed him. Although he did not wear a religious habit, he longed to find himself unknown in some city, where he could barter his clothes for the rags of a beggar and try begging for the love of God himself' (FF 1405).

The Minim knew that what a poor man received was addressed to Christ himself and that a single glass of water given to the small and marginalised was offered to Jesus.

His encounter with the leper in the plain of Assisi had turned bitterness into true sweetness in him.

Francis feared divine judgement and wanted to respond to what the Word of God demanded of him.

Clare herself, from a young age, took food from her body to give to the poor, maintaining this attitude of special care and concern for the needy - all her life.

Both made an evangelical, intelligent use of the goods at their disposal in the service of the Kingdom of God.

«Son, remember that you received your goods in your life, and Lazarus likewise the evils; but now here he is comforted, you on the other hand are tormented» (Lk 16:25).

The Poor Man always exhorted his brothers to be merciful to all forms of indigence, because judgement does not grant full life to those who do not acknowledge it to their brothers.

Thursday 2nd wk. in Lent  (Lk 16:19-31)

Jesus announces his death for the third time and reminds his own not to be like those who rule over the nations, oppressing them. Whoever wants to become great must be a servant, like Him who did not come to be served, but to serve.

Thanks to the light received from the Spirit, Francis and Clare had learnt to incarnate the Word of God on a daily basis.

The target of their action was Christ to be recognised and served in the brothers or sisters, but also to be helped in those who knocked on the door or met along the way.

The children of the kingdom of heaven do not rule, but humbly serve their neighbour.

Jesus' disciples do not aspire to prestigious positions, but to conform to the identikit outlined in the Beatitudes.

Hence the active understanding of what the Sources propose.

"They [the brothers] occupied the day in prayer and working with their hands, so as to resolutely avoid idleness, the enemy of the soul [...].

They loved each other with a deep affection, and served and provided for each other as a mother would do with her only tenderly loved child.

Such was the affection that burned in their hearts, that they were ready to give themselves up to death without hesitation, not only for the love of Christ, but also to save the souls or bodies of their brethren" (FF 1446).

«Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many» (Mt 20:28)

And Clare herself, enclosed within Damianite walls, offered in simplicity to her sisters the witness of all-round service.

"From then on she no longer refused any servile duties, to the point that she was the one who poured water over the sisters' hands, stood to assist them while they sat and served them at table while they ate.

She hardly gave any orders: but she did it herself spontaneously, preferring to carry them out herself rather than command her sisters" (FF 3180).

"She washed the seats of the infirm, she cleansed them herself, with that noble spirit of hers, without shying away from filthiness or disgusting the stench" (FF 3181).

The Minim and the Poor Woman of San Damiano had received as a gift a pure heart, inflamed by Charity, at the service of the Kingdom.

Looking at Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of the law, they had acquired His likeness as servants, to redeem the dispersed multitudes.

Wednesday 2nd wk. in Lent  (Mt 20:17-28)

Jesus urges the crowd to listen and observe what the scribes and Pharisees say, without doing according to their works, because of the obvious contradiction between their saying and doing.

The Lord also calls for humility and service.

The Poor Man of Assisi had made poverty the guiding motif of his life. We are not speaking only of material poverty, but first and foremost of spiritual poverty - with the numerous "sisters"... Humility, discretion, concealment; fleeing all forms of power and appearances, as the scribes and Pharisees loved to do - rebuked, in today's passage, by the Master Jesus.

«They say and do not do [...] All their works they do to be admired by the people» (Mt 23:3.5).

Francis was convinced that virtue must remain hidden, far from seeking admiration.

In the Sources, Celano reiterates:

"In this way Francis had rejected all glory that did not know Christ and had inflicted a radical repudiation on human praise.

He well knew that the price of fame diminished the secret price of conscience, and that it is far more harmful to abuse virtue than to lack it at all [...].

[We, on the other hand] patiently endure not being good, but we do not resign ourselves to not seeming so nor to not being believed so.

Thus we live completely in the pursuit of men's esteem, because we are nothing but men' (FF 723).

He continues, regarding the Poverello:

"Humble in demeanour, most humble in feeling, most humble in his own esteem.

By nothing could one distinguish that this prince of God held the office of superior, if not by this most shining gem, that is, that he was the least among the least.

This was the virtue, this was the title, this was the badge that indicated him as minister general.

His mouth knew no haughtiness, his gestures no pomp, his acts no ostentation" (FF 724).

Moreover, Francis, faithful to the Lord, "did not want to give anyone the title of 'father' or 'master', nor write it in his letters, out of respect for the Lord who said: 'do not call anyone father on earth, nor be called master'" (FF 1615).

So, the Minim loved to make himself a servant in the footsteps of Christ, as Clare herself practised in San Damiano among her sisters.

From the Legend, contained in the Sources, we learn:

"Clare, the primary stone and noble foundation of her Order, from the beginning studied to set the edifice of all virtues on the foundation of holy humility.

She promised holy obedience to blessed Francis, and never deviated in any way from this promise [...].

she would have wished to humbly submit rather than be at the head, and among the handmaids of Christ more willingly to serve than to be served.

[...] Compelled by blessed Francis, she finally assumed the government of the Women: and from this was born in her heart fear, not arrogance; and there grew not independence, but the spirit and practice of service.

For the more she sees herself elevated by these appearances of superiority, the lower she finds herself in her own esteem, more ready for duty, more humble even in outward appearance" (FF 3179)

«He who is greater among you shall be your servant» (Mt 23:11)

Tuesday 2nd wk. in Lent  (Mt 23:1-12)