Jesus is keen to emphasise the priority of the love due to Him, the acceptance of one’s own cross, as well as the hospitality shown to the little ones, even through the smallest of gestures.
From personal experience, the Poor Man of Assisi knew God’s magnanimity, for He is attentive to His children even when it comes to a glass of water offered in His Name to those who belong to Christ.
And with a burning faith, he lived out this truth.
The Sources recount an eloquent episode:
‘Francis, a man of God, stripped of worldly possessions […] devoted himself to serving God in every possible way.
Returning to the church of St Damian, full of joy and fervour, he fashioned himself a hermit’s habit and comforted the priest of that church with the very same words of encouragement which the bishop had addressed to him.
Then, returning to the city, he began to walk through the squares and streets, singing the Lord’s praises with a soul filled with joy.
As soon as he had finished his praises, he set about gathering the stones needed to restore the church.
He would say:
«Whoever gives me one stone shall receive a reward; whoever gives two stones, two rewards; whoever gives three, three rewards».
With ardent enthusiasm he made this and similar appeals, full of innocence, for this chosen one of God had a pure and childlike soul; he did not resort to the learned language of human wisdom, but was simple and direct in everything” (FF 1420).
He also feared causing offence to people and to his brothers, thereby dishonouring God.
Indeed, we read further:
“He often repeated to his companions:
«Herein lies my sorrow, my affliction: the guidance which, through intense prayer and reflection, I receive from God’s mercy for the present and future good of the brotherhood—and which God assures me is in accordance with his will—is thwarted by some friars, who, relying on their own arrogance and the light of their learning, say: These directives must be upheld and observed, but not these others».
But the Saint, as has already been said, feared scandal so much that he allowed many things to be done, and adapted himself to the will of his brothers, however much this went against his convictions” (FF 1632).
“He was troubled by the thought that, as often happens amongst the elect, there would be some who were puffed up in their carnal mindset, ready for strife and prone to scandal” (FF 609).
«And whoever gives even a single glass of fresh [water] to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple, truly I tell you, they will not lose their reward» (Mt 10:42)
13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, year A (Mt 10:37–42)
