On the feast of St Matthew the Apostle, the liturgy presents the Gospel passage bearing his name, recounting his conversion and his following of Jesus.

Jesus responds to the malice of the leaders by saying:

«It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick» (Mt 9:12).

He emphasises their distance from Mercy; they are slaves to their own legalism.

When the divine Light made him realise that the Lord was calling him to follow in his footsteps, Francis left everything behind immediately and devoted himself to finding the best way to live out the Gospel.

Jesus had made him understand that Mercy must always prevail in all circumstances.

In the Sources we read:

“Oil and wine, the rod and the staff, zeal and indulgence […] everything has its time.

All this is required by the God of vengeance and the Father of mercies: yet He prefers mercy to sacrifice” (FF 763).

One day, whilst he was praying, he heard a voice say to him:

«Francis, if you wish to know my will, you must despise and hate everything that you loved in this world and longed to possess.

When you have begun to do this, what was once attractive to you will seem unbearable and bitter» (FF 1407).

Hence his love for the lepers:

“A few days later, he took a great deal of money with him and went to the lepers’ hospice; he gathered them together and distributed alms to each one, kissing their hands.

On his return, the contact that had previously been repulsive to him—that is, seeing and touching the lepers—was truly transformed into sweetness for him” (FF 1408).

Indeed, the divine Master feasts with the sick and does not abhor them, for it is they who need the healer, and it was by them that Francis was healed in his soul.

September 21, St Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist  (Mt 9:9–13)

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the labourers hired for the day.

God is not a despotic Father, but bestows his gifts entirely freely. Thus, he treats even those who arrived at the last hour with magnanimity.

These themes feature frequently in the Franciscan Sources.

Indeed, in what we call the «Writings of Francis» (mostly dictated to a friar who acted as his secretary), the Poverello’s firm adherence to the Gospel itself emerges clearly, offering every soul a favourable opportunity to serve the Lord.

And Clare was no less so!

In the Testament she left to her sisters, we read:

«But since the way and the path are narrow, and the gate through which one sets out and enters into life is narrow, few are those who travel along it and enter through it; and even if there are those who walk along it for a short while, very few persevere in it.

Blessed, however, are those to whom it is granted to walk this way and to persevere in it until the end» (FF 2850).

And in the Legend:

“ From then on she never again refused any menial task, to the extent that, for the most part, it was she who poured water over the sisters’ hands, stood to assist them whilst they sat, and served them at table whilst they ate” (FF 3180).

Indeed, those who in life have been considered the least or have made themselves the least for the sake of the Gospel will be the first in the Kingdom of God!

This is also because God wishes to give everyone the opportunity to work in his vineyard, without imposing any restrictions.

His logic is different from that of men!

«So the last will be first, and the first will be last»  (Mt 20:16)

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, year A  (Mt 20:1–16)

In this liturgy, the passage from Luke presents the parable of the Sower and the reception of the various soils; a parallel with the Word of God assimilated in different ways. 

The new Evangelist of recent times, Francis, was enamoured with the Word and listened to it constantly, so much so that it was imprinted in his memory.

He was good soil that produced a hundredfold.

The Sources inform us:

"Radiant with the splendour of eternal light, he scrutinised the depths of the Scriptures with a clear and sharp intellect. His mind, pure of all stain, penetrated the secret of mysteries [...]

He read the sacred books from time to time and kept what he had once assimilated firmly imprinted in his memory, since he continually ruminated with affectionate devotion on what he had heard with an attentive mind" (FF 1188).

"With equal care and devotion, he committed himself to carrying out the other teachings he had heard.

In fact, he had never been a deaf listener to the Gospel, but, entrusting everything he heard to his commendable memory, he sought with every diligence to carry it out to the letter" (FF 357).

As Celano calls him in the First Life - «river of Paradise» - Francis, "the new evangelist of this last time, spread the waters of the Gospel with loving care throughout the whole world, and by his works he showed the way and the true doctrine of the Son of God" (FF 475).

