Apr 18, 2025 Written by 

From water and the Spirit

In the opening verses of John 3 Jesus emphasises to the Pharisee Nicodemus, who questioned him, the urgency of being born again from above by the Holy Spirit.

 

In the Sources, Francis shows a special affection for the Spirit of God, allowing Him to act in his life. The Finger of God reciprocates him with frequent visits and his holy operation in every vicissitude.

Exploring the Franciscan documents, there are many episodes that attest to the surprising action of the Spirit in the Poverello. They highlight Francis as a new creature, reborn from water and the Giver of gifts, sown in his journey of transformation.

The Sources attest:

"Francis wanted one day to go to a hermitage* to devote himself more freely to contemplation; but as he was very weak, he obtained from a poor peasant the use of his donkey.

It was summertime, and the peasant who was following the Saint by climbing mountain paths was dead tired from the harshness and length of the journey.

Suddenly, before reaching the hermitage, he felt himself parched with thirst. He began to cry out after the Saint, begging him to have mercy on him, for without the comfort of a little water he would certainly have died.

The Saint, ever compassionate towards the afflicted, leapt from the donkey, and kneeling on the ground raised his hands to heaven and did not cease to pray until he felt he had been granted.

"Up, quickly," he cried to the farmer, "there you will find living water, which merciful Christ has now brought forth from the rock to quench your thirst.

Wondrous pleasing to God, who so easily bends to his servants! 

The man drank the water that gushed forth from the rock by the merit of the one who prayed and quenched his thirst at the hard flint. There had never been a stream of water in that place, nor was it found afterwards, no matter how many searches were made.

What wonder, if a man filled with the Holy Spirit brings together in himself the wondrous works of all the righteous? It is certainly not an extraordinary thing, if he repeats deeds similar to those of other saints who have the gift of being united to Christ by a special grace" (FF 632).

He who believes becomes himself Living Water that gushes forth for the benefit of all, because he is reborn from above.

 

«Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God» (Jn 3:5)

 

 

Monday 2nd wk. in Easter  (Jn 3:1-8)

119 Last modified on Friday, 18 April 2025 10:58
Teresa Girolami

Teresa Girolami è laureata in Materie letterarie e Teologia. Ha pubblicato vari testi, fra cui: "Pellegrinaggio del cuore" (Ed. Piemme); "I Fiammiferi di Maria - La Madre di Dio in prosa e poesia"; "Tenerezza Scalza - Natura di donna"; co-autrice di "Dialogo e Solstizio".

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