In the Earlier Rule (1221):

«Let us therefore remain faithful to the words, life, doctrine and Holy Gospel of Him who deigned to pray for us to the Father» (FF 62).

And "let us beware of being the soil along the road, or the stony ground, or the ground overgrown with thorns, as the Lord says in the Gospel:

«The seed is the Word of God [...] the seed entrusted to good soil are those who, listening to the word with good, indeed excellent dispositions, understand it and keep it and bear fruit with perseverance»" (FF 58).

«The Sower went out to sow his seed [...] The seed is the Word of God» (Lk 8:5a, 11b)

Saturday of the 24th wk. in Ordinary Time  (Lk 8:4-15)

Chapter eight of Luke, at the beginning, speaks of the proclamation of the Good News of the Kingdom by Jesus and the Twelve, and of the following of women who, healed, follow the Lord, putting all they possess at their service.

Opening the Franciscan window we see that, after having known the Lord's will by divine inspiration, Francis, the Minim, devotes himself body and soul to fulfil the mission entrusted to him by God.

His task: to announce the Kingdom, to make the Good News known to people in poverty, renouncing everything that was not indispensable.

The Sources are extraordinarily rich in this regard.

"One day, while listening to Mass, he heard the instructions given by Christ when he sent his disciples to preach [...] He understood these instructions better afterwards, having the passage explained to him by the priest.

Then, beaming with joy, he exclaimed:

«This is precisely what I long to accomplish with all my strength!».

And fixing those directives in his memory, he undertook to carry them out happily [...].

He got rid of everything he owned that was double [...] He made himself a poor, coarse tunic and, instead of a leather belt, he tightened his hips with a rope.

Inspired by God, he began to proclaim the perfection of the Gospel, preaching penance to all, with simplicity.

His words were not frivolous [...] but full of the virtue of the Holy Spirit they penetrated into the depths of consciences, so as to touch his listeners vividly" (FF 1427).

"The man of God, Francis, animated by the Spirit of the prophets and following their language, as if echoing his forerunner, announced peace and preached salvation" (FF 1428).

"An increasing number of people were attracted by the frankness and truthfulness of Francis' teaching and life.

Two years after his conversion, some men felt encouraged by his example to do penance and join him, renouncing everything, wearing the same habit and leading the same life" (FF 1429).

The first woman to follow Francis was Clare, who left her father's house and followed him to live the Gospel.

"Noble by birth, nobler by grace [...] Clare by name, clearer by life, clearer by virtue" (FF 351).

Following her example, the other sisters also put their spiritual goods at the service of the Gospel.

«There were with him the Twelve and some women who had been healed [...] Susanna and many others, who served them with their possessions» (Lk 8:1b-2a.3b)

Friday 24th wk. in O.T.  (Lk 8:1-3)

After his conversion, Francis told his brothers:

«A sinner can fast, pray, weep and macerate his flesh [...] So we must glory only in this case: if we render to God the glory that is his» (FF 1105).

Which the sinful woman did well in the Pharisee's house and which the latter did not understand.

Francis and Clare, aware of the mercy God had shown them, spent their lives loving without measure, knowing that they had been graced by the Most High. Hence their living by continual acts of love towards others, kissing, bending over their neighbour's needs, forgiving.

The Sources inform about this, and, specifically, St Bonaventure tells us in the Major Legend:

"A man from the county of Spoleto, had a horrible disease that ravaged his mouth [...].

He had gone to Rome to visit the tomb of the Apostles and implore their grace. Returning from his pilgrimage, he met the servant of God, whose feet he would have liked, out of devotion, to kiss. But the humble Francis did not allow it, instead he kissed the one who would have liked to kiss his feet on the face.

As soon as Francis, the servant of the lepers, moved by his admirable piety, had touched that hideous wound with his sacred mouth, it disappeared completely and the sick man regained his longed-for health.

I do not know what to admire more, with good reason, in this event, whether the profound humility that prompted that benevolent kiss, or the splendid power that worked such a stupendous miracle" (FF 1046).

But Clare too, in the Papal Bull (Clara Claris praeclara) is contemplated thus:

"Breaking hard in the narrow solitude of her cell the alabaster of her body, she filled with the aromas of her holiness the entire edifice of the Church" (FF 3285).

"That truly pure vessel turned out to be a vessel of grace" (FF 3157).

And "very often he washed the feet of the servants* who returned from outside and, washing them, kissed them" (FF 3182).

To those who love much, much will be forgiven!

• Sisters in charge of the external service of the Monastery.

Thursday, 24th wk. in Ordinary Time  (Lk 7:36–50)

In this passage from the Gospel of Luke, Jesus compares the generation of his time to those children who cry out to one another about their inability to accept the prophets and the Son of Man, criticising everything done or proposed.

John the Baptist was treated as a demon because he fasted, the Son of God, who eats and drinks, as a friend of publicans and sinners.

But he who has Wisdom from above knows how to recognise the nature of things.

Thus Francis of Assisi!

Following in Christ's footsteps, he made himself 'one' with sinners, considering himself the first - and entertained himself with them in love.

We read in the Sources:

"Let the brothers beware, wherever they may be, in hermitages or in other places, not to appropriate any place for themselves nor to contend with anyone.

And whoever comes to them, friend or foe, thief or robber, let him be received with kindness.

And wherever the brothers are and wherever they meet, they should meet again willingly and with joy of spirit and honour one another without murmuring" (FF 26).

Francis possessed true Wisdom that enabled him to be with all, sinners and not, to discern and recognise the work of the Lord at work in any context, because he penetrated the root of things, looking at them with the eye of God.

Thus Clare, sister among sisters, with great discernment recognised the passage of the Spirit and his holy operation, welcoming all and conforming herself to the divine plans.

«For John the Baptist has come, who neither eats bread nor drinks wine, and you say, “He has a devil”.

The Son of Man has come who eats and drinks, and you say, “Behold, a man who eats and drinks wine, a friend of publicans and sinners!”» (Lk 7:33-34)

Wednesday 24th wk. in O.T.  (Lk 7,31-35)

In both the Gospel of John and that of Luke, the liturgy focuses on the figure of the Virgin Mary, immersed in the mystery of salvific suffering that she endures.

Mary had been forewarned of the piercing sword that would strike her and lead her to stand at the foot of the Cross, united with her Son in the Paschal Mystery, for the good of many.

Francis loved the Blessed Virgin with an indescribable love and contemplated her mysteries continually.

So too did Clare, urging her daughters to live out, like Mary, both the hopes and the sufferings.

We read in the Sources what she wrote to her spiritual daughter Ermentrude of Bruges:

«Lift up your eyes to heaven, O most beloved, for it is a call to us, and take up the cross and follow Christ who goes before us. For after many and varied tribulations, it is He who will lead us into his glory.

Love God with all your heart, and Jesus, his Son, crucified for us sinners, and may the memory of Him never fade from your mind.

MEDITATE WITHOUT WEARING YOURSELF OUT ON THE MYSTERY OF THE CROSS AND THE SORROWS OF THE MOTHER STANDING AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS […]» (FF 2915).

And again, in Clare’s Rule, regarding poverty lived out at every level:

«Never, most beloved sisters, should you desire anything else under heaven, for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his most holy Mother» (FF 2795).

And Francis himself ‘surrounded the Mother of the Lord Jesus with unspeakable love, because she had made the Lord of Majesty our brother and obtained mercy for us.

In her […] after Christ, he placed his trust’ (FF 1165).

The Blessed Virgin was ever in his thoughts, and he ceaselessly contemplated the sorrows and hardships she endured during her earthly pilgrimage.

«Now standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala» (Jn 19:25)

Blessed Virgin Mary of Sorrows  (Jn 19:25–27)